# Forum Home Renovation Brickwork  Power tool for removing mortar without wrecking bricks?

## mixin

I can recall some months ago, on 'Better Homes & Gardens' or a similar sort of TV show, they showed a power tool that literally ground out the mortar joints between bricks, allowing removal of the bricks without smashing them to bits with a bolster. 
It looked like it had one or 2 scutch combs on it, that rubbed back & forth (some sort of crank drive like a jigsaw?). 
I have just bought another house (established) and need to remove some brick veneer for reno work, but don't want to wreck the bricks (I need to reuse them).  
Just wondering does anyone know the name of the power tool? 
Or better yet, a manufacturer? 
The local bunnies tool shop had never heard of it, nor had he even heard of a scutch hammer..... 
I am prepared to pay good money for a quality tool, as there's a lot of area to do......

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## Wood Butcher

I think there is a few makers of tools like this, but the Arbortech Allsaw is the one that springs to my mind.   http://www.arbortech.com.au/view/allsaw/

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## journeyman Mick

> ...........The local bunnies tool shop had never heard of it, nor had he even heard of a scutch hammer...........

  And why isn't that a suprise? :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):   I reckon the allsaw would be the best tool for the job, unless you're really fortuante and the mortar is really crumbly, in which case you might be able to blast it out with a high pressure water jet. 
Mick

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## markclad

Hi, found a web site the other day - www.sydneytools.com.au look under their specials and I think you find the tool in question (all saw 160 or as 160). Hope this is what you were looking for. 
Mark.

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## mixin

Excellent.  That's it. 
The $780 is a bit of a shock!  :Eek:  
Can't really justify that much for a tool I'd only use on very rare occasions after doing this job. 
I was hoping around $400 or so...... (the cheaper the better ~ weighed against expected lifespan) 
I might have to look at seeing if any local mobs hire them out & do it all in one day (or a weekend).  
I think I might try the hi-pressure trick, just in case.... :Wink:   :Biggrin:

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## durwood

I had to remove some rows of brick from above my garage door as it was too low for one of my cars. 
The bricks and the mortar are rock hard, but I easily removed the bricks with a 10" angle grinder with a stone cutting disc. It had enough depth to cut nealy all the way through 
I just ran it along the horizontal joints and used a narrow cold chisel  to break out the vertical ones, once I removed the first brick the rest came out easily.  
I was abler to get the grinder from work but hiring or buying would be within your $400 limit

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## Skew ChiDAMN!!

The good ol' angle-grinder is all I use, too.  Actually, I use the "good" blades for cutting bricks, etc. and the "blunt" blades for chewing out mortar.   
Short arms, deep pockets and all that.   :Redface:

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## johnc

I've used a cheap $35.00 air hammer which worked OK, lifts off the bricks easily enough but plenty of clean up afterwards. Sounds pretty low tech after reading the earlier posts. :Redface:   
John

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## joe greiner

Sounds like a "needle scaler" might work well. Usually used for removing weld spatter, but lots of other uses too. Go to http://www.mcmaster.com/; enter "needle scaler" in the search field. Most likely available in Oz, possibly also rental/hire, but McM does export ($$$). 
Joe

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## mixin

Well I had a little play last night, just with the hammer & bolster, and the mortar isn't very strong at all. 
The few bricks I tried came up easily, and a few taps with the scutch hammer was all they needed to remove the mortar left on them. 
It's a bit of a worry about the rest of the house now  :Confused: , but it has been standing for 27 years, so it can't be too bad. 
I considered the grinder (have a handful of old diamond blades from doing the bathroom & laundry reno work at the last place) but I was concerned about dust & the neighbours.  I don't want to get them offside just yet! 
I haven't seen needle scalers for years!  I used to use one years ago in a workshop when we were doing chassis restoration work.  It's like using a jackhammer - your hands buzz for the rest of the day!  I didn't even consider it for mortar removal off the bricks, but I'm sure it would do well. 
Thanks for all your suggestions guys.

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## mic-d

FWIW, Sort of related to this is another very handy hire tool which removes mortar from old bricks.  Not surprisingly its called a brick cleaner,two operators can use it at once and you can clean up to 2000 bricks a day with it. 
Cheers
Michael

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## emptybucketman

Would the allsaw be suitable for removing the mortar from brickwork for repointing?

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## journeyman Mick

> Would the allsaw be suitable for removing the mortar from brickwork for repointing?

  Possibly, but it might not get in the perps. 
Mick

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## emptybucketman

Are there any tools (power or otherwise) that would help with removing the mortar from the perps?  What do the pro's use??

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