Cutting through cast iron soil pipe

[jim_flaunt]

So I've dug a trench to get to my 4' cast iron soil pipe and have it all exposed. I've watched lots of Youtubes on how to cut through it with a chain cutter. It looks easy. What am I missing? Is it actually difficult? I've never done it before. I don't want to rent the cutter and then realize something I hadn't thought of.

Just want to cut through in two places to make a gap, in order to install a two-way cleanout. Thank you for any advice.

 

[journeyman]

use a diamond grinder to cut the cast iron pipe. i use a 4.5 inch diamond grinder. make sure pipe is not rotted completely. because if it is you might be chasing pipe to get a good piece. make sure you use 4 inch husky bands to make your connections so you don't have issues in future with movement or offsets. most people will use fernco bands which is going to cause you issues in the future

 

[jim_flaunt]

But what's wrong with a chain cutter? The pipe is not old or rotted at all. Thanks for the advice.

 

[frodo]

a chain cutter is a tricky little devil, it will ake you longer to figure out how to ue it than it will o actually use it.


but here goes..
open cutter, route chain under pipe over the top of pipe. stand next to pipe with 1 leg of cutter over your right shoulder as you bend over
open adjustment. hook chain into jaw. step back...adjust chain till the handle is waist high. with a quick and FORCEFUL downward movement
of the handle cut pipe

if your cut breaks out to much cast,,readust handle to low
if your cut does not break out enough handle to high

I strongly recomend using a grinder to cut your cast....a cast cutter takes practise.
usually when a apprentice is introduced to cutters, it is a 2 or 3 hour learning process, which I enjoy watching ,
the pain and humiliation


go for it!!!!!

 

[jim_flaunt]

OK - thanks. The Youtubes all make it look so easy. Maybe I'll call my recommended handyman for that particular part of the job.

 

[ExtraMilePlumbing]

The compression cutters are Easyer to use then the snap cutters . I'm on my way to purchase the compression cutters they I recommend those

 

[journeyman]

you can cut the pipe faster with a grinder and it is easy. some one who has never used snap cutters will struggle

 

[phishfood]

I don't find an angle grinder faster for the most part, but it is easier for an untrained person, and it is the best way for cast that might be rotted. Just because the outside looks good doesn't mean that the inside isn't in bad shape.

 

[frodo]

if your like me, phishfood. smash it with a hammer and cut it with a crescent wrench!!!!! dress the end up with the grinder

that skill/art is all but forgot.

 

[Mr_David]

If you cut it with a grinder use a respirator.
my choice because I seem to be repairing old rotten cast iron.
It might look okay but the snap cutter will crush out the bottom of the pipe before it snaps it.
I've snapped brand new pipe and cracked the pipe. back in the rookie days I used a sawsall and a hand full of blades.

 

[journeyman]

when cutting old cast it is not about speed it is about patience. the bottom of the pipe will be thinner than the top that is why snap cutters are not the best choice. and cutting with a hammer and chisel you will need access around the entire pipe. you may also cut the pipe to find it is so rotten that you will be chasing it to find some good pipe to attach to good luck

 

[frodo]

forget a chisel, i'll use a cresant wrench every time.

do you know how with a cresant wrench?

 

[smudgie56]

Hi there. I had to cut through a cast Iron soil pipe on one of my first jobs. I used a disc cutter. It was slow but it worked.

 

[Solid]

back in the rookie days I used a sawsall and a hand full of blades.

I did this using an 18 volt Ridgid mini-reciprocating saw and Diablo brand cast iron blades (2). It took a while, but the cuts were perfect.

I wanted to buy an angle grinder to do this, but I couldn't find a reasonably priced model that had the proper "Type 1" guard. probably not necessary, but I decided to go with the blades, because I already had the other stuff. Good luck.

 

[frodo]

NObody know how to cut cast with a crescent wrench? Really???

 

[Mr_David]

NObody know how to cut cast with a crescent wrench? Really???

I have trimmed jagged edges after a bad snap with a cresent wrench.

 

[journeyman]

yeah the crescent wrench is used to snap off the edges after you bash it with a hammer or you could just cut a straight line with a grinder

 

[frodo]

LOL...not talking about smashing a pipe to install as new.
repair work. when you in a ditch, or a hole in the concrete. how to cut pipe to do repair work.

it would be nice to have the room to use a grinder or ratchet cutters all the time.
but that is not reality. some times you have to deal with tite space or concrete in your way.

using a cresent wrench is a very good tip to know. and its an art, to get a straight line