Are wall chasers generally helpful tools to have (for chasing walls!)?
Makro have this model going cheap and as I am about to redecorate several rooms (which will include fitting new sockets, lighting etc) I'm wondering if I should buy it.
Thanks
Adrian
They create large amounts of air-borne dust. Most have a vacuum cleaner take-off, but the only domestic vacuum cleaner which comes close to working with them is a Dyson. You will still get some dust leakage from under the shield though.
I don't know this model, but checking the specs on the web, I don't see any indication you can vary the slot width. Even cheap chasers normally have this feature, and I wouldn't personally buy one which didn't.
If you can afford one, it makes the job much easier and faster than any other method, modulo the dust generation. You'll need goggles, dust mask, and I would suggest ear protection too.
Well I bought a cheapo Aldi one (yeah I know don't say it) for about 40 quid about a year ago, when I was rewiring a whole house: used it for two channels and then gave up on it: totally hopeless thing. You'll find my experience in the archives of this ng (along with lots of other related advice). "Chaser" should pull it all up.
David
Also, just checked, and my cheap (Ferm) one is 1500W, so this Einhell one is probably going to be slightly less powerful. That may make it more likely to slow/stall if you try cutting too fast.
Cyclone vacuum advice is spot on, but it doesn't need to be an old one as it won't harm it, and you absolutely mustn't remove the filters. Unlike a conventional vacuum cleaner, filters in a cyclone cleaner don't perform much of the filtering, probably only a tiny fraction of 1%, but they do stop any fine abrasive dust going into the motor which will quickly wreck bearings, etc.
If you use a Dyson, be careful when emptying as the dust canister wasn't designed to be full of brick, and it may be heavier than the handle was designed for. Keep an eye on the filter -- you will need to wash/change it after emptying 4-5 canister fulls of brick.
That is a tricky one IME. Something like the old DC01 Absolute is very prone to clogging its HEPA filters on plaster dust (which is placed in the exhaust form the motor anyway - so any debris here has already gone through the cyclone, prefilter and fan). So much so, that it is rapidly reduced in effectiveness. Taking out the HEPA filter (but leaving the main pre-motor filter in place) will give a good improvement in airflow.
(perhaps more (or less) detail is needed in that section of the FAQ?)
There is also the issue that some masonry dust will quickly sandblast the interior of the dust collection bin leaving it looking less aesthetically pleasing - so may attack potential SWMBO problems if the nice new one is used for this!
Hence the recommendation to use an old one (or I suppose I could say use new one since it has more airflow and suction in the first place)
Good airflow (and hence flow velocity) is partly the key - the more you start with the more you keep since the cyclone will catch more of the really fine stuff in the first place.
Although if all you need to do is a couple of chases then I have found something like my old VAX (which gets used as a shop vac these days) will cope with just its internal bag.
A very good FAQ entry on chasers.
Can I point out a couple of typos before it goes into the FAQ?
"This creates and impenetrable fog that will very quickly obscure your view of the wall and anything else in the room (and if you forgot to shut the door =3F the rest of the house as well!)."
"This creates AN impenetrable fog that will very quickly obscure your view of the wall and anything else in the room (and if you forgot to shut the door =3F the rest of the house as well!)."
and
"Repertory protection is also advisable when doing lots of chasing, since even will all the dust control facilities offered, some will still escape."
"RESPIRATORY protection is also advisable when doing lots of chasing, since even WITH all the dust control facilities offered, some will still escape."
A note on using an angle grinder for chasing (which, of course, is the way that I've usually done it!) ...
If you have a willing volunteer to hand, they can hold a vacuum cleaner nozzle at the rear of the angle grinder slot. If held sufficiently close, that captures HUGE amounts of dust: so much so that the technique becomes almost practical.
The willing volunteer does run the risk of having the end sliced off their nozzle though.
A further point about chasing in plaster...
I've very successfully used an old saw (cross-cuts are best) held flat to the surface of the wall. It's best to get the cut started from an already created hole and just saw away in a dead straight line with the saw at a few degrees from the face of the wall.
No, he's talking about their use in the entertainment industry.
Entertainment industry again - pantomimes in cheap, local theatres.
Don't you just love the combination of spell checkers and a lack of attention ;-)
Actually, I thought it was TMH for a minute. He does entertainment in addition to the practical work.
I don't know this model low end models usually won't adjust very wide ok for a single cable but doubles you will need to make two passes , if you need to do this take out one blade and save on wear and dust .
Pablo
Most will do at least 30mm which is plenty for several cables.
No. They make fine dust, and they throw it everywhere.
An SDS drill with a spoon chisel leaves a less neat edge, but it's nothing like so dusty.
_More_ powerful surely? I doubt very much if Ferm use full-size Watts.
On Sat, 10 Mar 2007 22:51:38 +0000, John Rumm mused:
Not if you're using additional mechanical protection.
As was already mentioned, that accommodates a fair size of oval conduit, and since they cut so fast, it is not difficult to do an extra pass if you really do want a wider chase. If you routinely want wider chases then you could go for one of the larger ones that use 230mm disks, like:
IME, my chaser (the smaller Sparky one) makes far less dust than using the SDS... (the SDS makes some, the chaser seems to have very effective capture and extraction of the dust and makes practically none)
£60 + VAT according to my special offers leaflet.
Oh, OK. I'm surprised a DC01 can keep up anyway. DC04 just about can (which has much more suck than a DC01, and a DC07 is even better, which has more such still). The hepa filters on my DC04 and DC07 still look brand new, although the DC04 has spent its whole 7-year life sucking up building debris of one sort or another. Nothing seems to have got through to them from the other filters. The only dust I've ever seen in a DC04 hepa filter is motor brush dust, and soot when someone was silly enough to try sucking that up with a vacuum cleaner.
Good point. I've done that with fine rubble, but the change in appearance does worry me.
I've not tried a VAX, but I did try someone's Henry, and it worked for about 10 seconds before it was clogged. It was quite surprising it caught enough dust to get clogged, because it was clearly chucking most of the dust out in the exhaust until it clogged.
^^^^ doesn't
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