Tiny bathroom renovation. 5-ft built-in 50-year-old cast iron bathtub
needs to come out. Because of the configuration, it can't come out in
one piece. I need to bust it up.

My SawsAll is on its last legs. Tried cutting some CRS with a metal
blade and it just laughed at me.

I have 5-lb. and 10-lb. hammers with sharp cold chisels and the labor
to use them but no room to swing the hammers.

I have a right-angle grinder and can put a metal-cutting blade on it.
Slow. Noisy. Lots of sparks. Most of all slow.

I also have an OA rig but am afraid of setting the house on fire.

What's the best way to bust one of these suckers up?

-Frank

--
Here's some of my work:
http://www.sharpbywarner.com

On Sat, 30 Jun 2012 15:52:25 -0700, Frank J Warner
wrote:

Tiny bathroom renovation. 5-ft built-in 50-year-old cast iron bathtub
needs to come out. Because of the configuration, it can't come out in
one piece. I need to bust it up.

My SawsAll is on its last legs. Tried cutting some CRS with a metal
blade and it just laughed at me.

I have 5-lb. and 10-lb. hammers with sharp cold chisels and the labor
to use them but no room to swing the hammers.

I have a right-angle grinder and can put a metal-cutting blade on it.
Slow. Noisy. Lots of sparks. Most of all slow.

I also have an OA rig but am afraid of setting the house on fire.

What's the best way to bust one of these suckers up?

-Frank

Try it from the side, with a big hammer. Break it along the outside
edge, bottom, center and work from there. Hit it dead center on the
side. A few times will crack it and give you a starting point.

Oh. You need safety glasses and gloves.

Knock the crap out of it on the side...

On 6/30/2012 5:52 PM, Frank J Warner wrote:
Tiny bathroom renovation. 5-ft built-in 50-year-old cast iron bathtub
needs to come out. Because of the configuration, it can't come out in
one piece. I need to bust it up.

My SawsAll is on its last legs. Tried cutting some CRS with a metal
blade and it just laughed at me.

I have 5-lb. and 10-lb. hammers with sharp cold chisels and the labor
to use them but no room to swing the hammers.

I have a right-angle grinder and can put a metal-cutting blade on it.
Slow. Noisy. Lots of sparks. Most of all slow.

I also have an OA rig but am afraid of setting the house on fire.

What's the best way to bust one of these suckers up?

-Frank


A few well placed explosive shaped charges should do nicely. ^_^

TDD

On Sat, 30 Jun 2012 18:27:41 -0500, The Daring Dufas
wrote:

A few well placed explosive shaped charges should do nicely. ^_^

TDD

This will still need safety glasses and gloves.

On Sat, 30 Jun 2012 15:52:25 -0700, Frank J Warner
wrote:

Tiny bathroom renovation. 5-ft built-in 50-year-old cast iron bathtub
needs to come out. Because of the configuration, it can't come out in
one piece. I need to bust it up.

My SawsAll is on its last legs. Tried cutting some CRS with a metal
blade and it just laughed at me.


Get a new sawzall if you must-- and a blade called 'the torch'. Get
the blade first- chances are you won't need a new saw.

About 3 'swings' - [not enough room in my bathroom for a SWING] and
things started jumping off the shelves in the pantry below the
bathroom.

20 minutes with the sawsall & it was in 2 pieces right where I wanted
it to split.

Jim

On 6/30/2012 6:08 PM, Oren wrote:
On Sat, 30 Jun 2012 15:52:25 -0700, Frank J Warner
wrote:

Tiny bathroom renovation. 5-ft built-in 50-year-old cast iron bathtub
needs to come out. Because of the configuration, it can't come out in
one piece. I need to bust it up.

My SawsAll is on its last legs. Tried cutting some CRS with a metal
blade and it just laughed at me.

I have 5-lb. and 10-lb. hammers with sharp cold chisels and the labor
to use them but no room to swing the hammers.

I have a right-angle grinder and can put a metal-cutting blade on it.
Slow. Noisy. Lots of sparks. Most of all slow.

I also have an OA rig but am afraid of setting the house on fire.

What's the best way to bust one of these suckers up?

-Frank

Try it from the side, with a big hammer. Break it along the outside
edge, bottom, center and work from there. Hit it dead center on the
side. A few times will crack it and give you a starting point.

Oh. You need safety glasses and gloves.

Knock the crap out of it on the side...



AND EAR PLUGS!

--
Steve Barker
remove the "not" from my address to email

Frank J Warner wrote:
Tiny bathroom renovation. 5-ft built-in 50-year-old cast iron bathtub
needs to come out. Because of the configuration, it can't come out in
one piece. I need to bust it up.

My SawsAll is on its last legs. Tried cutting some CRS with a metal
blade and it just laughed at me.

I have 5-lb. and 10-lb. hammers with sharp cold chisels and the labor
to use them but no room to swing the hammers.

I have a right-angle grinder and can put a metal-cutting blade on it.
Slow. Noisy. Lots of sparks. Most of all slow.

I also have an OA rig but am afraid of setting the house on fire.

What's the best way to bust one of these suckers up?


A sledge hammer will do it in a few minutes. Cast iron breakes easily. Lean over
the tub and swing.

"Frank J Warner" wrote in message
news:300620121552258441%warnerf@veriSPAMMERSDIEzon .net...
Tiny bathroom renovation. 5-ft built-in 50-year-old cast iron bathtub
needs to come out. Because of the configuration, it can't come out in
one piece. I need to bust it up.

My SawsAll is on its last legs. Tried cutting some CRS with a metal
blade and it just laughed at me.

I have 5-lb. and 10-lb. hammers with sharp cold chisels and the labor
to use them but no room to swing the hammers.

I have a right-angle grinder and can put a metal-cutting blade on it.
Slow. Noisy. Lots of sparks. Most of all slow.

I also have an OA rig but am afraid of setting the house on fire.

What's the best way to bust one of these suckers up?


We loaded up one with dry ice, let it frost over and a few good whacks with
a
10# hammer did the job. Note there is a good possibility that a few more
whacks of a standard room temp tub would have done the job as well. Cast
iron is brittle.

"Oren" wrote in message
news
On Sat, 30 Jun 2012 15:52:25 -0700, Frank J Warner
wrote:

Tiny bathroom renovation. 5-ft built-in 50-year-old cast iron bathtub
needs to come out. Because of the configuration, it can't come out in
one piece. I need to bust it up.

My SawsAll is on its last legs. Tried cutting some CRS with a metal
blade and it just laughed at me.

I have 5-lb. and 10-lb. hammers with sharp cold chisels and the labor
to use them but no room to swing the hammers.

I have a right-angle grinder and can put a metal-cutting blade on it.
Slow. Noisy. Lots of sparks. Most of all slow.

I also have an OA rig but am afraid of setting the house on fire.

What's the best way to bust one of these suckers up?

-Frank

Try it from the side, with a big hammer. Break it along the outside
edge, bottom, center and work from there. Hit it dead center on the
side. A few times will crack it and give you a starting point.

Oh. You need safety glasses and gloves.
And a face shield WW

Knock the crap out of it on the side...

My old boss, back when I was doing more heating. Said there are some guys
who just thrive on busting up old cast iron. tubs, boilers, etc.

Go to Home Depot, and look in the phone book for plumbing wholesale. Ask for
phone numbers of guys who love to bust up cast iron.

I've never seen this in person, but boss said that several times, over a
period of years. Might be true.

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

"Frank J Warner" wrote in message
news:300620121552258441%warnerf@veriSPAMMERSDIEzon .net...
Tiny bathroom renovation. 5-ft built-in 50-year-old cast iron bathtub
needs to come out. Because of the configuration, it can't come out in
one piece. I need to bust it up.

My SawsAll is on its last legs. Tried cutting some CRS with a metal
blade and it just laughed at me.

I have 5-lb. and 10-lb. hammers with sharp cold chisels and the labor
to use them but no room to swing the hammers.

I have a right-angle grinder and can put a metal-cutting blade on it.
Slow. Noisy. Lots of sparks. Most of all slow.

I also have an OA rig but am afraid of setting the house on fire.

What's the best way to bust one of these suckers up?

-Frank

--
Here's some of my work:
http://www.sharpbywarner.com

Rental place, electric jack hammer? I mean, to make bore holes for the
explosives.

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

"The Daring Dufas" wrote in message
...

A few well placed explosive shaped charges should do nicely. ^_^

TDD

Frank J Warner wrote:
Tiny bathroom renovation. 5-ft built-in 50-year-old cast iron bathtub
needs to come out. Because of the configuration, it can't come out in
one piece. I need to bust it up.

My SawsAll is on its last legs. Tried cutting some CRS with a metal
blade and it just laughed at me.

I have 5-lb. and 10-lb. hammers with sharp cold chisels and the labor
to use them but no room to swing the hammers.

I have a right-angle grinder and can put a metal-cutting blade on it.
Slow. Noisy. Lots of sparks. Most of all slow.

I also have an OA rig but am afraid of setting the house on fire.

What's the best way to bust one of these suckers up?

-Frank

just busted one out with a sledge hammer 20#
got it to busted up a little then it cracked in half and took it out in
2 pieces and a few smaller ones

"Frank J Warner" wrote in message
news:300620121552258441%warnerf@veriSPAMMERSDIEzon .net...
Tiny bathroom renovation. 5-ft built-in 50-year-old cast iron bathtub
needs to come out. Because of the configuration, it can't come out in
one piece. I need to bust it up.

My SawsAll is on its last legs. Tried cutting some CRS with a metal
blade and it just laughed at me.

I have 5-lb. and 10-lb. hammers with sharp cold chisels and the labor
to use them but no room to swing the hammers.

I have a right-angle grinder and can put a metal-cutting blade on it.
Slow. Noisy. Lots of sparks. Most of all slow.

I also have an OA rig but am afraid of setting the house on fire.

What's the best way to bust one of these suckers up?

-Frank

--
Here's some of my work:
http://www.sharpbywarner.com

Like most others said, a sledge will do it. Besides safety glasses, I
would also cover the tub with a tarp, and hit through the cloth tarp. I
got this advice after I took a piece of flying/bouncing shrapnel right in
the forehead. The tarp does work!

On Jun 30, 8:00*pm, "Gomba" wrote:
"Frank J Warner" wrote in messagenews:300620121552258441%warnerf@veriSPAMMER SDIEzon.net...





Tiny bathroom renovation. 5-ft built-in 50-year-old cast iron bathtub
needs to come out. Because of the configuration, it can't come out in
one piece. I need to bust it up.

My SawsAll is on its last legs. Tried cutting some CRS with a metal
blade and it just laughed at me.

I have 5-lb. and 10-lb. hammers with sharp cold chisels and the labor
to use them but no room to swing the hammers.

I have a right-angle grinder and can put a metal-cutting blade on it.
Slow. Noisy. Lots of sparks. Most of all slow.

I also have an OA rig but am afraid of setting the house on fire.

What's the best way to bust one of these suckers up?

-Frank

--
Here's some of my work:
http://www.sharpbywarner.com

Like most others said, a sledge will do it. *Besides safety glasses, I
would also cover the tub with a tarp, and hit through the cloth tarp. *I
got this advice after I took a piece of flying/bouncing shrapnel right in
the forehead. *The tarp does work!- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Good Idea!!!

On Sat, 30 Jun 2012 17:01:39 -0700, "Bob F"
wrote:

Frank J Warner wrote:
Tiny bathroom renovation. 5-ft built-in 50-year-old cast iron bathtub
needs to come out. Because of the configuration, it can't come out in
one piece. I need to bust it up.

My SawsAll is on its last legs. Tried cutting some CRS with a metal
blade and it just laughed at me.

I have 5-lb. and 10-lb. hammers with sharp cold chisels and the labor
to use them but no room to swing the hammers.

I have a right-angle grinder and can put a metal-cutting blade on it.
Slow. Noisy. Lots of sparks. Most of all slow.

I also have an OA rig but am afraid of setting the house on fire.

What's the best way to bust one of these suckers up?


A sledge hammer will do it in a few minutes. Cast iron breakes easily. Lean over
the tub and swing.


Not been my experience. Even after I got it out of the bathroom
where I could take a good over the head swing, it took several whacks
to start a crack- and a couple more to break it--- and not where I
wanted it to break.

Jim

"Jim Elbrecht" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 30 Jun 2012 17:01:39 -0700, "Bob F"
wrote:

Frank J Warner wrote:
Tiny bathroom renovation. 5-ft built-in 50-year-old cast iron bathtub
needs to come out. Because of the configuration, it can't come out in
one piece. I need to bust it up.

My SawsAll is on its last legs. Tried cutting some CRS with a metal
blade and it just laughed at me.

I have 5-lb. and 10-lb. hammers with sharp cold chisels and the labor
to use them but no room to swing the hammers.

I have a right-angle grinder and can put a metal-cutting blade on it.
Slow. Noisy. Lots of sparks. Most of all slow.

I also have an OA rig but am afraid of setting the house on fire.

What's the best way to bust one of these suckers up?


A sledge hammer will do it in a few minutes. Cast iron breakes easily.
Lean over
the tub and swing.


Not been my experience. Even after I got it out of the bathroom
where I could take a good over the head swing, it took several whacks
to start a crack- and a couple more to break it--- and not where I
wanted it to break.

Jim

I used a pickaxe. Point worked real good.

R

"ChairMan" wrote in message
news
Frank J Warner wrote:
Tiny bathroom renovation. 5-ft built-in 50-year-old cast iron bathtub
needs to come out. Because of the configuration, it can't come out in
one piece. I need to bust it up.

My SawsAll is on its last legs. Tried cutting some CRS with a metal
blade and it just laughed at me.

I have 5-lb. and 10-lb. hammers with sharp cold chisels and the labor
to use them but no room to swing the hammers.

I have a right-angle grinder and can put a metal-cutting blade on it.
Slow. Noisy. Lots of sparks. Most of all slow.

I also have an OA rig but am afraid of setting the house on fire.

What's the best way to bust one of these suckers up?

-Frank

just busted one out with a sledge hammer 20#
got it to busted up a little then it cracked in half and took it out in 2
pieces and a few smaller ones


I agree. I did one a couple of years ago.

Go to http://YouTube.com and do a search for "cast iron tub removal" and
there are lots of links to videos like these on how to do it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0a_Cd3NJg8g

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tguostAwk5Y

hr(bob) wrote:
On Jun 30, 8:00 pm, "Gomba" wrote:
Like most others said, a sledge will do it. Besides safety glasses, I
would also cover the tub with a tarp, and hit through the cloth
tarp. I
got this advice after I took a piece of flying/bouncing shrapnel
right in
the forehead. The tarp does work!- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Good Idea!!!

Second!

On Sat, 30 Jun 2012 17:01:39 -0700, "Bob F" wrote:

What's the best way to bust one of these suckers up?


A sledge hammer will do it in a few minutes. Cast iron breakes easily. Lean over
the tub and swing.

Make sure all bathers are out of the tub first!!!!

On Sat, 30 Jun 2012 15:52:25 -0700, Frank J Warner
wrote:

Tiny bathroom renovation. 5-ft built-in 50-year-old cast iron bathtub
needs to come out. Because of the configuration, it can't come out in
one piece. I need to bust it up.

My SawsAll is on its last legs. Tried cutting some CRS with a metal
blade and it just laughed at me.

I have 5-lb. and 10-lb. hammers with sharp cold chisels and the labor
to use them but no room to swing the hammers.

I have a right-angle grinder and can put a metal-cutting blade on it.
Slow. Noisy. Lots of sparks. Most of all slow.

I also have an OA rig but am afraid of setting the house on fire.

What's the best way to bust one of these suckers up?

-Frank

Too bad you cant get it out in one piece. Cast iron tubs are worth
quite a lot of money for resale. And if you do bust it up, sell the
metal for scrap. That too is bringing a high price.

On Sun, 01 Jul 2012 01:11:18 -0500, wrote:


Too bad you cant get it out in one piece. Cast iron tubs are worth
quite a lot of money for resale. And if you do bust it up, sell the
metal for scrap. That too is bringing a high price.

Some footed tubs are worth quite a bit. As for scrap, don't get too
excited. Cast iron is about the lowest ($200 per ton?) and with a
porcelain coating on it. it will be pennies a pound. Last I was it
was "no charge" to take it.

Bust up the bathers, and sell them for scrap, too?

That could be the ride of a lifetime. Scooter and
his brother Stinker are in the tub. Dad comes in, and
sledge hammers the tub into pieces, and carries it
off. Two days later, the family is in the car, and
Stinker calls from the back seat "Hey, Dad! Bust
up the car!"

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

wrote in message
...
A sledge hammer will do it in a few minutes. Cast iron breakes easily. Lean
over
the tub and swing.

Make sure all bathers are out of the tub first!!!!

On Saturday, June 30, 2012 6:52:25 PM UTC-4, Frank J Warner wrote:
What's the best way to bust one of these suckers up?

You've talked yourself out of pretty much every rational means of removing the tub, so I guess it's in there permanently...

Come on, how tight is it? It can't possibly be THAT tight that you can't swing a hammer AT ALL. All you need is a couple half-assed hits, and the tub will shatter like a pickle jar.

On Jun 30, 6:00*pm, "Gomba" wrote:
"Frank J Warner" wrote in messagenews:300620121552258441%warnerf@veriSPAMMER SDIEzon.net...





Tiny bathroom renovation. 5-ft built-in 50-year-old cast iron bathtub
needs to come out. Because of the configuration, it can't come out in
one piece. I need to bust it up.

My SawsAll is on its last legs. Tried cutting some CRS with a metal
blade and it just laughed at me.

I have 5-lb. and 10-lb. hammers with sharp cold chisels and the labor
to use them but no room to swing the hammers.

I have a right-angle grinder and can put a metal-cutting blade on it.
Slow. Noisy. Lots of sparks. Most of all slow.

I also have an OA rig but am afraid of setting the house on fire.

What's the best way to bust one of these suckers up?

-Frank

--
Here's some of my work:
http://www.sharpbywarner.com

Like most others said, a sledge will do it. *Besides safety glasses, I
would also cover the tub with a tarp, and hit through the cloth tarp. *I
got this advice after I took a piece of flying/bouncing shrapnel right in
the forehead. *The tarp does work!

I was hoping someone mentioned that. I used a blanket.

Harry K

On Jul 1, 7:05*am, wrote:
On Saturday, June 30, 2012 6:52:25 PM UTC-4, Frank J Warner wrote:
What's the best way to bust one of these suckers up?

You've talked yourself out of pretty much every rational means of removing the tub, so I guess it's in there permanently...

Come on, how tight is it? It can't possibly be THAT tight that you can't swing a hammer AT ALL. All you need is a couple half-assed hits, and the tub will shatter like a pickle jar.

Yep. The tub alone has to be wide enough for a fairly good swing on
the inside.

Harry K

Yes yes yes

AND EAR PLUGS!

--
Steve Barker
remove the "not" from my address to email

Oren wrote:

On Sat, 30 Jun 2012 15:52:25 -0700, Frank J Warner
wrote:

Tiny bathroom renovation. 5-ft built-in 50-year-old cast iron bathtub
needs to come out. Because of the configuration, it can't come out in
one piece. I need to bust it up.

My SawsAll is on its last legs. Tried cutting some CRS with a metal
blade and it just laughed at me.

I have 5-lb. and 10-lb. hammers with sharp cold chisels and the labor
to use them but no room to swing the hammers.

I have a right-angle grinder and can put a metal-cutting blade on it.
Slow. Noisy. Lots of sparks. Most of all slow.

I also have an OA rig but am afraid of setting the house on fire.

What's the best way to bust one of these suckers up?

-Frank

Try it from the side, with a big hammer. Break it along the outside
edge, bottom, center and work from there. Hit it dead center on the
side. A few times will crack it and give you a starting point.

Oh. You need safety glasses and gloves.

Knock the crap out of it on the side...

This *plus* ear plugs and muffs. Smashing thin cast iron is *loud*.

On Jun 30, 5:52*pm, Frank J Warner
wrote:
Tiny bathroom renovation. 5-ft built-in 50-year-old cast iron bathtub
needs to come out. Because of the configuration, it can't come out in
one piece. I need to bust it up.

snip

I have a right-angle grinder and can put a metal-cutting blade on it.
Slow. Noisy. Lots of sparks. Most of all slow.

Use a real right angle grinder with an abrasive metal cutting blade.
Did that a while back to remove a bunch of old cast iron sewer pipe
with my tool of choice, a Bosch 9" body grinder. The blade went
through the cast iron like butter, and after a partial cut half way
through, the sledge (5#) did the rest.
Rent the better tool if you don't own one. It should be much safer to
use.

Joe

On Jul 1, 10:05*am, wrote:
On Saturday, June 30, 2012 6:52:25 PM UTC-4, Frank J Warner wrote:
What's the best way to bust one of these suckers up?

You've talked yourself out of pretty much every rational means of removing the tub, so I guess it's in there permanently...

Come on, how tight is it? It can't possibly be THAT tight that you can't swing a hammer AT ALL. All you need is a couple half-assed hits, and the tub will shatter like a pickle jar.

It might real tight...we really don't know.

I was tearing out a basement bathroom once and had to remove some sill
plates that had been nailed to the slab. Those needed considerably
less sledge-related force to remove than busting up a tub and I still
had problems due to lack of space.

First swing at one sill plate and it didn't budge. Second swing, again
nothing. Third time I figured it needed some more force so I went for
a bigger backswing.

That's when I heard the Chink! as I hit the rim of the toilet on the
backswing and cracked off a chunk. Luckily it cracked above the water
line so there was no flood, but it left us without a second toilet for
a few days.

Of course, once the toilet was removed, I had a lot more room to swing
the sledge.

On Mon, 2 Jul 2012 08:37:30 -0700 (PDT), DerbyDad03
wrote:

On Jul 1, 10:05Â*am, wrote:
On Saturday, June 30, 2012 6:52:25 PM UTC-4, Frank J Warner wrote:
What's the best way to bust one of these suckers up?

You've talked yourself out of pretty much every rational means of removing the tub, so I guess it's in there permanently...

Come on, how tight is it? It can't possibly be THAT tight that you can't swing a hammer AT ALL. All you need is a couple half-assed hits, and the tub will shatter like a pickle jar.

It might real tight...we really don't know.

I was tearing out a basement bathroom once and had to remove some sill
plates that had been nailed to the slab. Those needed considerably
less sledge-related force to remove than busting up a tub and I still
had problems due to lack of space.

First swing at one sill plate and it didn't budge. Second swing, again
nothing. Third time I figured it needed some more force so I went for
a bigger backswing.

That's when I heard the Chink! as I hit the rim of the toilet on the
backswing and cracked off a chunk. Luckily it cracked above the water
line so there was no flood, but it left us without a second toilet for
a few days.

Of course, once the toilet was removed, I had a lot more room to swing
the sledge.


Wrong tool. A pry bar splits sill easily.
Even a chisel and an itty bitty 2lb hammer will do it.
A sledge might not be the best tool for cast iron tubs either.
The tub might be worth some money.

--
Vic

DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Jul 1, 10:05 am, wrote:
On Saturday, June 30, 2012 6:52:25 PM UTC-4, Frank J Warner wrote:
What's the best way to bust one of these suckers up?

You've talked yourself out of pretty much every rational means of
removing the tub, so I guess it's in there permanently...

Come on, how tight is it? It can't possibly be THAT tight that you
can't swing a hammer AT ALL. All you need is a couple half-assed
hits, and the tub will shatter like a pickle jar.

It might real tight...we really don't know.

I was tearing out a basement bathroom once and had to remove some sill
plates that had been nailed to the slab. Those needed considerably
less sledge-related force to remove than busting up a tub and I still
had problems due to lack of space.

First swing at one sill plate and it didn't budge. Second swing, again
nothing. Third time I figured it needed some more force so I went for
a bigger backswing.

That's when I heard the Chink! as I hit the rim of the toilet on the
backswing and cracked off a chunk. Luckily it cracked above the water
line so there was no flood, but it left us without a second toilet for
a few days.

Of course, once the toilet was removed, I had a lot more room to swing
the sledge.

Worst case, you have the entire area of the tub in which to swing. That's
plenty.
Once it starts breaking, it gets easier.

On Mon, 02 Jul 2012 12:04:14 -0500, Vic Smith
wrote:

On Mon, 2 Jul 2012 08:37:30 -0700 (PDT), DerbyDad03
wrote:

On Jul 1, 10:05Â*am, wrote:
On Saturday, June 30, 2012 6:52:25 PM UTC-4, Frank J Warner wrote:
What's the best way to bust one of these suckers up?

You've talked yourself out of pretty much every rational means of removing the tub, so I guess it's in there permanently...

Come on, how tight is it? It can't possibly be THAT tight that you can't swing a hammer AT ALL. All you need is a couple half-assed hits, and the tub will shatter like a pickle jar.

It might real tight...we really don't know.

I was tearing out a basement bathroom once and had to remove some sill
plates that had been nailed to the slab. Those needed considerably
less sledge-related force to remove than busting up a tub and I still
had problems due to lack of space.

First swing at one sill plate and it didn't budge. Second swing, again
nothing. Third time I figured it needed some more force so I went for
a bigger backswing.

That's when I heard the Chink! as I hit the rim of the toilet on the
backswing and cracked off a chunk. Luckily it cracked above the water
line so there was no flood, but it left us without a second toilet for
a few days.

Of course, once the toilet was removed, I had a lot more room to swing
the sledge.


Wrong tool. A pry bar splits sill easily.
Even a chisel and an itty bitty 2lb hammer will do it.
A sledge might not be the best tool for cast iron tubs either.
The tub might be worth some money.
If it is a claw foot it can be worth a prtetty good amount. MOST cast
iron "built in" tubs are worth a couple bucks as scrap.

Maybe a bottle jack? Couple pieces of wood to to extend, and start pumping away?

On Jul 2, 1:04*pm, Vic Smith wrote:
On Mon, 2 Jul 2012 08:37:30 -0700 (PDT), DerbyDad03





wrote:
On Jul 1, 10:05*am, wrote:
On Saturday, June 30, 2012 6:52:25 PM UTC-4, Frank J Warner wrote:
What's the best way to bust one of these suckers up?

You've talked yourself out of pretty much every rational means of removing the tub, so I guess it's in there permanently...

Come on, how tight is it? It can't possibly be THAT tight that you can't swing a hammer AT ALL. All you need is a couple half-assed hits, and the tub will shatter like a pickle jar.

It might real tight...we really don't know.

I was tearing out a basement bathroom once and had to remove some sill
plates that had been nailed to the slab. Those needed considerably
less sledge-related force to remove than busting up a tub and I still
had problems due to lack of space.

First swing at one sill plate and it didn't budge. Second swing, again
nothing. Third time I figured it needed some more force so I went for
a bigger backswing.

That's when I heard the Chink! as I hit the rim of the toilet on the
backswing and cracked off a chunk. Luckily it cracked above the water
line so there was no flood, but it left us without a second toilet for
a few days.

Of course, once the toilet was removed, I had a lot more room to swing
the sledge.

Wrong tool. *A pry bar splits sill easily.
Even a chisel and an itty bitty 2lb hammer will do it.
A sledge might not be the best tool for cast iron tubs either.
The tub might be worth some money.

--
Vic- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Well, where there was room to swing, the sledge worked with one hit to
remove the sill.

The point of my post was that there is not always room to swing a
sledge.

Perhaps some cast iron tubs are harder than others, but I recall
trying to break up weird cast iron corner shower stall base with a
friend. It took considerable effort. On the sides where there was not
sufficient room to swing - like on the side facing the toilet - we had
a very hard time figuring out an angle that gave us enough force. We
bascially had to nipple away at already broken edges.

Build up: to make larger, and bigger.
Bust down: To make smaller.

If we're busting up a tub, are we making
it bigger or smaller?

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

On Jul 2, 2:18*pm, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:
Build up: to make larger, and bigger.
Bust down: To make smaller.

If we're busting up a tub, are we making
it bigger or smaller?

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
*www.lds.org
.

Before I started, I had 1 piece of cast iron.

Then I hit it with a sledge hammer and the number of pieces went up.

Therefore, I had busted it up.

On Mon, 2 Jul 2012 11:00:49 -0700 (PDT), DerbyDad03
wrote:



Perhaps some cast iron tubs are harder than others, but I recall
trying to break up weird cast iron corner shower stall base with a
friend. It took considerable effort. On the sides where there was not
sufficient room to swing - like on the side facing the toilet - we had
a very hard time figuring out an angle that gave us enough force. We
bascially had to nipple away at already broken edges.

I never did it. All I can go by is by Youtube vids. Doesn't look as
easy as some make it out to be. They all look like a big mess, and
more swinging into small pieces as happened to you.
Some of those guys in the Youtube vids shouldn't be swinging a sledge.
But seems it's the preferred way for contractors who do a lot of them.
I think I'd try cutting through most of it down the middle, then see
if a pry bar and wedges (notice I like pry bars) could snap it into 2
pieces.
Of course if I had any problem making cuts, or snapping it, or got
impatient in any way, I'd just pull out the sledge and have it.
We do know that works.

--
Vic

On Mon, 2 Jul 2012 10:59:08 -0700 (PDT), TimR
wrote:

Maybe a bottle jack? Couple pieces of wood to to extend, and start pumping away?


Or? A demolition hammer?

http://i01.i.aliimg.com/photo/v0/268976879/DEMOLITION_HAMMER.jpg