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What Is a Wall Chaser?
A wall chaser — also called a wall groove cutter, wall slotter, or slotting machine — is a handheld power tool designed to cut narrow, parallel grooves (channels) into masonry walls. These grooves, commonly called chases, are used to recess electrical wiring, conduit, plumbing pipes, and networking cables flush into a wall surface so they can be covered with plaster or filler for a clean, flat finish.
The tool works by spinning two parallel diamond-tipped saw blades simultaneously. The distance between the blades determines the width of the chase, and the blade exposure determines the depth. Most wall chasers allow you to adjust both width and depth to match the size of the conduit or pipe being installed. Once the two parallel cuts are made, the strip of material between them is removed with a chisel or hammer, leaving a clean, uniform channel.
Wall chasers are purpose-built for masonry materials: brick, concrete block, poured concrete, plaster over brick, morite, and similar substrates. They are not designed for wood-framed walls with drywall — those are routed differently, typically with a drywall cut-out tool or oscillating multi-tool. If you are working on a masonry structure and need to run wiring or plumbing through walls rather than surface-mounting it, a wall chaser is the correct tool for the job.
Wall Chaser vs. Angle Grinder — Do You Need a Dedicated Tool?
Many contractors and DIYers already own an angle grinder and wonder whether a dedicated wall chaser is worth the investment. The answer depends on how much chasing work you need to do and how much you value precision, speed, and dust control.
An angle grinder with a diamond blade can cut a single groove into masonry. To create a chase, you make one cut, reposition the guide, and make a second cut parallel to the first. This works for a short run — a single outlet box or a few feet of conduit channel. But for a full-room electrical rough-in or a renovation where every wall needs chases for wiring and plumbing, making two separate passes per channel becomes time-consuming, and maintaining consistent width and depth freehand is difficult. Angle grinders also lack a dust shroud designed for wall work, so fine masonry dust fills the room quickly.
A wall chaser cuts both grooves in a single pass. The dual-blade design locks in a consistent channel width and depth, and the integrated shroud directs dust toward a vacuum port. For jobs involving more than a few short channels, this translates directly into time saved and a cleaner workspace. It also produces straighter, more uniform chases, which makes the subsequent plastering or filling step easier and results in a better-looking finished wall.
If you chase walls regularly — as an electrician, plumber, or general renovation contractor — a dedicated wall chaser pays for itself quickly in labor time. If you need to chase a single 3-foot run once in five years, an angle grinder will get the job done. The MAXXT product line includes both: the MAXXT 1700W Industrial-Grade Angle Grinder for general cutting and grinding work, and the MAXXT Wall Chaser for dedicated groove cutting.
What to Look for When Choosing a Wall Chaser
Several factors affect which wall chaser is right for a given job. Understanding these specs helps you match the tool to the material and the size of conduit or pipe you need to recess.
Motor power, measured in watts, determines how well the tool maintains blade speed under load. Masonry is a hard, abrasive material, and underpowered motors bog down or overheat during deep cuts in concrete. Wall chasers typically range from about 1,400W to 2,600W. Higher wattage matters most when cutting reinforced concrete or making deep, wide chases. For standard brick and block, a motor in the 1,500W–1,800W range generally handles the work without issue.
No-load speed, measured in RPM, indicates how fast the blades spin without material resistance. Most wall chasers operate somewhere between 7,000 and 12,000 RPM. A higher RPM does not automatically mean a faster cut — cutting speed depends on the combination of RPM, motor torque under load, and blade quality — but adequate RPM ensures the diamond segments engage the material efficiently rather than dragging.
Maximum cutting depth determines how deep the chase can go. Standard depths range from about 20mm to 45mm depending on the tool and blade size. The depth you need depends on what you are recessing: a single electrical cable needs very little depth, while a plumbing pipe or thick conduit requires more.
Maximum cutting width — the adjustable distance between the two blades — determines how wide a chase the tool can produce. Typical adjustable ranges span from about 10mm to 40mm. Again, this depends on the conduit or pipe diameter.
Blade size dictates both maximum depth and compatible replacement blades. Common wall chaser blade diameters are 125mm (5 inches) and 150mm (6 inches).
Dust extraction design matters for practical usability. A well-designed shroud that seals closely to the wall surface and connects to a standard vacuum hose makes a significant difference in visibility and air quality. Some wall chasers include a vacuum adapter; others require a separately purchased attachment.
Common Applications
Wall chasers are used almost exclusively during the rough-in phase of construction or renovation, before walls are finished. The most common applications include chasing channels for electrical wiring and conduit during new construction or rewiring projects, cutting grooves for hot and cold water supply lines and drain pipes in bathroom and kitchen renovations, recessing data and networking cable runs in commercial and residential settings, and creating channels for in-wall heating elements or underfloor heating connections at wall junctions.
The tool is most relevant to electricians, plumbers, and general contractors working on masonry structures. In the North American market, wall chasers see heavier use in regions and building types where concrete block and brick construction is common — basements, commercial buildings, older masonry homes, and mixed-use structures — compared to wood-framed residential construction where wiring runs through open stud bays before drywall goes up.
Why Choose MAXXT
The body is built from magnesium alloy and weighs 3.5 kg, which is on the lighter end for a corded wall chaser. Weight matters with this tool because you are pressing it against a vertical surface, often overhead or at awkward angles, for extended passes. A lighter body reduces arm fatigue during full-room rough-in jobs where you may be cutting dozens of channels in a single session.
The tool uses dual adjustment handles that let you set both groove depth and groove width before cutting, so each chase is made in a single pass at a consistent dimension. An integrated dust extraction port is built into the shroud for connecting a shop vacuum or dust extractor — a feature that is effectively mandatory for indoor masonry cutting, both for visibility and for controlling silica dust exposure.
Safety features listed include automatic overload shutdown, delayed restart after a power interruption, and built-in leakage protection. Overload shutdown prevents the motor from burning out if the blade binds in hard material. Delayed restart is a meaningful safety detail — it means the tool will not spin up unexpectedly if power is restored after an outage while the trigger is still engaged.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a wall chaser used for?
A wall chaser cuts parallel grooves into masonry walls — brick, concrete, block — so that electrical wiring, plumbing pipes, or conduit can be recessed flush into the surface. The channel is then covered with plaster or filler for a flat finish.
Can I use a wall chaser on drywall?
No. Wall chasers are designed for masonry materials. Drywall (gypsum board over wood or metal studs) is cut and routed with different tools, such as a drywall cut-out tool or an oscillating multi-tool.
What is the difference between a wall chaser and an angle grinder?
A wall chaser uses two parallel blades to cut both sides of a groove in a single pass, with an integrated dust shroud. An angle grinder uses a single blade and requires two separate passes to create a channel, with no built-in dust management for wall work. Wall chasers are faster and more precise for chasing work; angle grinders are more versatile general-purpose tools.
What blade size do wall chasers use?
Common wall chaser blade diameters are 125mm (5 inches) and 150mm (6 inches). The blade size affects maximum cutting depth. Always use diamond-tipped blades rated for masonry cutting. The blade size for the MAXXT model is not listed on the collection page — check the product listing for details.
How deep and wide can a wall chaser cut?
This varies by model. Maximum cutting depth and adjustable width depend on blade size and the tool's design. Typical ranges are 20–45mm deep and 10–40mm wide. The depth and width specifications for the MAXXT wall chaser are not listed on this page.
