Well, thanks to everyone who helped me. It's done. I used ratcheting chain cutter. $14 to rent. I used riser clamps (still there) and other supports. The cuts were remarkably easy. Some have referred to cutting vertical cast iron pipes as "masochism." I can't imagine why.
Luckily, mine snapped easily. I made a third cut in the middle to help remove the pipe, but I didn't make it at an angle (apparently that's the best way) and so I had to knock the middle piece out with a hammer.
Two things went wrong:
1) A piece of pipe broke off and fell into the drain. I cut it about 6" from the wye fitting set into the floor so I figured I could just reach in and get it later. No go. It's gone. I slipped my shop vac in there and vacuumed up a number of small pieces, but my impression was that a 2"-3" piece fell in after the first blow. I'm going to fish a magnet down there and see what I come up with.
2) When I tied in using the pvc wye, two straight pipes, and shielded coupling, I think the pvc pipe came up a bit short. Maybe a quarter inch. It was still kind of a bear to get the fitting into both couplings. There are no leaks. I'm just wondering if there can be a problem down the road if it's not dead on snug. The truth is, I had trouble cutting 4" pvc on my workbench with a hand saw. Should've use the reciprocating saw I guess.
Well, it's done, for now. I've got a cleanout right at the tie in case there are future problems. All in all, it went fairly well. Hopefully there isn't a piece of iron stuck down there. That's the one thing I totally blew when I did this.
One thing to remember as a DIY'er and a newbie to cutting into cast iron is that try as they might, I don't think a pro can remember what it was like to be as inexperienced as some of us are. I mean, no plumbing books I saw even talked about getting the cut pipe out or using a car jack to jack up the pipes a bit to squeeze your new fitting on. It didn't come up here, either. That's not to criticize. I'm just saying that you guys are such pros it must be hard to even see where we newbies are coming from.
Anyway, many thanks for the advice. This part of the project is done. I'll be back once they build my dormers and I'm plumbing that bathroom in earnest.
Luckily, mine snapped easily. I made a third cut in the middle to help remove the pipe, but I didn't make it at an angle (apparently that's the best way) and so I had to knock the middle piece out with a hammer.
Two things went wrong:
1) A piece of pipe broke off and fell into the drain. I cut it about 6" from the wye fitting set into the floor so I figured I could just reach in and get it later. No go. It's gone. I slipped my shop vac in there and vacuumed up a number of small pieces, but my impression was that a 2"-3" piece fell in after the first blow. I'm going to fish a magnet down there and see what I come up with.
2) When I tied in using the pvc wye, two straight pipes, and shielded coupling, I think the pvc pipe came up a bit short. Maybe a quarter inch. It was still kind of a bear to get the fitting into both couplings. There are no leaks. I'm just wondering if there can be a problem down the road if it's not dead on snug. The truth is, I had trouble cutting 4" pvc on my workbench with a hand saw. Should've use the reciprocating saw I guess.
Well, it's done, for now. I've got a cleanout right at the tie in case there are future problems. All in all, it went fairly well. Hopefully there isn't a piece of iron stuck down there. That's the one thing I totally blew when I did this.
One thing to remember as a DIY'er and a newbie to cutting into cast iron is that try as they might, I don't think a pro can remember what it was like to be as inexperienced as some of us are. I mean, no plumbing books I saw even talked about getting the cut pipe out or using a car jack to jack up the pipes a bit to squeeze your new fitting on. It didn't come up here, either. That's not to criticize. I'm just saying that you guys are such pros it must be hard to even see where we newbies are coming from.
Anyway, many thanks for the advice. This part of the project is done. I'll be back once they build my dormers and I'm plumbing that bathroom in earnest.
