On Aug 31, 7:08*am, "HeyBub" wrote:
Evan wrote:
On Aug 31, 1:24 am, wrote:
I'm trying to put a fan into a 12-inch thick brick wall. Diameter is
about 8 inches. Naturally I don't have an 8 inch masonry bit (and I
wouldn't like to pay the cost) so the next best thing is to cut
through enough bricks to make a squarish hole though which the fan
will fit. But that leaves small gaps on each side which I'd like to
fill in with mortar. I should also mention that I can only get to the
inside; the fan (really the vent part) is lowered from a higher floor
using a string duct-taped in place. When it's where I want it one
strong tug and it's free. So I have to push the mortar in from the
inside and it's a pain in the butt. Push as far as possible using
hands and then use a dowel to push it all the way and hopefully
compact it.

Well there's actually a miniature tool that I could use to do the
job. You know when you have a filling at the dentist: he does his
drilling and then uses a thing that looks like a tube with a piston
inside to place the amalgam in the cavity. He then tamps the amalgam
down with another instrument.

Upsize that tube with a piston to 1/2 inch (or maybe have a range of
sizes from 1/2 to 2 inches), pack it with mortar and then push the
piston home to place the mortar deep into the hole. Now where can I
get such a tool?

On the off chance the OP is not a troll, the OP should learn how to
use cold chisels to properly cut through the concrete block in order
to create the desired shape and size of opening needed...

Yet another fabulous example of someone making a mountain out
of a mole hill...

Why make a round hole for something in a concrete wall when *I*
don't want to pay for someone with the correct size concrete
hole saw to come out and make the cut... *Surely there is no other
way to make a round hole in a concrete block wall other than using
an mighty expensive drill bit... *Then let me concoct the most
"rube goldberg-esque" manner possible to pack mortar into the
gaps *I* never should have created in the first place...

Yep. One can rent concrete hole saws in almost any size. They're used for
placing floor safes or routing pipes.

Wonder what the OP plans when the fan quits working?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

when the cut from inside is nearly thru the bricks outside will likely
spall falling outward..... OP needs exterior access.

better to install just a exhaust outlet with the actual fan somehere
else indoors easy to service