Concrete chainsaws - Specifically stihl gs 461

[GB_Groundworks]

Anyone used one?

I've heard negative stuff about them but when asked they've not used them? Chains expensive they say, £150 ish not that bad ipad more than that for a good concrete blade.

I've got a few more big knock throughs to do and the walls are 475mm thick that means a clean cut will be impossible with a normal cut off saw

The stihl offers 350mm of cut and plunge cutting but its £1700

Any thoughts or opinions

[rab1]

there the muts, square cuts in thick concrete and mean 20year old pours. they cost a fortune compared to a simple core but for the right job well worth it.

[seanandruby]

used one few years ago on a 800 existing concrete pipeline, to cut rockers to enable an in line manhole with new pipe run. The pipe was surrounded in concrete and could only dig under where rocker cut was going. Then put wrap around flexi coller. Chain saw went through no problem, although i was shitting it incase kickback. Good investment for right jobs giles.

[lutonlagerlout]

do you mean diamond tipped chainsaws?
I have seen a specalist crowd from tottenham using these years ago to install a DPC into 500 mm thick walls
all the blokes using them looked musclebound looked like hard work
btw is brickwork usually goes 215,330,450 and 550 thick
i would be tempted to 100mm cut both sides than kango the last bit
LLL

[GB_Groundworks]

I drilled it, tapped the drill flush then tapped the other side then measure it 475mm was built in 1939 though. two 2.6 x3m high openings to cut into these

If I do the 100mm cut then kango gonna be loads of making good and rendering to do and still a ball ache to cut a 3m straight line even with a normal cut off saw

There's a 100,000+ water tank on the roof hence the ridiculous walls

Looking at them they look good for pipe, man hole rings and square cuts



Edited By GB_Groundworks on 1373523704

[GB_Groundworks]

ive bought an ICS 695gs with an 18" bar 400mm plunge cuts through brick and concrete

chains are expensive £220 for cheap one or £450 for good ones but the things awesome, had 3 windows to put in a 360mm wall great bit og kit, can see its gonna get some use,

[lutonlagerlout]

they look hard bricks as well giles
just need a jetwasher to get the cement slurry off :;):

my only concern would be with hidden services

i cut a door way out today with the 300mm stihl

only when we chopped the brickwork out did we find a random cable

great bit of kit though

LLL

[GB_Groundworks]

We cat scanned and visual check most services easily identifiable in factories the water main comes in in 8" cast iron main and electrics about 6" cable plus maintenance guys had disconnected everything in the bit we are refitting. £50k internal refit we are doing, looking like we are going to be here a while they're lining the jobs up for us.

That's cutting slurry needs water pressure of 1.5bar as water lubricated chain and removed cut slurry, it'll get cleaned of dont worry

You get bit wet so full wet weather hi viz suit on

[dig dug dan]

You can charge it out to your dads jobs giles, get some money back

[GB_Groundworks]

He's already been asking for it to cut some footings out, for piling then broke into them with breaker to find 2 4x6 rsjs in the footings would have been nice on the chain.

One thing we've found it's hard to get a straight cut starting off being 400mm back so we've been scouring it first with stihl saw on the face cuts that are seen.

[lutonlagerlout]

maybe you can get a jig like the core cutter boys use to get a square cut
your trick with the stihl sounds a cracking idea
funny enough the main uk supplier is only 5 minutes from me
but i couldnt justify £2.5k for a toy that i would use 3 times a year
LLL

[GB_Groundworks]

there is a jig but its £800 guys ive been dealing with are in cornwall but i have seen those guys in luton, they do the hydraulic ones

last 12 month ive had some real struggles with thick concrete and brick cutting and this would have saved time and reduced risk

plus they do a utilitiy chain that will cut metal pipe from the top straight through upto 400mm which is a good send as cutting with a disk cutter is hard work and you have to have a much bigger hole

http://www.powergrit.com

as well as cutting pipe hole sin concrete rings and cutting concrete pipe

[henpecked]

More tool porn!
Thats great, just pulled a few vids off Youtube, fantastic!

[Dave_L]

More tool porn!
Thats great, just pulled myself off to a few vids off Youtube, fantastic!

Slightly too much information there!!! :p :laugh:

[lutonlagerlout]

pass the kleenex :;):
LLL