Wall chaser

[gblades]

Thinking about buying a wall chaser to cut a channel in my concrete floor so that I can run a replacement pipe for one of the radiators.

I found this one:-
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/81200/Power-Tools/Grinders/Erbauer-ERB125Y-125mm-Wall-Chaser
The method of varying the depth is obvious enough but how do you vary the cutting width?
Do you stack cutting discs side by side on the unit or something?

 

[RF Lighting]

You have some thick washers which you put between the blades. If you want the blades closer, put less washers in the middle, but you need to put the remaining washers at the other side of the blade.

 

[gblades]

Thanks. What do you use to remove the channel of concrete remaining in the middle?

 

[DarrenThomas]

i think you are supposed to use either a bolster and mallet or a chisel on an SDS. Since the sides of the chase are already done th emiddle will come out fairly easily.

When i have to chase some wiring in the new year i'm just going to hire a chaser and vac from HSS to make life easy.

 

[neds]

Never used a chaser tool before, I suspect it makes as much mess as an angle grinder? I have a curved shaped SDS bit that does the job OK.

 

[gblades]

It wont be as bad as an angle grinder as long as you connect a vacuum cleaner to it. One tip I read was when you stop let the chaser spin to a stop before removing from the wall otherwise it can throw dust when you pull it away.

I have a 5kg SDS drill so that should be fine.

Thanks.

 

[RF Lighting]

I just use a lump hammer and cold chisel to remove the middle bit. I find it as quick as using a chisel bit in my SDS drill.

Providing you start at the bottom of the chase and work upwards, and regularly empty your vacuum it makes very little dust really.

The filter on my vac usually needs cleaning after every 2 meters of chasing, as the dust is so fine.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

If chasing out concrete floors be careful you do not go through the DPC.
Some times they are only 25mm down, could well be cheaper hiring one than buying one. Plus you'll get a top quality one from hire shop.

 

[opps]

I had some chasing to do a while back but was too tight to buy/hire a decent chaser.

I built an mdf box to to cover my angle grinder's blade, I then hot melt glued a pipe onto it to connect to my dust extractor.

Worked fine- very effective dust extraction other than initial plunge- downside was that as there is only one blade I had to do two runs.

 

[RF Lighting]

To be fair, I wouldn't recommend buying one unless you're going to be chasing as part of your trade.

Mine is barely used as it is. It only comes out for things like thin engineering brick walls and concrete. Anything else, and the time spent messing about getting all set up and packing away again, you're as quick just to knock it out by hand or with the drill.

 

[gblades]

Thanks for the information. Hopefully I can find the place where the existing pipe is leaking and fix it but otherwise I will need to lay a new one.

I assume DPC is damp proof course. In the kitchen the 22mm pipe from the boiler is in a metal box with a wooden board over the top. There is a good 25mm from the top of the pipe to the concrete so I assume the DPC at that point is at least about 50mm but dont know if it can vary much?

If I need to go ahead I will need to cut around a 7m length so probably a bit too time consuming with a drill and chissel bit.

I looked at hiring but most places charge around £50 for a single day and screwfix sell one for about £110. It would make it easier to buy one as I could do it when I wanted and also use it to recess the cables for a tv upstairs when I redecorate which currently uses conduit stuck on the wall.

I think the biggest concern apart from the DPC is making sure I dont cut through another copper pipe when doing the channel.

 

[TonyV]

I looked at hiring but most places charge around £50 for a single day and screwfix sell one for about £110. It would make it easier to buy one as I could do it when I wanted and also use it to recess the cables for a tv upstairs when I redecorate which currently uses conduit stuck on the wall.

I think the biggest concern apart from the DPC is making sure I dont cut through another copper pipe when doing the channel.

Plus also add into the equation that hire shop will charge for blade useage.
I bought a chaser from Aldi - think it was about £50 - worked fine for the chases I needed to do + some life left in the blades. In the scenariro with vacuum cleaner added dust was minimal.

As for your pipe runs - do you have a electonic joist/metal/cable locator that may help you locate them - if not maybe another investment.

Tony

Edit - P.S. Copper pipes and cement do not work - check in plumbing forum before you replace

 

[Paul Barker]

I've got a wall chaser, they make far too much mess to use in habitable homes. Only good for complete makeover/building site.

 

[gblades]

Yes I have a pipe detector and I lifted the carpet and traced where the pipes went. There was one point where the concrete was discoloured slightly where the pipe ran underneath but I cannot say that is where the leak is. I phones the insurance company and they have a leak tracking ans fixing as a standard extra so got them coming out in just over a week to take a look.

 

[DaveJaVu]

I bought one off Ebay, used it for what I wanted then sold it back on Ebay for what I paid for it....result!!

They are cumbersome things though, I didnt bother with it for the last few cuts I had to do, used the trusty old angle grinder.
Also using you household vac could 'kill' it with the amount of fine dust its sucking up, just make sure the missus dont find out.