Cutting Cast Iron

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msut

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• Aug 29, 2006

• #1

Hi Group,
If you have a minute and help, I would appreciate it. Anyway, I am going through a major renovation of my home and need to cut the cast iron septic drain and re-attach a new PVC pipe coming out of the house. My question is, what is an easy clean way to cut the cast iron (btw, I have dug it up to expose it).
Thank you for your time.

 

Verdeboy

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• Aug 29, 2006

• #2

I suppose a jigsaw or reciprocating saw might do the job, with the right blade.

My first choice would be to break out my Rotozip and use the metal cutoff wheel.

 

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Jadnashua

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• Aug 29, 2006

• #3

Rent a snapcutter; much quicker. Most blades will have a big hassle with CI.

 

Verdeboy

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• Aug 29, 2006

• #4

Here's a link to some videos on how to use the snap cutter. They're about $500, so Jim's right in that you need to rent one.

http://www.wheelerrex.com/videos.html#

 

Dunbar Plumbing

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• Aug 29, 2006

• #5

A $7 diamond blade from Harbor Freight and a $10 angle grinder is all I use to cut cast/copper/steel these days.

Does a great job and you don't have to worry about splinter cracking after the fact when you didn't know the cast iron was thinning out where you wanted to cut it.

I've had a wheeler snap cutter for 18 years and I'm tempted to sell it on **** since I never use it anymore. I think I paid $240 for it back in the day before prohibition.

 

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msut

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• Aug 30, 2006

• #6

Thanks everyone for the help. I do appreciate it.

 

Pinerider

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• Aug 30, 2006

• #7

If you're using an angle grinder, make sure you have room all the way around the pipe for it. I work in waterworks and we use Stihl quick cut saws all the time to cut cast iron. With underground piping, you need to make sure you can get the saw all the way around the pipe.(unless you have a big saw and a small diameter pipe)

 

Verdeboy

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• Aug 30, 2006

• #8

pinerider said:

I work in waterworks and we use Stihl quick cut saws all the time to cut cast iron.

Click to expand...

That $1000 saw seems like overkill for this one-time application.

 

Pinerider

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• Aug 31, 2006

• #9

I was recommending the angle grinder, not suggesting going out and buying a cut saw. They are basically the same thing, a rotating disk that cuts the pipe. Our Stihl saw is just a large version of an angle grinder.