What is the best method for cutting holes in brick walls to take electrical sockets?

Question

I'm putting in a double socket as a spur off the ring circuit, I have done this before but the real difficulty is chiseling out the wall to take it. Is there a handy tool for this?

Cheers.

Answer 1

I use a 2 pound hammer and a bolster and the boxes are always a perfect fit, but I've cut a few thousand over the years!! It's technique not tools that are required.

Answer 2

To answer you question, Yes there it a tool made for this job, but for one double socket it would not be worth buying one as they are quite expensive, you may be able to hire one. The cheapest way is to mark around the socket box and use a masonry drill bit drilling holes about half an inch apart all the way round, and use a good cold chisel to join up the holes.
It helps if you measure how deep you want the hole and put a marker on the drill bit, if you are putting this box into a brick wall find the mortar joints and use the angle that the brick corner has, this will mean that you only have to drill out half of the space and will make it a lot easier by using the mortar lines, remember to use a drill with a hammer action. I hope you can understand this method as it's not really that easy to explain.

Answer 3

Mark it out and drill a series of holes with masonary bit then just get stuck in with the chisel. Use a half inch steel cutting chisel for maximum impact. Your only doing one socket so should only take half an hour.

Answer 4

might be a good idea to get a small diamond blade for your grinder and cut as deep as it will go before you have at it with a chisel. this way you wont spall the surface of the bricks you dont want to cut out...

Answer 5

get somebody else to do it

Answer 6

use a combe chisel its sold in all good builders merchants it looks like a bolster with four sharp points at the end they are cheap and very good

Answer 7

i'd strongly recommend which you attempt to borrow a cable detecter, with a bit of luck somebody you already know have one. its no longer properly certainly worth the possibility and in case you do drill by way of wires fee you plenty extra to handle, good success

Answer 8

MY SPARKS USES A DRILL WHICH CAN BE USED AS A NIBBLER..THAT IS YOU CAN STOP THE DRILL FROM ROTATING BUT THE HAMMER REMAINS ON ..ITS LIKE A MINI KANGO ..BUT IF YOU HAVE ONLY ONE TO DO A HAMMER AND SMALL CHISEL IS THE ONLY WAY

Answer 9

You can get a back box sinking tool, but they are expensive and do not work on all bricks/block.

The best way is like this-

http://www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk/SINKING_A_BACK_BOX.htm