Cutting chases in wall - best way?

[robertoi]

Ive got an elecrician coming on Monday, and I need to cut chases in my kitchen wall before he arrives - Ive started off with an angle grinder, and then using a cold chisel to knock plaster out. Is this the best way of doing it? Its taking bloody ages!

Also - when I knock out the plaster for the new wall sockets, is there an easy way of making sure the wall boxes go in fairly flush with the existing plaster, or is it just a case of screwing on the socket 'enough' so that its rear edge, rather than the front of the wall box, is flush with the plaster?

Lastly - how deep do chases realistically need to be to take a standard 13a ring main for sockets?

Cheers
Rob Irons

 

[sparkyspike]

For a really neat easy job with no mess, hire a chasing machine. It plugs into a vacuum cleaner and sets the depth and width of the chase.

 

[oharaf]

Why is the sparky nor doing it???

 

[mattylad]

And is Rob doing it in the right places?

 

[xerxes]

A chasing machine can cause an enormous amount of mess even when plugged into a vacuum hose, in my experience.

They can also be seriously underpowered in some material and may get bogged down.

Many people prefer using an SDS drill with rotation stop, or a hammer and chisel.

 

[IJWS15]

The box does not need to be flush, better to set them a few mm deep

 

[sparkyspike]

A chasing machine can cause an enormous amount of mess even when plugged into a vacuum hose, in my experience.

What make did you use? I've never had any trouble with my Makita. Loads of chases and next to no mess. Much less than using a chasing drill anyway. I use an industrial vacuum though; perhaps this makes the difference.

 

[robertoi]

Thanks for the advice - decided on angle grinder to make initial edges of the chase, plus drill/ hammer/ chisel, seems to be working ok so far - bit messy mind.

The sparkys not doing it cos I am on an ultrastrict budget, plus im pretty confident I know where the chases need to be so should be ok. Theres several existing sockets which are being moved, and added to, so most of the wiring is already in place.

Cheers

 

[Dippy]

I use the Erbauer chaser (100 quid) and Earlex dust extractor (about 70 quid) from Screwfix. No dust at all. I follow up with SDS chiselling, and this is what causes some dust, but short of getting some sort of attachment to hold the vaccum pipe near the wall, I guess this is unavoidable.

 

[BS3036]

Dippy: I've gor the Erbauer chaser but I'm using a domestic vacuum cleaner and duct tape at the moment. With the Earlex dust extractor, do you have to replace bags/filters or whatever? If so, where do they come from? That's what has put me off buying a dust extractor so far...