DIYbanter - View Single Post - 1930s cast iron downpipe fixings

Michael Chare[_4_]

On 20/09/2017 15:13, wrote:
On Wednesday, 20 September 2017 14:18:32 UTC+1, wrote:
On 20/09/2017 10:30, GB wrote:
On 20/09/2017 08:57, John Rumm wrote:
On 20/09/2017 00:50, wrote:

Some numpty (not me) seems to have dropped a long length of hardwood
down one of the downpipes on my "new" house - presumably when clearing
the hopper some years ago. I need to get the bottom discharge "shoe" off
to get the wood out but it probably hasn't been touched since it was
built (1930s) and I can't work out what the fixings are. I've got the
paint and render off the fixings and the heads seem to be domed, but no
slot or other means of undoing the things.

They are normally very large nail like fixings that are hammered into
a wood plug that sits in a recess that is chiselled into the wall.
Basically very difficult to remove. I think in the circumstance I
would be looking at ways of getting the wood out via the same route it
went in.

I was thinking of a drain clearing rod pushed in from below,
particularly as the cast iron pipe won't look right with the domed
fixings removed.

*If successful,* that method may result in a large piece of sodden hard
wood emerging from the top of the pipe and crashing onto the bonce of
the person below. So, maybe, it would be best to get someone up a ladder
to lift it out, once the first bit emerges from the top.

A drain rod would be far too stiff to go round the bend in the shoe.
I've tried shoving plastic 22, 15 and 10mm pipe up - the 22 and 15 are
too stiff, the 10 is too small and also gets snagged on the joints.

I started using a multi-tool through the shoe opening to cut off 20mm
sections but then realised it was a long piece of wood and would take hours.

It may still be your easiest option. One of those things where you can do a bit when you've got 10 minutes.

NT

If you could get 10mm pipe right to the top, maybe you could use it to
pull up a piece of string then rope with something big enough to catch
the wood attached to the end.

--
Michael Chare