# Better but similar to carlon



## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

The only problem I have had with the plastic ears is that the screw isn't long enough for the ears to reach behind the plaster and wood lath that makes up most walls I deal with. 

With that said, I now use the gray plastic Slater/Pass&Seymour boxes in your second picture.

I am not sure what you are looking for in the cable clamp. I didn't understand what you meant about "shoving the wire around the box back trough the hole in the square ones". I just push my screwdriver thru the cable KO to open the clamp enough for me to then push the cable thru easily. I use my romex strips to cut the sheath before pushing the cable into the box, but I leave the sheath on. After I push the romex thru the clamp, I can pull the sheath off and be done.


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## Speedy Petey (Jan 10, 2007)

The ones I like and get at the supply house are black, but have the same metal wings as the old Slater boxes. I'll have to look up the brand.

The nail-ons are also great. Super deep and nice cable clamps.


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## Speedy Petey (Jan 10, 2007)

Allied P-1180W




http://www.alliedmoulded.com/catalo...xes-for-switch-or-receptacle-devices/p-118ow/


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## J F Go (Mar 1, 2014)

I just did a rehab and used those boxes with the screws inside the box. (Sorry, to early for me to remember the number or brand.) I've found that, with the new requirement to use tamper resistant devices, that plugging into those devices sends those plastic "cut-ins" back into the next room. I won't use a plastic cut-in except for switches.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

J F Go said:


> I just did a rehab and used those boxes with the screws inside the box. (Sorry, to early for me to remember the number or brand.)


 Smart boxes. Or Arlington One Box (F101 for single gang).



> I've found that, with the new requirement to use tamper resistant devices, that plugging into those devices sends those plastic "cut-ins" back into the next room. I won't use a plastic cut-in except for switches.


You have seen a box push thru the drywall and then also thru the drywall on the other side? :surprise:

Sounds like they tried to plug their TV in with a sledgehammer :biggrin:


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## readydave8 (Sep 20, 2009)

HackWork said:


> I am not sure what you are looking for in the cable clamp.


he likes the angle shape on box where wire enters , so can put wire in box before pushing box into wall, when the cut is snug to the box


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

readydave8 said:


> he likes the angle shape on box where wire enters , so can put wire in box before pushing box into wall, when the cut is snug to the box


I see.

The Slater box in his second picture is what I use and there are 2 entry points on the top and bottom, 1 of which is recessed and allows you to bend the cable backwards to get the box into the hole. I normally cut the hole as small as possible so that the box is very tight in the wall, and it always goes in easily when doing it that way.


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## J F Go (Mar 1, 2014)

HackWork said:


> Smart boxes. Or Arlington One Box (F101 for single gang).
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Not drywall:biggrin::vs_OMG: but when used in lath and plaster applications.


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## Switched (Dec 23, 2012)

With the lathe and plaster applications I find it easier to either use the side screw boxes or some metal ones with deep battleships. 

I can't stand the plastic remodel units on lathe and plaster, PITA to get to work right.


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## Switched (Dec 23, 2012)

I actually prefer those blue Carlon boxes to the others posted. They hold just as well, the tabs lock in the NM wire nicely, and I think the ears that go against the finished wall are stronger than the others. They also seem to have a little more forgiveness if you cut your hole a little too large, as the ears are slighting larger.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

I like the blue Carlon boxes accept for the fact that the ears only go back like 3/4". I tried using longer screws, I matched them perfectly, but there is a channel that that base of the ear sits in and if you use a longer screw the ear is out of that channel and it twists in ways that it is not supposed to.

So I started using the Slater, which can go in walls over 1" thick.

As for plaster & wood lath, I install the Slater's in them often. I used to use Arlington One Boxes, or just 1-gang nail-on boxes with the nail clips cut off. But I found it to be a pain to find the exact stud location thru the thick plaster and wood lath. It's easier to find an open hollow space and cut the box in. 

I use the oscillating tool with a grit blade for the plaster and wood blade for the lath. Then (IMPORTANT) I take the grit blade and stick it in the wall and cut upwards and downwards behind the lath slowly and gently for a couple seconds just to make sure that there are no plaster "keys" coming thru the lath in the area that the ears have to swing. That ensures that the ears will open up and grab well. With that method I am batting 1,000.


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

HackWork said:


> But I found it to be a pain to find the exact stud location thru the thick plaster and wood lath. It's easier to find an open hollow space and cut the box in.


Have you tried a magnet or a magnetic stud finder on plaster and lath? I find it's actually even easier to find studs in plaster and lath than drywall because there's so many nail heads, every lath is nailed onto every stud.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

splatz said:


> Have you tried a magnet or a magnetic stud finder on plaster and lath? I find it's actually even easier to find studs in plaster and lath than drywall because there's so many nail heads, every lath is nailed onto every stud.


I have. To use a stud-mounted box you need to find the exact side of the stud thru the plaster and the wood lath. It's not like drywall in which once you located the gross area of the stud you can just cut with the jabsaw until you hit the side of the stud. When using a magnet to located the nails holding the lath, sometimes there is one row of nails down the center, sometimes 2 rows because that is the stud that the lath ended on and there is a lath butt joint. And once in a while I would find that they ended the lath in the middle of the stud cavity and nailed it to a random scrap of wood :surprise:

It just became too much of a hassle, cutting the hole in the dead center is easier I found.


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## Ctsparky93 (Sep 17, 2016)

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Carlon-...H=REC-_-irg_aic-3-_-100177871-_-100154882-_-N I have used these on plaster and they worked great. Not sure about the catch depth tho. They are twice the price so you might not like them. They are the super blue version or as home depot calls them heavy duty 


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## ElectricMon (Jan 17, 2018)

Thanks for the suggestions but I'll have to keep looking since it seems that they are the only ones who make the clamp that way. I haven't tried a super blue one yet tho maybe they have better mounting clips


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## Switched (Dec 23, 2012)

ElectricMon said:


> Thanks for the suggestions but I'll have to keep looking since it seems that they are the only ones who make the clamp that way. I haven't tried a super blue one yet tho maybe they have better mounting clips


Why not a metal box and battleships?


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## Max C. (Sep 29, 2016)

In the US, do you guys have all-metal retrofit boxes such as these?










http://www.hubbell.ca/040~Electrica...ation/055~Canadian_Product_Selection/?pid=169


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

Max C. said:


> In the US, do you guys have all-metal retrofit boxes such as these?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I have never seen a metal box with wings like that in real life, only on the internet.

We use metal boxes, but to hold then in the wall we most often use madison bars, also called F-clips or battleships as Switched did above you.

I do not like metal boxes, they are too damn small. I used them for a long time in commercial work since I had to with MC cable. But when I have a choice, I will always choose a nice, big, roomy plastic box. :biggrin:


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## warrenmanne (Aug 25, 2018)

Max C. said:


> In the US, do you guys have all-metal retrofit boxes such as these?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I haven't seen that model before with the clips on the top and bottom. But I've been using this box when needed for a while. Its pricey, but i don't use them too often so i don't mind. 

Those f-clips hackwork posted are also known "jiffy" or "madison" clips.









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## frenchelectrican (Mar 15, 2007)

warrenmanne said:


> I haven't seen that model before with the clips on the top and bottom. But I've been using this box when needed for a while. Its pricey, but i don't use them too often so i don't mind.
> 
> Those f-clips hackwork posted are also known "jiffy" or "madison" clips.
> 
> ...


I used them once a while but the only quirks I hate the most is that I end up use midsize or jumbo plate cover to cover up the side screws if ya are not too carefull with side cut pattern as the notching for screw.

Normally I like slater box due it have deeper finger clip due some of our walls are pretty thick simuair to old lath and plaster walls.


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## Kawicrash (Aug 21, 2018)

I've done a ton of cut-in boxes, and this is by far the best I've found. CI525-L Iberville/T&B.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

I am not a fan of OWC's (Old Work Clips). When I need to use metal boxes, I've found that a properly installed madison bars work the best. Just my opinion.


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## B-Nabs (Jun 4, 2014)

I usually use an EZ box if it's just one cable and a regular receptacle or switch (1st photo). 

If there's more than one cable and/or a bigger device like a GFCI or USB receptacle, then I use a 1104K or 1004K box (2nd picture) with f-clips. The 1104K is 2 1/2" deep and the 1004K is 3" deep, so there's lots of room to tuck the conductors back and still leave room for a big device. The one annoying thing about the 1104/1004 is you have to take the ears off and flip them around. Don't know why they come that way. Nice thing is they're also gangable. 










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