capping

[lewlec]

hi all

we never use capping on our installations and i was just wondering would it be faster & cheaper than using cable clips?? any thoughts would be appreciated.

cheers
gary

 

[eddielarge]

I don't get on with capping, always a bugger getting the little nails in, any tips on that?
Conduit all the way...............

drill and fix it then ,, if its breeze block u dont even need to drill u can screw straight through capping into the block..

 

[Conmeister]

drill and fix it then ,, if its breeze block u dont even need to drill u can screw straight through capping into the block..

I've been drilling and fixing. Some of these red bricks are right tough buggers!! Time consuming though

 

[Jason Smith]

reading this thread with great interest. I am having the same problems as you lot and have the same solutions. Am fed up with oval, it doesnt bend enough to sit on uneven chases is a bugger to fix so it can be plastered, and its a bit of a struggle getiing two 2.5 up it and out into a back box from the floor. I appreciate things are very much different in a new build, but have only ever done difficult re wires in very old buildings.
My latest attemp is to use capping, obviously it fits over the cable so you can slot it on when you like, and if you cut your chases so that its a snug fit it will hold itself in with a little pinch on both edges. when this doesnt work, I steal the masonry nails from cable clips and pin down with them.
Most of my builings have 200 year old plaster, wafer thin, and rock hard bricks.
I worked on a new build garage the other day in the grounds of one such house and the plaster was 25 mil thick, on thermalite blocks. It was heaven on the chasing front used up all my old oval and bent over galvanised nails to hold.

 

[pennywise]

I have experimented quite a bit over the years, I'm now on Kopex and using cable tye eyelet raw plugs. The rigids in the flexi conduit are great when plastering they make a really good key for the plaster.

 

[rocker]

You and I work in very similar houses, Jason. Lots of lime, lots of lath and lots of black snot? On the oldies the top hat capping goes in lovely every time. I wouldn't even dream of using oval or any type of conduit on them.

 

[martysparky]

Do you use a chaser, on the oldies or sds?

 

[pennywise]

a pair of bellows and a fine painting brush I hate old buildings, Ealing and chiswick particularly

 

[martysparky]

a pair of bellows and a fine painting brush

Eh! what that? oh I see lol....der

 

[rocker]

LOL @ Pennywise. Damn right!

Chaser and a scutch. Haven't got the benefit of an SDS that chisels the the moment. Scutch is amazing though, havent had it long was using a bolster chisel before that (!)

EDIT: He means it's all flakey and dusty and a general pain in the butt!

 

[martysparky]

Don't you find the chaser a bit toooo dusty??

 

[rocker]

It can be massively dusty, but I have my aspirator and lab goggles. End up looking like, well, I went to get a curry after a job once and the dude in the curry place said 'aselum alekum' to me.

HOWEVER I am making a thing which is a combined gauntlet/funnel, which will attach to a hoover which will suck up all the dust and protect my hand at the same time!

 

[pennywise]

[QUOTE

EDIT: He means it's all flakey and dusty and a general pain in the butt![/QUOTE]

Got it in one It's like working on an archeological dig site,you dare not look at the stuff without it falling to bits before your very eyes, or worse still look at it from the side once your done and see how much the of the wall has blown if your note careful

 

[martysparky]

Attach the hoover funnel to your arm like Spiderman and use it with ya drill as well

is that what you mean?

 

[rocker]

Noice!

 

[Jason Smith]

its scutch and bolster for me, ( I have to keep the scutch comb sharp as well ) the walls are often one brick thick and have to go carefull!! It is often possible to see the wiring routes in the walls if you look closely, or shine a torch across the face of the wall. One of the very best tips i have found from experience is to use one coat plaster, not as a finish (BQ ready mix for that ) you mix it too stiff and will go off hard literally as you look at it. You have about a minute before it sets rock hard. This will Tack in any capping that you need without nailing. You mix it in an icecream tub at the wall, as you need it.
As Rocker says these buildings are difficult, I dont do surface boxes ( Except cookers and shavers in walls one brick thick ! ) and getting a drylining box into a plaster lath wall concentrates the mind. The quick setting of one coat plaster enables you to hold it there whilst it goes off rock hard.