I need to a cut a 4" cast iron sewer line and am wondering whether to
use a rental chain type cutter or buy those treated sawzall blade ?


Of course using cutoff wheel would be great if I didn't have to worry
about potential explosion from sewer gas .

wrote:

I need to a cut a 4" cast iron sewer line and am wondering whether to
use a rental chain type cutter or buy those treated sawzall blade ?

Of course using cutoff wheel would be great if I didn't have to worry
about potential explosion from sewer gas .

Cast iron is funny; some will cut like butter with a Sawzall,
but others will resist all attack:-)
If you have room to get the chain in, I'd do that.

Jim

wrote in message
...
I need to a cut a 4" cast iron sewer line and am wondering whether to
use a rental chain type cutter or buy those treated sawzall blade ?

Did this recently myself. The sawzall was taking forever; so I put an
abrasive cutting blade on the circular saw. Worked like a charm.

FWIW,
Joe F.

I too, did this recently. I needed to move a toilet flange a
few inches to the right. I could use an offset flange which
gives you 2", however, the original flange and pipe was cast
iron in a concrete floor. I used a 3" abrasive wheel on a 6"
extender mounted in a router. I used a variac to keep the
router running at a slower speed so it wouldn't bend the
extension shaft due to small unbalances in the wheel and the
extension. Taking is slowly, I was able to make a clean cut
about 5" below the floor level. It really didn't take all that
long, maybe 10 or 15 minutes. I was then able to mount the
offset flange with appropriate iron to plastic conversion
hardware. Big job for only 2", but it was necessary for the
remodel job.

rb608 wrote:
wrote in message
...

I need to a cut a 4" cast iron sewer line and am wondering whether to
use a rental chain type cutter or buy those treated sawzall blade ?


Did this recently myself. The sawzall was taking forever; so I put an
abrasive cutting blade on the circular saw. Worked like a charm.

FWIW,
Joe F.

"Speedy Jim" wrote in message ...
wrote:

I need to a cut a 4" cast iron sewer line and am wondering whether to
use a rental chain type cutter or buy those treated sawzall blade ?

Of course using cutoff wheel would be great if I didn't have to worry
about potential explosion from sewer gas .

Cast iron is funny; some will cut like butter with a Sawzall,
but others will resist all attack:-)
If you have room to get the chain in, I'd do that.

Jim

a Milwaukee "AXE" blade on a sawzall will cut through cast iron pipe like
butter.
it will even cut through a cast iron tub..............3 blades and 2 hours
later.

but the chain is always the easiest and fastest way (providing you have the
room to wrap the chain around the pipe).

I did it with a hacksaw because I don't own an electric. It was a lot of
work and it takes two blades for the two cuts I made to remove a section. I
don't recall if I was using the better grade blades or not.
John

wrote in message
...
I need to a cut a 4" cast iron sewer line and am wondering whether to
use a rental chain type cutter or buy those treated sawzall blade ?


Of course using cutoff wheel would be great if I didn't have to worry
about potential explosion from sewer gas .

In article ,
"Happy Homeowner" wrote:

it will even cut through a cast iron tub..............3 blades and 2 hours
later.

next time do the math: 1 sledgehammer = 20 minutes

My inuition is warniing me about a potential fire or explosion from
the sewer gas ( methane & H2S ) if using a high speed spark
generating abrasive wheel on a circular saw or angle grinder . I
wonder if it is something to worry about .

On Wed, 28 Jan 2004 00:05:11 GMT, "rb608"
wrote:


wrote in message
...
I need to a cut a 4" cast iron sewer line and am wondering whether to
use a rental chain type cutter or buy those treated sawzall blade ?

Did this recently myself. The sawzall was taking forever; so I put an
abrasive cutting blade on the circular saw. Worked like a charm.

FWIW,
Joe F.

My inuition is warniing me about a potential fire or explosion from
the sewer gas ( methane & H2S ) if using a high speed spark
generating abrasive wheel on a circular saw or angle grinder . I
wonder if it is something to worry about .

On Wed, 28 Jan 2004 00:05:11 GMT, "rb608"
wrote:


wrote in message
...
I need to a cut a 4" cast iron sewer line and am wondering whether to
use a rental chain type cutter or buy those treated sawzall blade ?

Did this recently myself. The sawzall was taking forever; so I put an
abrasive cutting blade on the circular saw. Worked like a charm.

FWIW,
Joe F.

Oops, I forgot to mention, when I did it, I made a "plug" from a
bunch of plastic grocery bags. I tied a string around the
bundle and pushed it into the pipe. Did the cutting, and then
pulled out the "plug." This also prevented me from smelling the
sewer gas.

wrote:
My inuition is warniing me about a potential fire or explosion from
the sewer gas ( methane & H2S ) if using a high speed spark
generating abrasive wheel on a circular saw or angle grinder . I
wonder if it is something to worry about .

On Wed, 28 Jan 2004 00:05:11 GMT, "rb608"
wrote:


wrote in message
...

I need to a cut a 4" cast iron sewer line and am wondering whether to
use a rental chain type cutter or buy those treated sawzall blade ?

Did this recently myself. The sawzall was taking forever; so I put an
abrasive cutting blade on the circular saw. Worked like a charm.

FWIW,
Joe F.

Oops, I forgot to mention, when I did it, I made a "plug" from a
bunch of plastic grocery bags. I tied a string around the
bundle and pushed it into the pipe. Did the cutting, and then
pulled out the "plug." This also prevented me from smelling the
sewer gas.

wrote:
My inuition is warniing me about a potential fire or explosion from
the sewer gas ( methane & H2S ) if using a high speed spark
generating abrasive wheel on a circular saw or angle grinder . I
wonder if it is something to worry about .

On Wed, 28 Jan 2004 00:05:11 GMT, "rb608"
wrote:


wrote in message
...

I need to a cut a 4" cast iron sewer line and am wondering whether to
use a rental chain type cutter or buy those treated sawzall blade ?

Did this recently myself. The sawzall was taking forever; so I put an
abrasive cutting blade on the circular saw. Worked like a charm.

FWIW,
Joe F.

I just made 2 cuts thru 4" cast iron soil pipe and 2 thru 2". I used a 4"
Makita side arm grinder on recommendation of a couple of plumbers. I was
surprised at how quickly it went. Started with a used cheap wheel and pretty
well used it up in the process. I tried a DeWalt Recip. saw with a new
hacksaw blade first and it just made a shinny place on the pipe.

Walt Conner

I need to a cut a 4" cast iron sewer line

I just made 2 cuts thru 4" cast iron soil pipe and 2 thru 2". I used a 4"
Makita side arm grinder on recommendation of a couple of plumbers. I was
surprised at how quickly it went. Started with a used cheap wheel and pretty
well used it up in the process. I tried a DeWalt Recip. saw with a new
hacksaw blade first and it just made a shinny place on the pipe.

Walt Conner

I need to a cut a 4" cast iron sewer line