# Brown boxes



## Modern Castle Inc. (Nov 9, 2011)

I have been known to bang these up.....


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

Modern Castle Inc. said:


> I have been known to bang these up.....


The Allied's are pretty common, but the brown ones, not so much.


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## Ty Wrapp (Aug 24, 2011)

Peter D said:


> There's a guy in my area who wires a lot of new homes who still uses these:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Is that Bakelite?


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

Ty Wrapp said:


> Is that Bakelite?


Yes. If I see someone using these, I immediately assume they're an old timer because I only see them in houses wired in the 1970's and 80's and new houses wired by old timers. :laughing:


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## Chris1971 (Dec 27, 2010)

The op should do a poll.:laughing:


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## sparksflyin (Mar 30, 2011)

i found sum in our shop from years ago n used them just to get them outta there. half of them broke wen i nailed them on


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## thoenew (Jan 17, 2012)

Up to 4 months ago, that's just about all we used. Boss is in his 60's. We've been weeding them out and using different ones now. Still have a fair variety of them. I have broken many of them fragile guys.


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## JHFWIC (Mar 22, 2012)

When I see a brown box I think old Mobile home!


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## Chris1971 (Dec 27, 2010)

Peter D said:


> Yes. If I see someone using these, I immediately assume they're an old timer because I only see them in houses wired in the 1970's and 80's and new houses wired by old timers. :laughing:




Ask b4t.:whistling2:


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## wendon (Sep 27, 2010)

Modern Castle Inc. said:


> I have been known to bang these up.....


Do you like those Allied boxes?? I started using them but found they're a pain when the drywall guy pack mud into the screw holes!!


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

The brown union boxes were all I used for a good long time for new work.


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## chewy (May 9, 2010)

I bet you guys can box out quick just using those nails attached instead of screws. It must be tricky to remove the box intact once the drywalls up though.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

chewy said:


> I bet you guys can box out quick just using those nails attached instead of screws. It must be tricky to remove the box intact once the drywalls up though.


Not really. You slip a hacksaw blade along the side of the box, and in maybe 30 seconds you have the box out. 

The Union boxes are impossible to get off by pulling the nails if you put one in the wrong spot. They have ring shank nails, like pallet nails. They're pretty much one way only. In.


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

Still got a few of those 3 and 4gang ones with the ears on the outside lingering about, they have less cubic fill so they get used selectively.


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## Geoff C (May 26, 2010)

you can also just chisel the box with your screwdriver and turn it to dust


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## kbsparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Junk. The screw holes in those phenolic boxes tend to strip out (ALLIED boxes, too), or the box splits if impacted.

For the most part, I won't use`em if I have any other option.

I prefer the PVC plastic boxes, such as the ones by Carlon or Cantex.


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## wildleg (Apr 12, 2009)

Peter D said:


> I still use these:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I fixed it for ya


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

MDShunk said:


> The brown union boxes were all I used for a good long time for new work.


So what inspired the change?



wildleg said:


> I fixed it for ya


Actually, I was raised on using the brown boxes and did use them for quite a while. I switched over to Carlon year ago, however.


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## Briancraig81 (May 25, 2007)

I always called them "fiber" boxes. Guy I started out with had two cases of single and two gangs and a box of round pop-ins stored in an old van. Used the round pop-in's quite often but can't ever recall installing the nail-ups. The mechanic I worked under preferred Slater boxes and the owner didn't push us to use the brown/fiber ones.


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

How could you not like these?:laughing:


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

Was knocking one out the other day with the old flat blade screwdriver. Comes out in pieces, pull out the nails. Screw in a smart box, no damage, looks great.


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

Those brown boxes are a waste of time.. who is going to tighten the clamp.. :blink:

They also crack easily if your helper has bad aim with his hammer..


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## Modern Castle Inc. (Nov 9, 2011)

wendon said:


> Do you like those Allied boxes?? I started using them but found they're a pain when the drywall guy pack mud into the screw holes!!




Not really, prefer pass and Seymour slater boxes but I will use them in a pinch, never in the winter, if you tap that fiberglass when they are cold they explode.....


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## Modern Castle Inc. (Nov 9, 2011)

I used some of these for my counter top boxes in the house I am doing now, I left them pulled out for the tile guy. We will see how it works out.....


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

B4T said:


> Those brown boxes are a waste of time.. who is going to tighten the clamp.. :blink:


The installer is supposed to. :blink: But any box that requires a screwdriver to tighten a clamp is a waste of time. 



> They also crack easily if your helper has bad aim with his hammer..


Yes, and so do the Allieds. I don't like either one. :no:


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

Shockdoc said:


> How could you not like these?:laughing:


Those are the absolute worst. I'd put the hammer to those instead of installing them. :thumbsup:


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

I bought cases of those brown boxes back in 02' for $20 a case. A few are still lingering. They were miserable to work with but cheap.


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

Shockdoc said:


> I bought cases of those brown boxes back in 02' for $20 a case. A few are still lingering. They were miserable to work with but cheap.



What you saved in cost you waste in labor. I would have trashed them long ago.


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

I'm the cheap guy. 
PS; I never tightened any clamps, left them loose in there for entertainment purposes.


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

I like the Allied smart boxes, though a little flimsy compared to the smart box brand. I picked up a couple of the arlington ones to try the other day. I haven't tried the horizontal version yet. I use the round and fan box versions frequently.


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## mbednarik (Oct 10, 2011)

There is a supply house here which that is all they have. They usually deliver to me so i don't go to the counter much. Had a job nearby their store so i stopped in to get a box and the counter guy comes out with one of those brown junk things. I told i wasn't buying it and i had to go to lowes.


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