running cables in a plastered concret wall - how do you make a channel???

[mikex79]

hi
I need to run a cable in a concret plastered wall but the thickness of the plaster is to thin so i need a channel for it tha cable i need to run it 6mm twin&earth.
the first idea was to use an angle grinder and then one of my cold chisels but if i need to di it regularly on long runs I just wonder if there is there any particular tool for routing the cables in solid concret walls?
I heard from my mate that there is something to do this job but my mate is a chef so he did not tell me exactly what it was
does anybody know?

 

[boatnik1]

A wall chaser is what your looking for. Try this.

Sparky FK302 110V 125mm Wall Chaser - Screwfix.com, Where the Trade Buys

This at the cheaper end of the market but there's loads of them from occasional use types to decent pro types

 

[mikex79]

thanks, nice one

 

[boatnik1]

Cheers

 

[mikex79]

do you guys recomand electrical box sinker as well ??? is it any usefull?
if so which brand should i look for as i found some on ebay like for example this one: ELECTRICAL BOX SINKER SET!!! on eBay, also Other Electrical, Electrical, Building Materials Supplies, Business, Office Industrial (end time 01-Apr-09 13:42:43 BST)
but they're quite expensive and NO NAME so i am a bit confused.
please help
many thanks

 

[boatnik1]

Think it just depends on how much work you're going to do to justify it. A couple of minutes with an angle grinder and a chisel will chop out a box, and since the grinder is part of the normal kit anyway, it just means not having an extra tool you don't use for anything else. By all means make your job as easy as possible but remember all tools have to be paid for from the jobs you have. No name tools? I'd rather not. It's worth checking some European suppliers as most of them have a 3 year warranty as against our 1 year.

 

[Spudnik]

i have used box sinkers in the past, and whilst very good in thermal block and soft brick, anything harder and they are not good.

By the sounds of it, in your situation, if possible i think the grinder and chisel are your best options.

 

[singlerider]

Yeah, if you're looking to do it on the regular then it's worth getting a wall chaser - they really do make life easier.

However, you should take into account that not only would you need to shell out for the chaser, but more than likely you're gonna need to shell out for a hoover as well, and some of them ain't cheap. Then you've got to worry about whether or not the hoover will fit the chaser you've got, if you're going to plug the chaser into the hoover direct (most have this function so that when you start the chaser it starts the hoover) the rating of the chaser isn't going to overload the hoover etc.

It can get complicated.

Personally if you're going to be doing it a bit, but not loads, I think you'd get away with an angle grinder and a multidrill with rotostop. It's not quite as neat (although to be honest even with a chaser you can wobble all over the place!) but it's pretty adequate for most things.

As for the box sinker - like people have said, soft block you're fine, but anything else and it's going nowhere - again I'd go angle grinder and multidrill - grid out the box and then get the fat chisel bit in there, they're usually around the same width as a single box - bishbosh jobsagoodun!