I'm planning to replace a top-mounted cast iron sink, resting on a
formica countertop, with a top-mounted stainless sink. The problem is
the cast iron sink probably weighs 100 pounds, more than I can handle.
(I don't have a helper, and I don't know if the trash collectors will
take such a heavy item; normal limit is 50 pounds.)

How can I break the cast iron sink into two or more lighter pieces. The
old sink (and the new one) have two bowls. Probably the most vulnerable
spot is the wall between the two bowls. I don't have a sledge hammer,
but I do have an ordinary-weight hammer and a cold chisel. I've already
removed the caulking on the front and both sides. I'll cover the sink
with a blanket or heavy towels to contain the enamel chips that will fly
when I start hammering.

Any other suggestions for vulnerable spots to attack or approaches other
than a hammer and chisel? What about reciprocal saws? What kind of blade?

Thanks,

R1

On 01/23/2015 1:58 PM, Rebel1 wrote:
I'm planning to replace a top-mounted cast iron sink, resting on a
formica countertop, with a top-mounted stainless sink. The problem is
the cast iron sink probably weighs 100 pounds, more than I can handle.
....

If it's in good shape you may find a retro person will be more than
happy to take it off your hands...

--

On Fri, 23 Jan 2015 14:12:43 -0600, dpb wrote:

On 01/23/2015 1:58 PM, Rebel1 wrote:
I'm planning to replace a top-mounted cast iron sink, resting on a
formica countertop, with a top-mounted stainless sink. The problem is
the cast iron sink probably weighs 100 pounds, more than I can handle.
...

If it's in good shape you may find a retro person will be more than
happy to take it off your hands...

Sounds like a sink with the year of casting, located under the sink.
Identifies the year.

If the OP insists on breaking it up for removing, I'd attack the
partition between the bowls - drill a few 1/2" relief holes and then
take the cold chisel and hammer to it. He does have a plan for safety
(add goggles). Flying iron can poke yer eye out.

In ,
Rebel1 typed:
I'm planning to replace a top-mounted cast iron sink, resting on a
formica countertop, with a top-mounted stainless sink. The problem is
the cast iron sink probably weighs 100 pounds, more than I can handle.
(I don't have a helper, and I don't know if the trash collectors will
take such a heavy item; normal limit is 50 pounds.)

How can I break the cast iron sink into two or more lighter pieces.
The old sink (and the new one) have two bowls. Probably the most
vulnerable spot is the wall between the two bowls. I don't have a
sledge hammer, but I do have an ordinary-weight hammer and a cold
chisel. I've already removed the caulking on the front and both
sides. I'll cover the sink with a blanket or heavy towels to contain
the enamel chips that will fly when I start hammering.

Any other suggestions for vulnerable spots to attack or approaches
other than a hammer and chisel? What about reciprocal saws? What kind
of blade?
Thanks,

R1

I know that cast iron tubs can be broken up and removed with a sledge
hammer -- no chisel needed, and probably not recommended. I have done it
and there are YouTube videos about that. The process is noisy and messy.
And, you may need a heavier sledge hammer than just a regular hammer.

Trying to break it up in place with a hammer seems like it would risk
damaging the countertop.

Maybe you could just use a little leveraging with pry bars or 2x4's or
whatever to get the sink out in one piece without having to lift the whole
100 +/- pounds. Some -- a little creative engineering -- to get it safely
down to the floor and then use a hand truck or more creative engineering to
get it out the door. From there, if you put it by the curb, some scrap
metal person will snag it and throw it on his/her pickup truck and it will
be gone.

For a sink, I don't think breaking it up will end up being worth the effort.
It can be hard work.

Good luck.

Let us know what you end up doing.

I would not break it up in place, installed. You'll mangle the countertop and never fit the new one in.

If you really need to break it before moving, at least pull it out of the countertop and set it on a couple of 2x4s.

Do you have a good drill? I would drill a line of holes everywhere I wanted to break it. If it weighs 100 pounds that would be three lines, giving 4 pieces of 25 pounds. Drill a hole every inch all the way across, before doing any whacking with the hammer. I don't think hole size is important, plus you'll probably dull a couple of bits. Anywhere in the 1/8th to 3/8th diameter bit should be fine.

On Fri, 23 Jan 2015 14:58:41 -0500, Rebel1 wrote:

I'm planning to replace a top-mounted cast iron sink, resting on a
formica countertop, with a top-mounted stainless sink. The problem is
the cast iron sink probably weighs 100 pounds, more than I can handle.

When I bought a vinyl linoleum floor for my Brooklyn NY apartment, I
took out everything before the installation guy came, including the
sink. A 1930 building, wouldn't that have been cast iron? It had
shallow section on the left, and the right side was as big as a laundry
tub to hold the output of an autmatic washer, even though I don't think
they had them in 1930. Would that have been a laundry tub for the
maid to use? (My apartment had a room and a bath for the maild. I
don't remember what the sink looked like in smaller apartments.

I'm of average strength, and I was 25 years old, and I was able to
handle it myself. So maybe you can too or maybe it's not 100 pounds?

The sink sat on a sheet metal cabinet with two side walls, a front wall
that was mostly doors, and a floor, made for the sink, but when the sink
was off it, the cabinet was so flimsy, it could have bent almost from
its own weight. I had to be careful putting the sink back on, not to
crush the cabinet. I had roommates, but I didn't ask them to help. I
gradually learned they were jerks, one of them annoyed because there was
no stove that night, even though he was a first-year lawyer and could
have afforded to go out to dinner once. He didnt' notice that I was
paying for the floor and not asking any money from him.

(I don't have a helper, and I don't know if the trash collectors will

The suburban home depot near me, I called on the phone and they say they
have no one looking for a job in the parking lot. The one in the city
near me had about 7 guys, even at 2 in the afternoon. If you have such
people, don't get there early when they want to be hired for the whole
day, but by 10 maybe or noon or 2, they'll settle for an hour ($20
maybe, travel time plus 20 minutes work to help carry it outside.) and
you bring him back right away so he can find more work maybe) I think
most are okay, but you could apologize to him, say your mother or
girlfriend insisted you do this and you promised, and then look at his
id, call someone on the cell phone before you leave the parking lot and
give him the guys name, address, drivers license number and description

take such a heavy item; normal limit is 50 pounds.)

How can I break the cast iron sink into two or more lighter pieces. The
old sink (and the new one) have two bowls. Probably the most vulnerable
spot is the wall between the two bowls. I don't have a sledge hammer,

With a sledge, I doubt the most vulnerable spot is between the two
bowls, especially if you're planning on hitting it from the top. If
hitting the middle from the side, the other side of the bowl wiill be in
the way. . I'd say it's the middle of a flat area, hit from the
outside.

The previous owner left me a sledge hammer. I thought I'd never use
it but I've used it a bunch. If you own your own home, I don't think
they're that expensive.

but I do have an ordinary-weight hammer and a cold chisel. I've already
removed the caulking on the front and both sides. I'll cover the sink
with a blanket or heavy towels to contain the enamel chips that will fly
when I start hammering.

It will take a very long time with a small hammer and chisel. Hours.
Hammering in place sounds very risky to the counter. Plus the sink is
too high. It should be on the floor, upside down. Maybe you can lift
one end up, lean some plywood against the cabinet, a moveable cabinet to
hold the bottom of the plywood in place, and slide the thing down at a
45^ angle

I'll admit, one time I got my next door neighbor to help me lift one
square of my sidewalk. He came over and brought pink Rubbermaid
washing-dishes gloves. I think his wife told him to wear them . They
woudl rip in a second and he looked like a dandy. I had leather
work gloves for him. I asked him to help me put it back and he'd say
yes but never come over. I got another friend but figured out, with
4x4's as fulcrums and legs, and 2x4's as levers how to do it all myself,
4 minutes to take it out and 4 minutes to put it back.


Oh, yeah, wear not the cheapest leather and canvas work gloves with
gantlets. They make you twice as strong. It's amazing. Without the
worry of ripping your skin, I'm serious, you can exert twice the force
you can without gloves. Maybe 3 times When lifting or when
swinging the sledge.

Like these, with leather fingers front and back, except these must be
chintzy in person, 3 pairs for 5 dollars.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Firm-Grip...vZc260Z1z0z9oq.
"I thought I was getting a 'deal', but these gloves are the cheapest,
low quality gloves I've ever used. They look like the gloves I've used
for many years, those heavy duty ones that last a long time. But these
began to literally fall apart at the seams as soon as I put them on.
I've been through all 3 in a single weekend! It's nice to save money
once in a while, but very disappointing to just throw money away.
The gloves in the photo were worn for about half an hour at the most."

Something that looks the same but more expensive.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Firm-Grip...vZc260Z1z0z9oq
5 dollars and 5 stars, but only from gardeners about thorns.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Firm-Grip...vZc260Z1z0z9oq
10 dollars. The mesh is probably cooler if your working for several
hours. Actually anything between 5 and 10 is probably good enough.



Everyone else's adivce so far is good .

Any other suggestions for vulnerable spots to attack or approaches other
than a hammer and chisel? What about reciprocal saws? What kind of blade?

Thanks,

R1

On Friday, January 23, 2015 at 5:39:17 PM UTC-6, micky wrote:
....and he's off!

On Friday, January 23, 2015 at 4:37:02 PM UTC-5, TimR wrote:
I would not break it up in place, installed. You'll mangle the countertop and never fit the new one in.

If you really need to break it before moving, at least pull it out of the countertop and set it on a couple of 2x4s.



+1

I don't see an easy/practical way to break/cut it up while it's in the counter.
Just find someone to help lift it out. I'd also bet it doesn't weigh 100 lbs,
but it's still heavy and you need 2 people. A call to the town or
whoever does the trash pickup will solve the question of what to do with it.
If they will take it, then simplest thing is get it out there in one piece.
I also wouldn't tell the trash folks as to the guess of how much it might weigh. I'd just say it's a cast iron kitchen sink. If they won't take it,
they can tell you the options. One option is to just put it at the curb
with a sign that says "free". That often works, folks go around picking up
metal stuff for scrap.

Don't you have any neighbors or any teenagers nearby? I don't think the sink is going to be anywhere close to 100 pounds, maybe 50 at the most.

In my area guys with trucks drive around on trash day looking for scrap. Flag one down and ask him to come in to lift out the sink.

Thanks to all for you comments. As a result, I will NOT try to break it
in place. Actually, it is in good shape (no chips in the finish; some
moderate scratches in one bowl), so maybe someone will want it. My gripe
is that the bowls are only six inches deep, the partition between them
is wide, and the radii are large. Thus, the bowls don't hold much.

I like the idea of putting it out whole at the curb. I know metal
collectors make their rounds early on collection days. Somehow, I'll get
a helper. I'm in this house only five months, so I'm a bit uncomfortable
asking casual neighbors for help.

The house was built in 1999. Lowe's gives the weight of a similar Kohler
double-bowl one, with 9" deep bowls, as 130 pounds. I guessed that mine
is 100 pounds because the bowls are so shallow.

On 1/23/2015 11:05 PM, wrote:
Don't you have any neighbors or any teenagers nearby? I don't think the sink is going to be anywhere close to 100 pounds, maybe 50 at the most.


Shipping weight of this Kohler sink is 130#
http://www.faucetdirect.com/index.cfm?page=cart:cart

On Saturday, January 24, 2015 at 12:05:44 AM UTC-5, Rebel1 wrote:

I like the idea of putting it out whole at the curb. I know metal
collectors make their rounds early on collection days. Somehow, I'll get
a helper. I'm in this house only five months, so I'm a bit uncomfortable
asking casual neighbors for help.


Everything I've put out at the curb in the last year has disappeared long before the trash truck arrives, and I live in a nice neighborhood. I don't know where those things go but I'm glad to see a better spot than the landfill.

On Sat, 24 Jan 2015 00:26:24 -0500, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

On 1/23/2015 11:05 PM, wrote:
Don't you have any neighbors or any teenagers nearby? I don't think the sink is going to be anywhere close to 100 pounds, maybe 50 at the most.


Shipping weight of this Kohler sink is 130#

How much is that in pounds?

http://www.faucetdirect.com/index.cfm?page=cart:cart

Just kidding.

On Fri, 23 Jan 2015 17:41:03 -0800 (PST), trader_4
wrote:

On Friday, January 23, 2015 at 4:37:02 PM UTC-5, TimR wrote:
I would not break it up in place, installed. You'll mangle the countertop and never fit the new one in.

If you really need to break it before moving, at least pull it out of the countertop and set it on a couple of 2x4s.



+1

I don't see an easy/practical way to break/cut it up while it's in the counter.
Just find someone to help lift it out. I'd also bet it doesn't weigh 100 lbs,
but it's still heavy and you need 2 people. A call to the town or
whoever does the trash pickup will solve the question of what to do with it.
If they will take it, then simplest thing is get it out there in one piece.
I also wouldn't tell the trash folks as to the guess of how much it might weigh. I'd just say it's a cast iron kitchen sink. If they won't take it,
they can tell you the options. One option is to just put it at the curb
with a sign that says "free". That often works, folks go around picking up
metal stuff for scrap.

If he puts a sign on it that says "free" it could stay there a long
time. Put a sign on it that says "$5" and it will be gone within an
hour.

On 01/23/2015 07:41 PM, trader_4 wrote:

[snip]

One option is to just put it at the curb
with a sign that says "free". That often works, folks go around picking up
metal stuff for scrap.


Here, someone did that with a TV (an old big-screen TV, one of those
with 3 CRTs). It was gone in a few days.

--
Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.us

"time is a precious thing, if you don't use it today, you can't use it
tomorrow.." DON'T WASTE IT ON RELIGION..

On 1/24/2015 11:19 AM, Mark Lloyd wrote:
On 01/23/2015 07:41 PM, trader_4 wrote:

[snip]

One option is to just put it at the curb
with a sign that says "free". That often works, folks go around
picking up
metal stuff for scrap.


Here, someone did that with a TV (an old big-screen TV, one of those
with 3 CRTs). It was gone in a few days.


If the weather is nice, put it outside with a sign saying For Sale: $35
and it will be gone overnight!g

Now that you guys have convinced me to not break the sink and instead
put it out for metal scavengers, it just occurred to me how to get a
free helper, both to take it out of the kitchen and cart it away. Simply
list it for free on craigslist.com.

From recent experience with listing beds and sofas, the magic
four-letter f-word brings them out of the woodwork. Two weeks ago, I
posted sofas for free. First call came in less that 20 minutes. Within
an hour, I pulled the listing because I had 10 people interested.

Twice I listed beds for free. They are in such demand that I started
joking with the callers that it seems I was the only person in the
country sleeping on a bed. One guy says he sleeps on a comforter folder
over several times.

I'll followup when it's gone.

Thanks to all.

R1

On Saturday, January 24, 2015 at 12:34:25 PM UTC-6, Rebel1 wrote:
Now that you guys have convinced me to not break the sink and instead
put it out for metal scavengers, it just occurred to me how to get a
free helper, both to take it out of the kitchen and cart it away. Simply
list it for free on craigslist.com.

Someone suggested that to you...May(what's his face) 8^)

| list it for free on craigslist.com.
|
| Someone suggested that to you...May(what's his face) 8^)

Indeed. At least someone reads the posts, even if
it isn't the people asking the questions.

On 1/24/2015 1:40 PM, bob_villa wrote:
On Saturday, January 24, 2015 at 12:34:25 PM UTC-6, Rebel1 wrote:
Now that you guys have convinced me to not break the sink and instead
put it out for metal scavengers, it just occurred to me how to get a
free helper, both to take it out of the kitchen and cart it away. Simply
list it for free on craigslist.com.

Someone suggested that to you...May(what's his face) 8^)


You're right. Mayayana made the suggestion at 9:29 AM. I didn't see it
because I accidentally posted this question twice, and he made that
suggestion in the thread that I wasn't following.

On Friday, January 23, 2015 at 2:58:47 PM UTC-5, Rebel1 wrote:
I'm planning to replace a top-mounted cast iron sink, resting on a
formica countertop, with a top-mounted stainless sink. The problem is
the cast iron sink probably weighs 100 pounds, more than I can handle.
(I don't have a helper, and I don't know if the trash collectors will
take such a heavy item; normal limit is 50 pounds.)

How can I break the cast iron sink into two or more lighter pieces. The
old sink (and the new one) have two bowls. Probably the most vulnerable
spot is the wall between the two bowls. I don't have a sledge hammer,
but I do have an ordinary-weight hammer and a cold chisel. I've already
removed the caulking on the front and both sides. I'll cover the sink
with a blanket or heavy towels to contain the enamel chips that will fly
when I start hammering.

Any other suggestions for vulnerable spots to attack or approaches other
than a hammer and chisel? What about reciprocal saws? What kind of blade?

Thanks,

R1

the footprint shape of the 2 sinks probably will not match, your better off replacing the countertop along with the sink, or see what it would cost to reglaze the existing sink in place

On Sun, 25 Jan 2015 14:43:49 -0800 (PST), bob haller
wrote:

On Friday, January 23, 2015 at 2:58:47 PM UTC-5, Rebel1 wrote:
I'm planning to replace a top-mounted cast iron sink, resting on a
formica countertop, with a top-mounted stainless sink. The problem is
the cast iron sink probably weighs 100 pounds, more than I can handle.
(I don't have a helper, and I don't know if the trash collectors will
take such a heavy item; normal limit is 50 pounds.)

How can I break the cast iron sink into two or more lighter pieces. The
old sink (and the new one) have two bowls. Probably the most vulnerable
spot is the wall between the two bowls. I don't have a sledge hammer,
but I do have an ordinary-weight hammer and a cold chisel. I've already
removed the caulking on the front and both sides. I'll cover the sink
with a blanket or heavy towels to contain the enamel chips that will fly
when I start hammering.

Any other suggestions for vulnerable spots to attack or approaches other
than a hammer and chisel? What about reciprocal saws? What kind of blade?

Thanks,

R1

You're trying to use a bulldozer to move an ant hill. Smashing up the
sink will likely damage the counter top and formica, and flying pieces
may even break a window or something else.

100 lbs is probably almost double the weight of that sink, but since I'm
not seeing it, I cant say for sure.

Do this in order:

1. Remove any caulk around sink.
2. Remove the clamps on the underside of the sink.
3. Remove the water supply pipes.
4. Remove the faucet (optional), if you plan to reuse it.
5. Remove the drain pipes.

6. Go to a store and buy a 12 pack of beer.
7. Call a friend(s) and ask them to come over for some beers.
8. When they arrive, ask them to help you life that sink out of the
counter.
9. Put the sink outside where it's not in the way.
10. Drink beer with your buddies, watch a movie too!

11. Advertise "FREE SINK" on Craigslist
or Freecycle.com
-OR- Give it to one of the guys who helped you to sell for scrap metal.
Cast iron is worth a few bucks.

12. Reinstall new sink, and hope you can find one to fit the counter
top.


If you dont have any buddies who drink beer, (You're in big trouble).
But you can always pay the neighbor's teenagers to help you.... Or
maybe some old retired guy who has a lot of spare time....

On Sunday, January 25, 2015 at 5:43:56 PM UTC-5, bob haller wrote:
On Friday, January 23, 2015 at 2:58:47 PM UTC-5, Rebel1 wrote:
I'm planning to replace a top-mounted cast iron sink, resting on a
formica countertop, with a top-mounted stainless sink. The problem is
the cast iron sink probably weighs 100 pounds, more than I can handle.
(I don't have a helper, and I don't know if the trash collectors will
take such a heavy item; normal limit is 50 pounds.)

How can I break the cast iron sink into two or more lighter pieces. The
old sink (and the new one) have two bowls. Probably the most vulnerable
spot is the wall between the two bowls. I don't have a sledge hammer,
but I do have an ordinary-weight hammer and a cold chisel. I've already
removed the caulking on the front and both sides. I'll cover the sink
with a blanket or heavy towels to contain the enamel chips that will fly
when I start hammering.

Any other suggestions for vulnerable spots to attack or approaches other
than a hammer and chisel? What about reciprocal saws? What kind of blade?

Thanks,

R1

the footprint shape of the 2 sinks probably will not match, your better off replacing the countertop along with the sink, or see what it would cost to reglaze the existing sink in place

I would hope that before getting to the cutting up the old one stage,
he's already figured out that the replacement will fit. I replaced a
stainless steel with a cast iron and had no problem finding a fit.

On Sunday, January 25, 2015 at 8:33:52 PM UTC-5, wrote:
On Sun, 25 Jan 2015 14:43:49 -0800 (PST), bob haller
wrote:

On Friday, January 23, 2015 at 2:58:47 PM UTC-5, Rebel1 wrote:
I'm planning to replace a top-mounted cast iron sink, resting on a
formica countertop, with a top-mounted stainless sink. The problem is
the cast iron sink probably weighs 100 pounds, more than I can handle.
(I don't have a helper, and I don't know if the trash collectors will
take such a heavy item; normal limit is 50 pounds.)

How can I break the cast iron sink into two or more lighter pieces. The
old sink (and the new one) have two bowls. Probably the most vulnerable
spot is the wall between the two bowls. I don't have a sledge hammer,
but I do have an ordinary-weight hammer and a cold chisel. I've already
removed the caulking on the front and both sides. I'll cover the sink
with a blanket or heavy towels to contain the enamel chips that will fly
when I start hammering.

Any other suggestions for vulnerable spots to attack or approaches other
than a hammer and chisel? What about reciprocal saws? What kind of blade?

Thanks,

R1

You're trying to use a bulldozer to move an ant hill. Smashing up the
sink will likely damage the counter top and formica, and flying pieces
may even break a window or something else.

100 lbs is probably almost double the weight of that sink, but since I'm
not seeing it, I cant say for sure.

Do this in order:

1. Remove any caulk around sink.
2. Remove the clamps on the underside of the sink.
3. Remove the water supply pipes.
4. Remove the faucet (optional), if you plan to reuse it.
5. Remove the drain pipes.

6. Go to a store and buy a 12 pack of beer.
7. Call a friend(s) and ask them to come over for some beers.
8. When they arrive, ask them to help you life that sink out of the
counter.
9. Put the sink outside where it's not in the way.
10. Drink beer with your buddies, watch a movie too!


That's what I did when I replaced by stainless with a cast iron.
It does take 2 people to get the cast iron in/out, but it's a
2 minute thing, unless it doesn't fit or something.



11. Advertise "FREE SINK" on Craigslist
or Freecycle.com
-OR- Give it to one of the guys who helped you to sell for scrap metal.
Cast iron is worth a few bucks.


Here we have bulk pickup by the township once a month, that's where
my old sink went.



12. Reinstall new sink, and hope you can find one to fit the counter
top.


If you dont have any buddies who drink beer, (You're in big trouble).
But you can always pay the neighbor's teenagers to help you.... Or
maybe some old retired guy who has a lot of spare time....

+1

Good. Also, consider Freecycle.org for giving away stuff others could use. Most communities have a Freecycle group. You join (free of course) and post stuff--saves it from going to landfill.