I've read about using an angle grinder or Sawzall to aid in removing plaster coated wire mesh. Has anyone had success a different way? Any tips appreciated! http://imgur.com/TFG2ngL
An angle grinder with a rough diamond blade is going to be your friend. Cut into squares, remove squares.
If theres wood lath anywher ein there, the diamond blade wont cut it, nor will it cut your studs.
An angle grinder is something I haven't yet added to my arsenal of tools. Do you have a favorite brand or model?
How far does that metal lath extend? Normally when you see the vertical diamonds like that (as opposed to horizontal diamonds) you're looking at a piece which was put in the corner as re-enforcement - the rest of the wall may be regular plaster and wood lath.
To answer your question, I use a short demolition blade in a sawzall and then an avaition snips to get the occasional stubborn piece which hangs on as you're pulling it off the wall.
The right amount of orbital action helps too, if your sawzall has that.
I'm unsure of how far it extends. It looks like there's some water damage and the plaster came off somewhat easily. This is an exterior wall of a all-brick home. Would the original builders have used this wire mesh rather than wood lathe? Ultimately, my plan is to gut the place and insulate with roxul then put up Sheetrock.
I like to lay a partial sheet of plywood on the floor, tight against the plaster wall, over-top some short lengths of 2x4s, so it forms a table-like surface to catch the debris. Then I can shovel up the old plaster without any worry of damaging the floor, and slip a shovel under the plywood edge so I can scrape the debris so it falls off the plywood into the shovel, like using a dust pan.
Why? Because ultimately pick-up and disposal of the old demolished plaster is the bulk of the job, and this makes it easier and faster.
For removal of the lath and plaster, starting at about chest or shoulder height, I pulverize a strip of plaster about 12 to 16 inches high and several feet wide, so the lath is revealed. More pounding until there is a strip of mostly lath an inch or so wide running across the pulverized area.
I cut the lath horizontally using a recip saw, or whatever tool is available that works, e.g. snips. At this point the lath can be pried off the studs, working downward, using a big crowbar or a flatbar. At some point you will need to make vertical cuts to slice the lath into convenient sized pieces, again first exposing the lath, then cutting it. Cutting through the plaster and lath at the same time will dull a blade rather quickly.
I use a hammer drill with a chisel bit. Same thing, I shovel it up off some plywood. Wear a silica mask.
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