Kev Young of Chichester Electricians gives us his verdict on the D.A.D.E (Dust and Debris Eliminator) from Simple Ideas UK.
I’ve no doubt that many of you reading this will be familiar with the scenario where you’re balancing on a ladder with the vacuum cleaner hose in one hand (and the vacuum swinging in the breeze) whilst steadying the drill and holesaw in the other hand, in an attempt to line the pilot drill up with your mark on the ceiling?
How about a situation where you’re in a room with all the doors and windows closed and you’ve drilled your holes, only to emerge looking like a bag of plaster has been emptied over you, not to mention the airborne dust particles causing a ‘whiteout’?
Fitting downlights can certainly be a messy and dusty task which is a) not good for the lungs and b) means you have more sweeping or hoovering up to do afterwards.
But what can electricians do to resolve this common issue? Enter stage right: the DADE!
This innovative product was designed by a fellow sparky and is made from the finest and softest silicon to avoid damage to ceilings. The unit comes in a plastic carton which protects the silicon from damage when being transported in the van.
It features two patented dust collection channels: one to stop dust dropping down on to the drill chuck, prolonging its life, and another for the dust/debris from the outside of the hole you’re cutting.
The unit works with holesaws up to 120mm and features a hard plastic collar in the centre of the product which rests on the drill chuck, extending the life of the DADE. Additionally, there’s a lip on the collector which rests against the ceiling before the holesaw starts to cut to minimise the escape of dust while drilling.
The product is designed to fit most arbors on the market, although I did have to dismantle my Bahco Quick Eject arbor to fit the DADE, but this is a minor inconvenience as you only need to do it once and leave it set up as it is after that
How did it fare?
The first thing to say is that it’s very easy to use and is a great example of why simple ideas (excuse the pun) are often the best. The unit itself is incredibly durable – I’ve now drilled in excess of 200 holes, and a colleague over 400, with no sign of any significant wear to the product yet.
It’s also made a huge difference to the amount of mess we’re making, especially in someone’s home. From a health perspective I’d go as far to say that it pretty-much negates the need to wear a face-mask when drilling holes in ceilings, which is great news for our lungs. With Artex and stripped ceilings there’s a bit more dust that escapes but still much less than the dust-storm generated without using the DADE.
On paper this unit looked quite expensive for what it is, but having had the opportunity to use it over a number of months I can really see the benefits it offers to electricians and the minimal time spent tidying up afterwards is worth the investment alone.
It’s safe to say that my tomato punnet has now been sent to the recycling bin for good!
For more information about the DADE tool from Simple Ideas UK visit: www.simpleideasuk.org
