Punch Technique for Overhaul

[firemoose827 324]

Heres an interesting training video on the Punch Technique used for overhaul. This technique is much easier and much faster.

Punch Technique

[Remember585 815]

Good info.

Does anyone know how well this works with wood and lath, or plaster and wire mesh?

[firemoose827 324]

Good info.

Does anyone know how well this works with wood and lath, or plaster and wire mesh?

I believe this is for sheetrock, with plaster and lathe it goes fast thanks to the lathe.

I have never run into the plaster and wire mesh but I would guess if you knock out the plaster you could hit the fire through the wire mesh, not too sure though.

But yah, this is a great technique and its so much easier.

[BFD1054 1,552]

Hey Muns...any good techniques of getting through lath & plaster would have been greatly appreciated at Bannon Ave., wouldn't they have ?

Moose, again, nice find on the video. I definately like this technique and am anxious to try it out for myslef.

[Guest FFNick]

The punch technique is just for sheet rock.

Plaster has other methods of getting it down quick.

[TCD0415 26]

The punch technique is just for sheet rock.

Plaster has other methods of getting it down quick.

Care to share ?

[Guest FFNick]

Probably much easier to "show" than to explain.

For ceilings, figure out which way the lathe is running - it just makes it easier to start a hole. Force your pike pole in with the head of the pike parallel to the lathe. Once it gets in, turn the tool 90o and pull. Since lathe is nailed to each wall stud or floor joist (we're talking about pulling the ceiling) the lathe can be "springy" in the center of the bay. Try to get your tool against a stud or floor joist, and pull down.

When you pull a ceiling, pull down and away from your body so the stuff doesn't come down on you (same as drywall). Once the hole is big enough, stick your tool in as far as you can, and pull down (away from you). This should bring down a fair amount of the lathe and plaster in the bay(s) you are trying to open.

Same thing can be done on walls as well - halligans work great (start with the fork end).

Hope this is clear - atleast this is how I do it. It's a lot easier to do then explain.

Edited March 7, 2008 by FFNick

[firemoose827 324]

Probably much easier to "show" than to explain.

For ceilings, figure out which way the lathe is running - it just makes it easier to start a hole. Force your pike pole in with the head of the pike parallel to the lathe. Once it gets in, turn the tool 90o and pull. Since lathe is nailed to each wall stud or floor joist (we're talking about pulling the ceiling) the lathe can be "springy" in the center of the bay. Try to get your tool against a stud or floor joist, and pull down.

When you pull a ceiling, pull down and away from your body so the stuff doesn't come down on you (same as drywall). Once the hole is big enough, stick your tool in as far as you can, and pull down (away from you). This should bring down a fair amount of the lathe and plaster in the bay(s) you are trying to open.

Same thing can be done on walls as well - halligans work great (start with the fork end).

Hope this is clear - atleast this is how I do it. It's a lot easier to do then explain.

Yah, your explanation was clear, make a hole and use the shaft of the tool to pull a larger area of lathe down by applying leverage to the floor or roof above and pulling down. Good technique for lathe.

[pjreilly 6]

Another valuable tool as well as fast deployment is the battery operated sawzall. We carry 2- 24 volt cordless Deewalt saws, with an aggressive plaster or wood blade will make easy work of the laster and lathe. The same technique could be used in making the cuts, and then pull down larger sections. It save alot of time and energy. Or you can use the same techniques for opening a roof with the hinge cut, where you would use the stud or rafter as a hinge point. Just some past tricks of the trade from doing demo for so many years.

[jcoppola 52]

I have found that a regular partner saw equipped with an aggressive blade will go through plaster and lath too. One singular cut from ceiling to floor in the middle of a stud bay and the stuff pulls out really easily. The down sides are the sometime absence of strong studs in the bays and the generated CO, but if you are chasing fire in walls, does the CO really matter? I like the sawzall way too, as PJ mentioned. It is a lot easier to move a sawzall around than a bulky saw.

A good way to pull a large amount of lath and plaster in a stud bay would be to put a hole in the wall and drop the haligan into the hole fork first then pull the tool towards the room and a whole mess of the stuff breaks free.