Chaps,

Could anyone tell me why surface boxes are made of such a brittle material? Bone china is probably more resiliant!!

How many do you throw away after they crack whilst removing cutouts?

S.

i use a rotory file in my drill makes a nice smooth hole and no cracking. can't same the same when i screw them to the wall.

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Vince

Prove Dead Stay Alive


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I think your referring to bakelite back boxes, commonly used where the likes of twin and earth cables would be entering the box through the notorious knockouts.

You can of course get more rigid plastic boxes probably like a thermoplastic. They have the 20mm knockouts for surface conduit instllations etc.

the only reason i can think of would be a costing issue, and its probably not a massive difference depending on where you buy your gear from. they are a pain in the back side though

Nibble with pair of side cutters.and then a round file to clean up the rough edges.
Mind you there are different types of plastic. conduit = soft and T&E = hard.

Legh

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Why do we need Vernier Calipers when we have container ships?

http://www.leghrichardson.co.uk

"Science has overcome time and space. Well, Harvey has overcome not only time and space - but any objections."

I used to cut the sides of the "knockout" with a junior hacksaw blade (the inner is bevelled, so the blade at 45 degrees just cuts the outer wall, not the base), snap off and then tidy up with a small file. It's time consuming, but you can get a nice snug fit around the cables.
- Andy.

Have you tried the rigid white UPVC boxes from MK or Marshall-Tufflex?
They are well made, stronger, and they work out cheaper over the long run, when wastage is accounted for (say one in three boxes).

Probably to do with flammability and ease of moulding.

I agree though, they are brittle.

Judging that final turn of the screw to secure a surface box to the wall is alway a tense moment.

That's a high rate of attrition there kaichung!

I like using the uPVC ones as well, but they don't visually match up with the urea formaldehyde accessories.

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S George
http://www.state-it.com

Ha a fellow box cutter,

I haven't broken an MK box to date - quickly touches so wood

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Regards

Martyn.

Only a mediocre person is always at their best



www.electrical contractors uk.com

That's how I was taught to do it as an apprentice - although snapping them out with a 6" pliers and slapping the box on the wall with 2 x 1" No 8 woodscrews becomes the norm once you ventured out on site.

With T&E cable you used to saw out, clean up with a square file and round the corners with a rat tail file to match the T&E profile - the opening was always ever so slightly smaller than the cable to create a slight interference fit - not quite IP65, but close -

Not overtightning the fixing screws is the key - back in the days we used screwdrivers for slotted screws, you could "feel" the point when enough was enough - bashing them in with posidrives and a power driver doesn't give you that feedback so more boxes get crunched

Regards

OMS

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Failure is always an option

.

Want a job ?

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Regards

Martyn.

Only a mediocre person is always at their best



www.electrical contractors uk.com

LoL - as a summary:



All of the above - you can get me for about £2K for a five day week



Priceless - I need at least one B&H an hour - I won't smoke in the house but my smoking rate is £80/hr pro rata - I need at least one 5 minute B&H session every hour

When do you want me to start -

Regards

OMS

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Failure is always an option

Well yes it's not hard to make a nice neat job of it but if ever a product needed a make-over it's this.

What's wrong with some nice, easy to remove, T+E shaped knock-outs and all in a material that isn't going to require you buying three times as many as you........ah, now I get it.

S.

Could about 2k be £800?

I reckon I could spare you 2 hrs a day for fags

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Regards

Martyn.

Only a mediocre person is always at their best



www.electrical contractors uk.com

Well I could do the first 7 criteria for £800/wk

If you want some who won't moan about missing Neighbours then that's another £1200 -

I can smoke an awful lot of fags in 2 hours Martyn - 5 mins/hour will do me - think about it like a display screen equipment assessment - the advice is take a break every hour, so smoking is my way of complying - I thinks that points 6 & 7 covered -

Seriously - there must be some bugger on here looking for a week or so's work ?

Regards

OMS

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Failure is always an option

2 hours was 5 minutes per hour maybe it was too cryptic

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Regards

Martyn.

Only a mediocre person is always at their best



www.electrical contractors uk.com

LoL - I see, it's 24/7 then Martyn - that's almost as bad as my day job.

Regards

OMS

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Failure is always an option

Sharp tap with pointly screwdriver, rake L&R to clean up sharp bits. 10 seconds, never broken one.
Must be a knack.

Phil.