How to cut installed flue tile

Steve_34

I am working on a house (oil boiler added to a heat pump) that has an existing 6x6 flue (terracotta tile) inside masonry chimney. When the house was built (~1985) a 6" round crock was installed in the basement to connect to the flue, but the 6x6 square flue was never breeched. What is visible at the back of the 6" round crock is the outside of the square flue tile.

Anyone have a recommendation about how to cut through the 6x6 flue tile at the back of the crock??

-Steve

kevin coppinger_4

I'd try a roto....

zip w. the tile abrasive/knurled bit. If it wrked on regular ceramic tile it should work on a tile liner. kpc

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

Mad Dog

Exactly

and wear a dust mask, and safety glasses. Mad dog

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

lchmb

and

don't forget the hearing protection...(trust me I wear hearing aid's)!!

Jerry_7

Grinder

I use a grinder with a masonary wheel and it works good

Ken_8

We prefer

using a 1/4" masonary bit and simply drilling a bunch of holes in the shape of the circle intended/desired into the fire-clay liner - and then "pop" the perforated circle we create with a block of wood and hammer and voila, the 1/4" holes will create the new hole the size intended by simply having the weakened hole-points as a fracture line. This is pretty straight forward.

Obviously, the closer the 1/4" holes are spaced, the less likely a chip or flawed circle will result.

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

bob_33

small masonry bit

i also use a 1/2 inch hammer drill with a 1/4 inch masonry bit. this is very fast even though you drill alot of holes you can do the whole circle in only a few minutes. the tile is hard so it is hard on the small bit.

Steve_34

Nope on the Rotozip

I dropped by the store and got my rotozip the 1/4" carbide bit. I couldn't even punch through the tile once before it dulled and doesnt work anymore. At the high RPMs of the rotozip the bit glowed a nice cherry red. I tried a number of pressure/angle combinations but couldn't make much progress.

Steve_34

I like this idea - but drill wont fit!

I originally tried this - but the inside of the crock is only 6" diam. I can't get my hammer drill in this small a space! (Or when I do, I can only punch a hole about 1-1.5 inches in from the edge of the crock... making a hole only ~3.5 inches in diameter... ugh.

I think I may have to remove part of the masonry to get the crock out, and then cut the flue tile and replace.

Any other ideas out there??

Thanks for the replies!

-Steve

Don Walsh

Try a core drill

There are several types of core drills on the market, wet and dry types. As hard as the liner is, it may require the wet variety. If you don't own one, they can be rented at most construction rental centers. The bits (cores) are available in 1/2" increments from 1/2" to 18" diameters. Probably at a lesser cost than removing and replacing brick and blocks.

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

jim lockard

6 inch round

Steve--A 6"x6" flue liner to a 6" round thimble ? Is not the outside diameter of a 6" thimble about 7" to 7 1/2"?
Seems like a hard fit to me with having to cut the 2 parallel walls of the liner to get your thimble in.Steve I am thinking you will want to set the thimble into the liner, not just butt it up against it. Can you back off to a 5" thimble for those few inches?. Sounds like you may have to pull the block to do it correctly. Best Wishes J.Lockard