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Posted By: Dale_Armeg OUTLET BOXES - 12/06/02 09:53 AM
I work for a company in the UK who manufacture drilling accesories for the electrical market.

I would appriciate it if you could tell me what materials you fix electrical outlet boxes into, eg. brick, concrete, dry lining.

Also the std sizes of outlet booxes in the US.

Thanks for the help

Dale
Posted By: sparky Re: OUTLET BOXES - 12/06/02 11:43 AM
basically an electrician is expected to figure out wiring any type of construction, so....all the above applies...
Posted By: Dale_Armeg Re: OUTLET BOXES - 12/06/02 11:54 AM
Thanks for your reply.

Perhaps I sould have been a bit more specific, appologies.

One of our largest selling products in the UK is a device which drills a square, flat backed hole in masonry materials for the installation of outlet boxes. The operation takes approx. 1-3 mins depending on material.

I am trying to asses the suitability of this product in the USA.

If you feel this is something you could benefit from I would be grateful to hear your opinions.

Cheers

Dale
Posted By: Wirenuttt Re: OUTLET BOXES - 12/06/02 01:14 PM
Dale;
This tool your descibing, is this for block walls? I have done quiet a bit of masonary electrical work. Installing mud boxes in block working with the ole so friendly masons who just love electricians make them cut their blocks.The standard masonary box is 2" wide by 3 3/4" tall. If I missed a box on layout I would cut in to the block wall with a grinder. A 4" grinder with a masonary cutting disk, also bought a masonary hammer to chip away and square it up to place the box in tight. Run m/c if I couldn't get emt in and mud and set it to dry. Am I on the right track to your question, because if what your descibing, speeds up what I describe here, it would be a excellent tool.
~Ange

[This message has been edited by Wirenuttt (edited 12-06-2002).]
Posted By: Wirenuttt Re: OUTLET BOXES - 12/06/02 01:16 PM
By the way...what I mentioned above, takes way longer than 2-3 minutes.
Posted By: Dale_Armeg Re: OUTLET BOXES - 12/06/02 01:24 PM
Yes this is correct.

The tool we have would work in all materials including engineering brick, stone and concrete and would provide you with a flat back. In the material you desribed it would take approx. 1 min tops.

Is this type of installation common. and also where abouts in the us is the type of installation usually undertaken.

Thanks

Dale
Posted By: Wirenuttt Re: OUTLET BOXES - 12/06/02 01:30 PM
Dale;
One place for sure is newly built or maybe even older schools depending on how the masonary walls were built. They may have bond beam at every 4' or so to reinforce the wall which makes it impossible to snake down. All the schools I've done here are 8" high 16" wide and 8, 10 or 12" deep masonary block with two cells.
Posted By: Dale_Armeg Re: OUTLET BOXES - 12/06/02 01:33 PM
Wirenutt

I have sent u mail with my contact details regarding testing of our product.
Posted By: Dale_Armeg Re: OUTLET BOXES - 12/06/02 04:31 PM
If anybody else could help me with information on how often you need to sink boxes into masonry materials and also what parts of the US this is more common.

Any help is very much appriciated
Posted By: Dallas Re: OUTLET BOXES - 12/07/02 05:07 AM
I'm kinda curious on the size of your cutter. I mean, 1-3 minutes to cut a flat backed 2"x3.75" hole in masonry walls? [Linked Image] In fired face brick too? My company almost exclusively does electrical remodel and additions in existing structures, so we make cuts in a LOT of masonry walls. That's some router (and bit) you must have there. How many guys does it take to hang on to that sucker? [Linked Image]

Oh, and I'm in the Midwest/Great Lakes area of the US (Indiana)

Dallas
Posted By: The Watt Doctor Re: OUTLET BOXES - 12/07/02 05:20 AM
Wnuttt,
I'm impressed. You don't know how many times I've pointed to a bond beam, and asked another electrician, "What is that?" To which they sounded, "It's a "U" shaped cinder block. Right?" [Linked Image]

Bond beam, James Bond beam,
Doc
Posted By: Wirenuttt Re: OUTLET BOXES - 12/07/02 09:01 PM
Doc;
Yes it is a U shaped block, on the larger block like 12" the make the double U. They place 1/2-3/4" thick rebarb and pack it with motar. Like I mentioned at 4' intervals for structure retainment and carrying support. Also they place them above steel doors to make a header and fill the sides of the door like a header jack which makes our job pretty tough when your trying to install security in the door frames.
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