Cutting bricks

[23vc]

I have laid a fair few bricks now on my extension but only ever needed half bricks which I've just smashed in half with the trowel and pointed the broken end into the cavity.
When I've needed any other cut like a 2thirds or whatever, I've spectacularly failed to do it with a bolster, even going really slowly from all sides, these bricks just eventually shatter into an unusable shape and get added to the pile of rubble.
The bricks have 3 big holes in and those grooves in the back which I guess may be meant to help with cutting?
Only way I can see is just use a disc cutter just a lot of noise and dust.
Any tips appreciated

 

[Doggit]

A 4.5" grinder with a daimond disc will make an initial cut for you, or cut both top and bottom, and it'll snap cleanly. Yes, there's a fair amount of dust, but as it'll do it quickly, there won't be much noise.

 

[23vc]

Cheers, yeah the angle grinder's always an option

 

[garyo]

I batch my noisy work together on the basis that from the neighbours point of view 60 seconds is as bad as 5 seconds, especially with a grinder when there's a lot of spinning up and spinning down time. Can you plan enough to get a batch of bricks done in one hit?

 

[^woody^]

A brick hammer and a certain technique.

 

[noseall]

We used a batch of (perf) bricks that had four holes - yes four! This made it impossible to cut the brick in half cleanly without the use of an angle grinder.

Stupid brick manufacturers.

 

[23vc]

Not a bolster then woody? I think I'll have to stick to my angle grinder for these unless you can elaborate on the 'certain technique'. These bricks seem really fragile and generally just break into several small pieces.
Not a big issue but I'm always trying to improve how I do things.

 

[noseall]

Not a bolster then woody?

No. This means the brick is on a surface (usually hard) and it can send the shock to other parts of the brick making this method unreliable.

A brick hammer with the brick in your hand, yields the best results.

 

[mfarrow]

Agree with brick in hand and brick hammer technique.

I had about 20 2/3 bricks to cut for the doorway on my extension. Bolster just blew brick to bits, brick hammer was relatively successful.

Hold brick face up in palm with 1/3 you don't want furthest away from you. Fingers should be parallel to long edge of brick. Strike brick hammer along length of cut line until it breaks away.

 

[23vc]

Cool thanks all, unless I have to do loads I'll stick with the grinder but may buy a brick hammer in future.

 

[nickjb]

I had no luck at all with the hammer. Grinder worked a treat. As above line up several bricks and cut a batch. You get two good halves as well. It is noisy but not for long, and hammering (then swearing) isn't exactly quiet.

 

[Ian H]

Not a bolster then woody? I think I'll have to stick to my angle grinder for these unless you can elaborate on the 'certain technique'.

Knowing Woody, it's probably 'all in the wrist'

 

[John D v2.0]

Duplicate post -deleted

 

[John D v2.0]

No. This means the brick is on a surface (usually hard) and it can send the shock to other parts of the brick making this method unreliable.

A brick hammer with the brick in your hand, yields the best results.

Yes I tired a bolster too (this was for concrete pavers though), even resting the brick on a bed of sand, and it was always a disaster.
Eventually I discovered you can hire a block splitter cheaply which is basically a floor standing scissors with a long handle.
That reduced the wastage rate to about 30%...
Not sure if you can get one for bricks though.

 

[^woody^]

Knowing Woody, it's probably 'all in the wrist'

Come again?