Just tried using one of these for the first time this morning with less
than satisfactory results!

First off, I discovered that the *maximum* separation for the cutting
discs is 29mm; since the *narrowest* size of channelling available is
30mm - and I normally use wider stuff myself - this is a bit useless IMHO.

Secondly, the instructions point out that for safety you need to move
the machine in the opposite direction to that of the disc rotation. That
means in practice that you start at the ceiling and 'pull' the machine
towards you, working down the wall; ie the opposite direction to which
you'd use a portable circular saw. This means that you can't follow
your pencil line to cut straight; mine kept wandering off all over the
shop. Laughably there's a laser guide on top which projects a pretty red
line UP the wall, nicely aligned with the cut you've just made - ie does
nothing to keep you on track. Lower down the wall, ie below the
machine, the cutting line is completely concealed by the dust extraction
pipe.

Is this experience similar to others? Or am I doing something daft? I
find this machine worse than useless at present.

Incidentally this is the 45-quid Aldi machine, but before I get a chorus
of "well what do you expect!" in its defence I'm not sure whether
'proper' machines are any different in the above respects?

David

Lobster wrote:
Just tried using one of these for the first time this morning with
less than satisfactory results!

First off, I discovered that the *maximum* separation for the cutting
discs is 29mm; since the *narrowest* size of channelling available is
30mm - and I normally use wider stuff myself - this is a bit useless
IMHO.

Secondly, the instructions point out that for safety you need to move
the machine in the opposite direction to that of the disc rotation.
That means in practice that you start at the ceiling and 'pull' the
machine towards you, working down the wall; ie the opposite direction
to which you'd use a portable circular saw. This means that you
can't follow
your pencil line to cut straight; mine kept wandering off all over the
shop. Laughably there's a laser guide on top which projects a pretty
red line UP the wall, nicely aligned with the cut you've just made -
ie does nothing to keep you on track. Lower down the wall, ie below
the
machine, the cutting line is completely concealed by the dust
extraction pipe.

Is this experience similar to others? Or am I doing something daft?
I find this machine worse than useless at present.

Incidentally this is the 45-quid Aldi machine, but before I get a
chorus of "well what do you expect!" in its defence I'm not sure
whether 'proper' machines are any different in the above respects?

David

I used a petrol driven stone cutter once gave me a chase down the wall and
a bloody doorway where I didn't want one. lol

Lobster wrote:

First off, I discovered that the *maximum* separation for the cutting
discs is 29mm

Most of the ones I've seen are 30mm max.


since the *narrowest* size of channelling available is
30mm

??

http://tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/C...ing/index.html



--
Grunff

Lobster wrote:
Just tried using one of these for the first time this morning with
less than satisfactory results!
Secondly, the instructions point out that for safety you need to move
the machine in the opposite direction to that of the disc rotation.
That means in practice that you start at the ceiling and 'pull' the
machine towards you, working down the wall; ie the opposite direction
to which you'd use a portable circular saw. This means that you
can't follow
your pencil line to cut straight; mine kept wandering off all over the
shop. Laughably there's a laser guide on top which projects a pretty
red line UP the wall, nicely aligned with the cut you've just made -
ie does nothing to keep you on track. Lower down the wall, ie below
the
machine, the cutting line is completely concealed by the dust
extraction pipe.
Do you have the chaser upside down have tried several times to
visualise holding it upside down seems that would give you the lazer on
the "right" side but I could be very wrong only you can tell if you are
holding it the wrong way round.


--
This post contains no hidden meanings, no implications and certainly no
hidden agendas so it should be taken at face value. The wrong words
may be used this is due to my limitations with the English language .

yours S
Nihil curo de ista tua stulta superstitione

In article ,
says...
Just tried using one of these for the first time this morning with less
than satisfactory results!

First off, I discovered that the *maximum* separation for the cutting
discs is 29mm; since the *narrowest* size of channelling available is
30mm - and I normally use wider stuff myself - this is a bit useless IMHO.

If that's the maximum separation then won't the width of the cut will be
29mm plus two disk thicknesses?

Secondly, the instructions point out that for safety you need to move
the machine in the opposite direction to that of the disc rotation. That
means in practice that you start at the ceiling and 'pull' the machine
towards you, working down the wall; ie the opposite direction to which
you'd use a portable circular saw. This means that you can't follow
your pencil line to cut straight; mine kept wandering off all over the
shop. Laughably there's a laser guide on top which projects a pretty red
line UP the wall, nicely aligned with the cut you've just made - ie does
nothing to keep you on track. Lower down the wall, ie below the
machine, the cutting line is completely concealed by the dust extraction
pipe.

Surely if you keep the laser pointed at a mark on the ceiling as you
pull the tool down it will end up with a straight cut? I must admit
I've never used one of these myself, but my experience of cutting with
various circular saws and grinders is that if you don't worry too much
about getting it straight it will tend to be fairly straight anyway, but
if you try to correct every slight deviation you end up wobbling all
over the place.

Grunff wrote:
Lobster wrote:

First off, I discovered that the *maximum* separation for the cutting
discs is 29mm


Most of the ones I've seen are 30mm max.

That's what I also found from checking a few other models just now. But
why, though??!


since the *narrowest* size of channelling available is
30mm

??

http://tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/C...ing/index.html

Oh, OK... I buy mine from a local electrical wholesaler, and their
narrowest type is 30mm - which has a channel only wide enough for a
single cable. Maybe the 'flats' on this brand are exceptionally wide or
something?

David

Rob Morley wrote:
In article ,
says...

Just tried using one of these for the first time this morning with less
than satisfactory results!

First off, I discovered that the *maximum* separation for the cutting
discs is 29mm; since the *narrowest* size of channelling available is
30mm - and I normally use wider stuff myself - this is a bit useless IMHO.

If that's the maximum separation then won't the width of the cut will be
29mm plus two disk thicknesses?

Sorry no; what I meant was 29mm was the width of the cut.

Surely if you keep the laser pointed at a mark on the ceiling as you
pull the tool down it will end up with a straight cut?

Well firstly the line wouldn't reach the ceiling from all the way down
the wall, it's only intended to illuminate a short way; but secondly,
surely even if you could, there would be nothing to stop you from
veering off at an angle, and ending up 12" away from the intended socket
position but with the laser still glued to the ceiling mark?!

David

Lobster wrote:

That's what I also found from checking a few other models just now. But
why, though??!

My gut feeling is that chasing is such a crappy, dusty job, you really
want to remove as little material as you can get away with.


Oh, OK... I buy mine from a local electrical wholesaler, and their
narrowest type is 30mm - which has a channel only wide enough for a
single cable. Maybe the 'flats' on this brand are exceptionally wide or
something?

It must have some pretty wide flats.


--
Grunff

In article ,
Grunff writes:
Lobster wrote:

First off, I discovered that the *maximum* separation for the cutting
discs is 29mm

Most of the ones I've seen are 30mm max.

Some of them can be operated with one blade removed, and then
you can do two runs and get whatever width slot you want.

since the *narrowest* size of channelling available is
30mm - and I normally use wider stuff myself - this is a bit useless IMHO.

Um, 30mm is the widest oval trunking normally used.
12mm is the narrowest.
Are you trying to use capping in a chase by any chance?

IME, you don't want a perfectly straight slot. I did that
once, and then the trunking wouldn't stay in the slot without
using nails to grip the sides. A freehand slot as you get from
following a line by eye will have just enough deviation from
straight to grip the oval trunking without using any extra
fixings.

--
Andrew Gabriel

In article ,
Lobster writes:

Oh, OK... I buy mine from a local electrical wholesaler, and their
narrowest type is 30mm - which has a channel only wide enough for a
single cable. Maybe the 'flats' on this brand are exceptionally wide or
something?

You are using capping, which is the wrong stuff for a chase.
Use oval trunking, for which 30mm is the maximum (and that
is significantly bigger than is required for 2 x 2.5mm² T&E).

--
Andrew Gabriel

Andrew Gabriel wrote:
In article ,
Lobster writes:

Oh, OK... I buy mine from a local electrical wholesaler, and their
narrowest type is 30mm - which has a channel only wide enough for a
single cable. Maybe the 'flats' on this brand are exceptionally wide or
something?


You are using capping, which is the wrong stuff for a chase.
Use oval trunking, for which 30mm is the maximum (and that
is significantly bigger than is required for 2 x 2.5mm² T&E).

That does make some sense. When DO you use capping then?

David

Lobster wrote:
Andrew Gabriel wrote:
In article ,
Lobster writes:

Oh, OK... I buy mine from a local electrical wholesaler, and their
narrowest type is 30mm - which has a channel only wide enough for a
single cable. Maybe the 'flats' on this brand are exceptionally
wide or something?


You are using capping, which is the wrong stuff for a chase.
Use oval trunking, for which 30mm is the maximum (and that
is significantly bigger than is required for 2 x 2.5mm² T&E).

That does make some sense. When DO you use capping then?

David

When I was on house rewires the only time trunking was used is when we
couldn't chase the wall.
I've never heard of trunking being used in a chase and then plastered
over,too expensive so capping was used when a wall was chased.

In article ,
Lobster writes:
Andrew Gabriel wrote:
In article ,
Lobster writes:

Oh, OK... I buy mine from a local electrical wholesaler, and their
narrowest type is 30mm - which has a channel only wide enough for a
single cable. Maybe the 'flats' on this brand are exceptionally wide or
something?

You are using capping, which is the wrong stuff for a chase.
Use oval trunking, for which 30mm is the maximum (and that
is significantly bigger than is required for 2 x 2.5mm² T&E).

That does make some sense. When DO you use capping then?

On the initial install/first-fix when building is being
constructed -- before the walls are plastered. Capping
is shallower and can be lost in the plaster scratch coat
depth. Oval trunking is thicker which could result in the
chase needing to cut slightly deeper than just the plaster.

You don't actually need to use capping or trunking at
all -- you can just bury the wires (or at least in cases
where that's not permitted, neither is plastic capping or
trunking). Having said that, I do always use oval trunking
in a chase so new wires can be pulled through if necessary.

--
Andrew Gabriel

In article ,
says...
Rob Morley wrote:
snip
Surely if you keep the laser pointed at a mark on the ceiling as you
pull the tool down it will end up with a straight cut?

Well firstly the line wouldn't reach the ceiling from all the way down
the wall, it's only intended to illuminate a short way; but secondly,
surely even if you could, there would be nothing to stop you from
veering off at an angle, and ending up 12" away from the intended socket
position but with the laser still glued to the ceiling mark?!

I said it would be straight - I didn't say it would go where you wanted
it to :-)

Andrew Gabriel wrote:
In article ,
Lobster writes:

Andrew Gabriel wrote:

In article ,

You are using capping, which is the wrong stuff for a chase.
Use oval trunking, for which 30mm is the maximum (and that
is significantly bigger than is required for 2 x 2.5mm² T&E).

That does make some sense. When DO you use capping then?

On the initial install/first-fix when building is being
constructed -- before the walls are plastered. Capping
is shallower and can be lost in the plaster scratch coat
depth. Oval trunking is thicker which could result in the
chase needing to cut slightly deeper than just the plaster.

You don't actually need to use capping or trunking at
all -- you can just bury the wires (or at least in cases
where that's not permitted, neither is plastic capping or
trunking). Having said that, I do always use oval trunking
in a chase so new wires can be pulled through if necessary.

Thanks Andrew, that's resolved my first issue with the tool, that of the
chases being too narrow. What was your experience versus mine of
cutting in a straight line and making the beast cut where you want?
Does yours cut in the direction of ceiling - floor too?

(And by the way - anybody got any top tips for stopping your goggles
steaming up!?)

David

ben wrote:
Lobster wrote:

Andrew Gabriel wrote:

You are using capping, which is the wrong stuff for a chase.
Use oval trunking, for which 30mm is the maximum (and that
is significantly bigger than is required for 2 x 2.5mm² T&E).

When I was on house rewires the only time trunking was used is when we
couldn't chase the wall.
I've never heard of trunking being used in a chase and then plastered
over,too expensive so capping was used when a wall was chased.

No he means oval-section stuff, which is specifically intended to be
plastered in; you are talking about the expensive rectangular stuff with
removable cover, designed for surface mounting.

I've always used capping myself as it just seemed easier to cover over
cables in a chase rather than thread them through trunking; I'd never
appreciated they actually had different uses.

David

"Lobster" wrote in message
...
snip

(And by the way - anybody got any top tips for stopping your goggles
steaming up!?)

As a spectacle-wearer I have trouble with goggles
steaming up - and I've tried most of the safety glasses,
cum 'divers' mask style with and without holes, vents etc. etc.
The only thing which I've found 'work's for me is a Trend
Airsheild mask/helmet. One looks somewhat like 'Dan Dare' -
[for those who read The Eagle); but at least the thing works and its
down-blowing air flow across the forehead seems to keep
one much cooler and comfortable when doing things such as
chasing walls.

--

Brian

In article ,
says...
snip

(And by the way - anybody got any top tips for stopping your goggles
steaming up!?)

Try wiping a tiny amount of washing-up liquid inside the lens.

In article ,
Lobster writes:

Thanks Andrew, that's resolved my first issue with the tool, that of the
chases being too narrow. What was your experience versus mine of
cutting in a straight line and making the beast cut where you want?
Does yours cut in the direction of ceiling - floor too?

I think they all do.
I just draw a line down the wall and follow it.
Make the line line-up with some feature on the chaser
such as a corner of the dust cover, rather than being
a centreline for the chase which may not have any marking
on the casing. Once, I nailed a batton to the wall and
ran the chaser down against the edge of that. As I said
in an earlier posting, that generated a chase which was
too straight and the trunking would fall out.

--
Andrew Gabriel