Hello,
Its the beginer owner/remodler again in Eureka CA. am doing a rebuild on a 1960 ranch style house here Eureka CA. I was hopping to avoid it, but due to corrosion, a layout change, and a prior owner’s foibles I am going to need to replace the cast iron drain/vent pipe with PVC. I need to remove/replace a 4″ roof vented drain line which services the toilet/lav. and a 2″ vented line that ties to the tub and main drain.
Time and money are an issue (otherwise I would be paying someone to do this). I was going to start by cutting the main downflow of problem area with sawzall. From there the plan looks hazy. Mini-sledge and cold chisel to big sledge to sweating and swearing? To break the bell joints? Alcoholic relaps? Blown back? Back when I was a framer we used to joke you only had to know three thing to be a plumber. Time to eat my words?
Thanks , Ands
Replies
use a small sledge...
once the break up starts it's the domino effect...
break before and after the bells... use a Furnco no-hub connector to put yur PVC and CI stub together....
if you have to break the bells (hubs) use the chisel end of a brick hammer...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
I the only cutting of CI that I have done is where I need to maintain a clean edge to adapt new connections to.
In the first case I used a CI pipe snap cutter. You can rent one and in the 1/2 day rental you can make a dozen or so breakers. IIRC it was about $20-25 for 1/2 day.
It consists of a handle (arm) and a chain with a bunch of cutter wheels. Rap it around the ci pipe and then tight and rotate slightly. It scores and then snapes the pipe.
The 2nd case I used recip saw with MANY carbide grit blade. The reason being that I did not have enough clearance to use the cutter. It was SSSSSLLOOOOOWWW.
Lenox makes blades just for CI...
wonder what a Bulldog and a chisel bit would do to the pipe and hubs..
gotta be cake and pie...Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Thanks for the tips. I will look into renting a cast iron chain cracker after work. I traded my framing tools for a desk and a computer a few years back. If I get canned for breaktiming on the clock I may have to pick them up again.
The grass is always greener...
We use the grinder with a thin cutoff wheel for surgical removal of cast iron. Works better than a sawsall because there is alot less vibration.
Thanks for the tips. I rented the CI pipe cutter, could have skipped it. I found my sawzall with CI blade worked well for the amputation and my sledge plus a rock bar worked fine for the material removal. Had to eat some dirt in the crawl space to get a good swing with the 8 pounder. Took a little under 3 hours all in a days (after) work.
Now I can start peicing my house back together.
Ands
I tried the Bulldog on an assembled CI hub...
no more sledge and chisel...
wear hearing protection... reduntantly...Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
you may want to rent a cast iron chain cracker. They rent for like $65 and make easy work of demo of cast. You wrap the chain around the section you want to break, then snug the handle and it snaps the pipe clean.With this tool you can cut the pipe into workable sections.
If you do break it with a sledge, make sure to have your ear plugs handy.