Cutting Cast Iron In Crawlspace
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Old 01-23-2008, 08:49 PM   #1
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Cutting Cast Iron In Crawlspace

Looking for tips on how others have cut cast iron in a tight crawlspace. I've done 4 or 5 all with a sawzall with "cast iron" blades which always takes about 2 or 3 blades per 4" waste and a good half hour. I'm wondering if there is any easier way that might save a little time on my elbows and back.

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Old 01-23-2008, 08:51 PM   #2
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Re: Cutting Cast Iron In Crawlspace

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Looking for tips on how others have cut cast iron in a tight crawlspace. I've done 4 or 5 all with a sawzall with "cast iron" blades which always takes about 2 or 3 blades per 4" waste and a good half hour. I'm wondering if there is any easier way that might save a little time on my elbows and back.
A deep cut Porta-Band zips through it like nothing.
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Old 01-23-2008, 08:57 PM   #3
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Re: Cutting Cast Iron In Crawlspace

Snap cutter is even better,
IMHO
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Old 01-23-2008, 08:59 PM   #4
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Re: Cutting Cast Iron In Crawlspace

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Snap cutter is even better,
IMHO

If it is cracked or thin on top it will just crush.
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Old 01-23-2008, 09:03 PM   #5
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Re: Cutting Cast Iron In Crawlspace

Why aren't you using snap cutters (mini). I've yet to find a situation where they wouldn't fit even in between joists. Oh wow this just made me think of something I like about Home Depot! I bought my snap cutters from their tool rental about 5 years ago for $80.
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Old 01-23-2008, 09:05 PM   #6
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Re: Cutting Cast Iron In Crawlspace

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If it is cracked or thin on top it will just crush.
I've never crushed ci that was out of the ground.
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Old 01-23-2008, 09:11 PM   #7
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Re: Cutting Cast Iron In Crawlspace

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I've never crushed ci that was out of the ground.
How much suspended cast have you cut that is on septic? Sulfur Dioxide gas from the septic tank has a tendency to eat the top of cast iron pipe that is installed horizontally.
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Old 01-23-2008, 09:19 PM   #8
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Re: Cutting Cast Iron In Crawlspace

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How much suspended cast have you cut that is on septic? Sulfur Dioxide gas from the septic tank has a tendency to eat the top of cast iron pipe that is installed horizontally.
Not much. I have however, a couple of times, encountered horizontal ci in crawl spaces that were "rotten" for lack of a better term. There was no cutting involved though because as soon as you touched them they fell apart.
I never really knew what might cause this and it's only been a couple of times. Seems like neither system was on septic though, but I'm not certain about that.
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Old 01-23-2008, 09:26 PM   #9
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Re: Cutting Cast Iron In Crawlspace

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Not much. I have however, a couple of times, encountered horizontal ci in crawl spaces that were "rotten" for lack of a better term. There was no cutting involved though because as soon as you touched them they fell apart.
I never really knew what might cause this and it's only been a couple of times. Seems like neither system was on septic though, but I'm not certain about that.
It may have been on one when it was built.

Now you know what causes it though.
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Old 01-23-2008, 09:32 PM   #10
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Re: Cutting Cast Iron In Crawlspace

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It may have been on one when it was built.

Now you know what causes it though.
Yeah, you could be right. I replaced 60' of sewer last September. When we got about 15' from the house we dug right into the top of the original septic tank. I just about had a stroke for a minute because as far as we knew there was not supposed to be a septic and we had just caved the top of it in. It was old and not in use though. No one had filled it in when they converted to city sewer like they were supposed to though so the lid went crashing down. Scared me for a minute until we figured out what was going on.
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Old 01-23-2008, 09:54 PM   #11
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Re: Cutting Cast Iron In Crawlspace

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Originally Posted by PacNWStructures View Post
I've done 4 or 5 all with a sawzall with "cast iron" blades which always takes about 2 or 3 blades per 4" waste and a good half hour. I'm wondering if there is any easier way that might save a little time on my elbows and back.
Don't cut at a high speed, the trick behind cutting with blades is slow speed and good constant pressure, cast blades are not needed if you just slow the speed down. The faster you try and cut on cast the faster you fry the cutting teeth. It's an art.
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Old 01-23-2008, 09:56 PM   #12
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Re: Cutting Cast Iron In Crawlspace

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Don't cut at a high speed, the trick behind cutting with blades is slow speed and good constant pressure, cast blades are not needed if you just slow the speed down. The faster you try and cut on cast the faster you fry the cutting teeth. It's an art.
Porta-band still works better.
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Old 01-23-2008, 09:58 PM   #13
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Re: Cutting Cast Iron In Crawlspace

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Porta-band still works better.
If one has one, I don't have one myself, so I snap them 90% of the time.
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Old 01-23-2008, 10:15 PM   #14
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Re: Cutting Cast Iron In Crawlspace

4 1/2 angle grinder with 1/8 thick cut off wheels.
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Old 01-23-2008, 10:17 PM   #15
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Re: Cutting Cast Iron In Crawlspace

Cutting torch.
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Old 01-23-2008, 10:19 PM   #16
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Re: Cutting Cast Iron In Crawlspace

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4 1/2 angle grinder with 1/8 thick cut off wheels.
Hard to use in a crawl if the top of the pipe is close to the underside of the floor though.
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Old 01-23-2008, 10:20 PM   #17
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Re: Cutting Cast Iron In Crawlspace

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Don't cut at a high speed, the trick behind cutting with blades is slow speed and good constant pressure, cast blades are not needed if you just slow the speed down. The faster you try and cut on cast the faster you fry the cutting teeth. It's an art.
great point. mostly true with drill bits also. sloooowwww.

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Old 01-23-2008, 10:21 PM   #18
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Re: Cutting Cast Iron In Crawlspace

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Cutting torch.
You'd have to use a plasma cutter, the tar coating would clog the tip of a torch in no time flat.
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Old 01-23-2008, 10:23 PM   #19
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Re: Cutting Cast Iron In Crawlspace

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You'd have to use a plasma cutter, the tar coating would clog the tip of a torch in no time flat.
Was just kidding about that, that just crazy.
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Old 01-23-2008, 10:24 PM   #20
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Re: Cutting Cast Iron In Crawlspace

shaped c4!
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