Electrical box sinkers

[Dazza1976]

Hi all,
Does anyone use electrical box sinkers for sds drills, or know if they are any good ??
I need to chase out for approx 20 double sockets in old plaster/brickwork, and wondered if it is worth investing in one of these, rather than drill and bolster them all out.
Any feedback would be much appreciated, before i go and waste £75.

 

[stevie h]

I bought one from screw fix and it,s a pile of crap , it is useless on tough brick , only any good on thermal block but that stuff is easy by hand , your better off by hand or using a small grinder (lots of dust) if you can IMO.

Ste

 

[simonatlondon]

I second what stevie h says. You just can't beat the tooth tool in front of the hammer.

If you ever think of using a box sinker in an old vicky house, then forget about it .... unless you want half the render of the wall to come down ad well. Just something I unfortunatley experienced whilst on a job.

They just don't warrant the price you pay for them IMO.

 

[EasyFox]

I use the Armeg sinkers.
Again best used on thermalite/breeze blocks & they do save time when sinking multiple boxes. The chase bit is fine on same blocks & does work well on most bricks.
In older buildings with sand/lime mortar you'll have problems with the brick work moving when using the sds sinkers/chase tools.
Engineering bricks, dont even bother getting the sinkers out the van.

Scutch chisle & lump hammer.

 

[spark-doctor]

Have only ever had good results with thermalite/breeze blocks. Stays in the back of the van now.

 

[Bane]

That's a no then!

 

[London Luke]

junk ! and i still laugh at the quality of tools been sold by so called Trade places.

"Silverline" etc !!!!!

 

[greekislandlover]

If you want to destroy lots of wall, knoxk the plaster off the other side of the wall and cause lots of rubble to fly in all directions they can't be beat!

Scutch and lump for me. If you have the chaser out, then that will do a good job of getting the box mostly cut out. It's an art that requires practice, and you do have to plaster afterwards, but because of the extractor it's minimal dust.

 

[Reg Man]

Only work well in breeze block walls. Take too long to cut out in brick. Quicker with SDS drill and chisel. Total waste of money.

 

[tony.towa]

Total agreement with what's gone before.

Bought one, tried it, gave up with it, got shot of it (or was that the first wife?)

Seriously a lump hammer and boulster or my old faithful Makita hammer drill chisel (getting good with it now)

 

[sparkyork]

eye dont bother with em meself either, i use a brick hammer for chopping out in thermalite and cordless chissler drill on the more stubborn.

 

[Will69]

Nice post, just saved a few bob. Phew.

 

[tony.towa]

There you go, just send half the cost of what you were going to buy to the "Buy the Forum a Drink Fund" c/o either Bane or me (to go with the recipes: we will then be able to recommend the right aperatif to drink with them)

 

[Will69]

Buy you a drink any day, but you can keep your so-called recipes! Fish? Urgh! lol

 

[Dazza1976]

Thanks very much guys for your advice, i was very close to buying one and quite glad i didnt now after what you have told me. Im so glad i discovered this site, as it is so valuable for a newly qualified spark like myself. Its great to get promt replies from such honest, helpful, knowlegeable people. Thanks once again !

 

[London Luke]

Thanks very much guys for your advice, i was very close to buying one and quite glad i didnt now after what you have told me. Im so glad i discovered this site, as it is so valuable for a newly qualified spark like myself. Its great to get promt replies from such honest, helpful, knowlegeable people. Thanks once again !

honest,helpful.knowlegeable people?

i hate creeps !

 

[Bane]

Buy you a drink any day, but you can keep your so-called recipes! Fish? Urgh! lol

 

[jeremy]

sorry the reply on this is a bit late but if you grind the outside dimensions of the box with a decent diamond blade it will get you within down to about 22mm. Use a decent chisel bit on a variable speed sds and you can get flat backed chases on all but the crumbliest brick (with a bit of practise!!). happy sculpting

 

[Carter]

It's an art that requires practice, and you do have to plaster afterwards, but because of the extractor it's minimal dust.

By 'stitch drilling' and using a sharp half inch cold chisel, some masking tape and a sheet of newspaper I can convert a single socket box to a double without even leaving the wallpaper disturbed around the new 2gang plate. Just got to be careful is all. Agree there's an art to it though, funny how you get to know just where to give a particular brick a strategic clout to achieve maximal material removal for the least amount of heft and damage.

If on site where the wall has to be plastered and finished, like Tony I found it easy to blast away with a 12mm SDS bit then let the mate square it off. Gives them the practice for domestics.

 

[sparkyork]

when im in a domestic and they got nice wallpaper i cut the box shpe out with a stanley knife aswell so theres no risk of it ripping the paper that is seen

 

[Carter]

when im in a domestic and they got nice wallpaper i cut the box shpe out with a stanley knife aswell so theres no risk of it ripping the paper that is seen

Yep, that's the one, square up a 2g box, draw round and then carefully cut through the paper scoring the skim underneath. I angle the blade away slightly to produce a very slight bevel and this ensures the skim breaks up inwards towards the hole side not the wall finish side.

 

[Grae79]

it's an artform!

 

[ezz]

Waste of time and money. I tried one for the first (and last) time on a block wall and it was next to hopeless. Okay for a DIYer doing 1 socket into therma block. I'm afraid it's the old method that works for this. Go and get the Hilti out.

 

[mdshunk]

Any of you guys had much luck with a Scutch chisel for the SDS hammer drills? I've held one in my hand at the supply house, but never bought one. I might, if one of you all has used one before with good results. It might be overkill. I don't know.