Any advice on rewires?

HappyHippyDad · Nov 14, 2020

I have perhaps done 6 rewires now. They are hard work and I wonder if there are ways to make them easier as I have another 2 much larger ones (3 and 4 storey houses) coming up.

I typically take around 2 weeks for a 3 bed house. This is working flat out (by myself) everyday including one or 2 Saturdays and I feel that is a little longer than most of you would take, or is it about right?

I have just bought the metabo mfe40 wall chaser and hopefully that will speed things up. Are there any tips for using chasers? I'm guessing they just make nice neat notches either side of the chase which you then remove with an SDS chisel? Do you always then use oval conduit which you secure to the wall with the oval conduit holders or is there a quicker way?

Cheers all and hope you are having a relaxing Saturday!

Ps.. I'm awaiting the arrival of the triple blade for the metabo, anyone use it yet? Does it actually take out the middle of the chase well?
pps.. What size conduit do you generally use for 1mm, 2.5mm, 6mm, ring etc etc?

Baddegg · Feb 10, 2021

JBW175 said:
They are in Havant, but I can’t speak for the rest of Portsmouth, the south coast, or indeed, the rest of the UK ??

Not on the island @JBW175 bloody miles apart....

Mike Johnson · Feb 10, 2021

Is that the Island of England or the Freezer food outlet.

JBW175 · Feb 10, 2021

Baddegg said:
Not on the island @JBW175 bloody miles apart....

That’a absolutely disgraceful planning mate, just to rub in, we’ve got Wall Dogs in stock....?

although I still miss going out on Albert & Palmy road, so you win that one. ?

JBW175 · Feb 10, 2021

Mike Johnson said:
Is that the Island of England or the Freezer food outlet.

I’m pretty sure that he’s on about the isle of Portsea, and not to be confused with those 6 fingered webbed feet people from the IOW.

EDIT, no offence meant for any 6 fingered banjo players from the Isle of Wight that dabble in electrics.

nicebutdim · Feb 10, 2021

Toolstation only exists online in NI.

Aldi can be found across the Irish Sea or south of the border.

Fortunately we do have internet access, so can see all the nice stuff we can't have.

Baddegg · Feb 11, 2021

JBW175 said:
I’m pretty sure that he’s on about the isle of Portsea, and not to be confused with those 6 fingered webbed feet people from the IOW.

EDIT, no offence meant for any 6 fingered banjo players from the Isle of Wight that dabble in electrics.

The colloquial term for them is caulkheads mate.......don’t ask me why ?‍

?

JBW175 · Feb 11, 2021

Baddegg said:
The colloquial term for them is caulkheads mate.......don’t ask me why ?‍?

I never knew this, but I’ve got a couple of mates off the island so will start using it as a term of endearment for them. ?

HappyHippyDad · May 17, 2022

Another update to this thread, regarding the longevity of the metabo triple blade.
It's done a further 3 rewires now. The triple blade is removing the chases just as well as when I first started using it. Not entirely sure but I would guess at 5 rewires in total so far over the 1.5 years I've had it.

It is awesome. A standard chase for a socket (approx 2m), takes around 15 - 20 seconds, leaving a perfect chase.

nicebutdim · May 18, 2022

Hard to believe it was so long ago that you bought this. Seems like only a few months.

mattg4321 · May 18, 2022

Anyone know if the triple blade fits the MFE30?

HappyHippyDad · May 18, 2022

mattg4321 said:
Anyone know if the triple blade fits the MFE30?

I'm almost certain it doesn't I'm afraid.

nicebutdim · May 18, 2022

Both use 125mm blades, with 22.23mm centre.

I've looked into this a few times, but never found a definitive answer..

123 · May 19, 2022

HappyHippyDad said:
Another update to this thread, regarding the longevity of the metabo triple blade.
It's done a further 3 rewires now. The triple blade is removing the chases just as well as when I first started using it. Not entirely sure but I would guess at 5 rewires in total so far over the 1.5 years I've had it.

It is awesome. A standard chase for a socket (approx 2m), takes around 15 - 20 seconds, leaving a perfect chase.

How hard are the walls you have been using it on?

HappyHippyDad · May 19, 2022

123 said:
How hard are the walls you have been using it on?

They have all been either red brick or stone. They do have a varying depth of plaster on them though, so you are not just going through the brick or stone at full depth. I set the depth to 20mm, this is perfect for 25mm oval conduit which sits snuggly into it and only needs 2 or 3 screws to keep it secure.

So far it does seem to have gone through anything. If the surface is a bit harder, you just go more slowly.

HappyHippyDad · May 19, 2022

nicebutdim said:
Both use 125mm blades, with 22.23mm centre.

I've looked into this a few times, but never found a definitive answer..

I was certain I'd read a reply from metabo saying you can't use it on the mfe30, but I may be wrong. Best thing for @mattg4321 to do is to contact metabo to be sure.

Petej999 · May 19, 2022

Make sure your Apprentice/Mate/Helper knows what you want of him, set yourself a target for the days work the last thing you want especially in an occupied house is panicking towards the end of the day, trying to get the place liveable until the next day some days you may finish your allotted tasks early, some you may have to work longer hours, that's a rewire for you. Three working days for me and a Mate, when I was doing it, two fairly easy days and 1 day of hard graft. You may require a 4th day for testing and snagging this was for a 3 bed occupied council house, nil chasing all surface, all cable drops clipped using buckle clips, it was a while ago mind you.

Simon47 · May 24, 2022

Mike Johnson said:
Aren't all Toolstations and Screwfix next to each other?

Until a year or two ago, nearest was the next town 10 miles away - next door to each other. Then Screwfix opened up in our own town (so only about a mile from home) - no Toolstation. I have to admit, as long as you know what you are after, being able to go online and (if they've got the stock in) pick it up a short time later, even on Sunday, is rather handy.

cliffed · May 25, 2022

Back in the 80’s me & my mate did a 3-4 bedroom house in a day.
It’s a bit different now, more lights etc.
Always hard work then, flushing boxes into the walls only wet plastering then, no dabbing.
My mate flushed & fixed the boxes then helped with some of the cabling, then started the sheathing, wouldn’t wanna do this now too Old.
Good luck

UNG · May 25, 2022

cliffed said:
Back in the 80’s me & my mate did a 3-4 bedroom house in a day.
It’s a bit different now, more lights etc.
Always hard work then, flushing boxes into the walls only wet plastering then, no dabbing.
My mate flushed & fixed the boxes then helped with some of the cabling, then started the sheathing, wouldn’t wanna do this now too Old.
Good luck

About 3 times as many sockets is the killer these days

pc1966 · May 25, 2022

UNG said:
About 3 times as many sockets is the killer these days

Not to mention half dozen ceiling lights in a room in place of a pendent or two.

Dustydazzler · May 25, 2022

A very basic 2 sockets and 1 pendant per room re-wire un-occupied carpet all pulled up 3 bed house, you could probably do in 1 long day between 2 experienced sparks. Bang test on the board and not a whiff of any paperwork thou.
8 til 8 shift. Sling a bit of muck in the chases if you get time.

7029 dave · May 25, 2022

Dustydazzler said:
A very basic 2 sockets and 1 pendant per room re-wire un-occupied carpet all pulled up 3 bed house, you could probably do in 1 long day between 2 experienced sparks. Bang test on the board and not a whiff of any paperwork thou.
8 til 8 shift. Sling a bit of muck in the chases if you get time.

Just the ticket

HappyHippyDad · Jun 19, 2022

I thought I become one of those fancy youtube electricians for a minute and video myself using the triple blade, so you could see it in action.

Just cant upload it though

It says "the uploaded file was not a video as expected". Ummm, yes it is!

Sussed it! Trimmed it a bit and it works. I love the triple blade!

Ps.. It takes longer than the previous 20 seconds I said. Looks like it's around 45 secs - 1 min for a chase to a light switch. Virtually no debris and a lovely, neat chase. This is into a standard load bearing wall in a house, not sure exactly what material it is I'm cutting into, but it's pretty hard.

pps.. No eye protection

123 · Jun 19, 2022

HappyHippyDad said:
I thought I become one of those fancy youtube electricians for a minute and video myself using the triple blade, so you could see it in action.

Just cant upload it though

It says "the uploaded file was not a video as expected". Ummm, yes it is!

Sussed it! Trimmed it a bit and it works. I love the triple blade!

Ps.. It takes longer than the previous 20 seconds I said. Looks like it's around 45 secs - 1 min for a chase to a light switch. Virtually no debris and a lovely, neat chase. This is into a standard load bearing wall in a house, not sure exactly what material it is I'm cutting into, but it's pretty hard.

pps.. No eye protection

I really must get my finger out and purchase one to try it...my MFE40 is over 3 years old now and all that's been used in it are the Metabo's standard blades. Trouble is in that time we've gone through over 30 pairs of blades, I just have this bad lingering doubt that the triple blade wouldn't be able to last any length of time when it's doing deeper tracks...we'd regularly be sinking some 25mm conduits in kitchen jobs for isolators all to go in tall housings etc...and we do that kind of work pretty regular.

I've a couple of big new builds starting soon but I get tracking companies in for that work

Risteard · Jun 19, 2022

123 said:
I really must get my finger out and purchase one to try it...my MFE40 is over 3 years old now and all that's been used in it are the Metabo's standard blades. Trouble is in that time we've gone through over 30 pairs of blades, I just have this bad lingering doubt that the triple blade wouldn't be able to last any length of time when it's doing deeper tracks...we'd regularly be sinking some 25mm conduits in kitchen jobs for isolators all to go in tall housings etc...and we do that kind of work pretty regular.

I've a couple of big new builds starting soon but I get tracking companies in for that work

I have the MFE30 and find it sore enough on the blades. Would like to try the MFE40 though to avoid needing to knock the centre of the tracks out.

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