sds socket sinkers

[Stephen]

Hello,

I was thinking about buying a socket sinker. I see toolstation sell two types:

Type one needs two parts:

think you use a circular cutter to remove the bulk of the hole and then finish off with the square cutter

But there is also a one piece system:

is best? Or is there a better one for sale elsewhere?

I read on this group a long time ago about TCT core drills and the opinion (IIRC) was that they only lasted one or two holes before going blunt. What is the life of these socket sinkers?

Are the socket sinkers suitable for all types of masonry or only breeze block?

Thanks, Stephen.

[dwtowner]

Stephen,

parts:

> I think you use a circular cutter to remove the bulk of the hole and

system:

> Which is best? Or is there a better one for sale elsewhere?

I've got the two piece system, and it works very well. I haven't tried the one piece myself, but have heard others say that the hole isn't quite so neat.

Over its lifetime I've done about 8 double sockets (i.e., two boxes next to each other) and about 10 single sockets, giving a total of about 26 holes. Maybe it isn't quite as good now at cutting, but its still perfectly usable, and still better than doing it by hand! I imagine you could use a bench grinder to sharpen the box cutter on the two-piece.

I've drilled into blocks of various densities, and brick. I've not tried anything really tough though.

They are great bits of kit, and will save you hours of work!

dan.

[mike]

I got one of these from this ebay seller:

done a dozen or so single/double sockets and a half-dozen metres of chasing (all in breeze or breeze-and-plaster) and it's been very good. No major signs of wear yet. Haven't tried it in brick. It produces a fair amount of dust (although I'd guess less than the rotary types) but if you have someone stand by with a workshop vac, most of it can be contained.

Didn't pay that price for it though. He periodically has them on auction and I think I got it for about =A315.

HTH

[The Medway Handyman]

> I think you use a circular cutter to remove the bulk of the hole and

> Which is best? Or is there a better one for sale elsewhere?

No idea, never used one, but I'm a little suspicious of the phrase "breeze blocks and many other masonry materials". I wonder what others & why they don't specify them.

[Harry Bloomfield]

> Which is best? Or is there a better one for sale elsewhere?

That one is only really of use in soft material like breeze block.

[Dave Liquorice]

The despription of the flat spikey jobbie is pretty much for soft materials only. It does say it might work on harder ones but will wear quicker and may break, your risk...

The circular cutter and square box type I suspect will be better on brick/stone than the hedgehog.

[Edgar]

I wonder why we don't use circular back boxes.

Edgar

[Dave Liquorice]

Maybe because up until fairly recently the recesses would have been cut by hand with lump hammer and cold chisel. Cutting a square/rectangular one is easier with that method than cuting a round one.

[Edgar]

Time for a redesign, maybe.

Edgar

[John Rumm]

Its pretty trivial cutting a square recess with a chisel bit in a SDS anyway. I can do one in about 10 mins.

[Edgar]

Yes, some materials are easy even with hammer and chisel. But I have walls made of those horrible brittle hollow pottery blocks that break up when I chisel them. They do drill though. Cutting out using a hole saw might be much easier, quicker and less likely to break them. However I did all my wiring here long ago so a redesign wouldn't help me.

Edgar

[dennis]

I thought I was a bit slow last time I did a double box and that only took six minutes. ;-)

[Phil Addison]

[Andrew Gabriel]

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