Diamond wheel or "?" for cutting cast iron pipe

[TomR]

While reading another thread here, I noticed some comments about what types
of cutting wheel to use for cutting metal. One person wrote,

"Although steel is tough on a diamond blade, it isn't instant death.
I have used mine in reinforced concrete. I have also used a diamond
wheel on cast iron pipe. (just because it was tight and a fiber wheel
wore down too fast)"

My question is, for cutting cast iron sewer pipe -- with an angle grinder --
what type of wheel/cutter is recommended?

I always thought that any "metal cutting" wheel/cutter would be fine --
maybe a diamond blade? But, what are the possible choices, and what would
people here suggest or recommend?

Thanks.

[Tim Watts]

Chain cutter?

http://www.hss.com/g/68230/Soil-Pipe-Cutter-150mm-6-.html


--
Tim Watts Personal Blog: http://www.dionic.net/tim/

"A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject."

[tra...@optonline.net]

On Jan 4, 10:31 am, Tim Watts <tw+use...@dionic.net> wrote:
> On Friday 04 January 2013 14:51 TomR wrote in alt.home.repair:
>
>
>
>
>
> > While reading another thread here, I noticed some comments about what
> > types
> > of cutting wheel to use for cutting metal.  One person wrote,
>
> > "Although steel is tough on a diamond blade, it isn't instant death.
> > I have used mine in reinforced concrete. I have also used a diamond
> > wheel on cast iron pipe. (just because it was tight and a fiber wheel
> > wore down too fast)"
>
> > My question is, for cutting cast iron sewer pipe -- with an angle grinder
> > -- what type of wheel/cutter is recommended?
>
> > I always thought that any "metal cutting" wheel/cutter would be fine --
> > maybe a diamond blade?  But, what are the possible choices, and what would
> > people here suggest or recommend?
>
> > Thanks.
>
> Chain cutter?

That's what the pros that I've seen use.
Fast and much easier, especially in tighter
locations. Just to be clear, the chain cutter is not
a chainsaw. It's a chain with steel wheel like things
on it. It goes around the pipe and gets tightened,
putting high pressure on the pipe until it cracks.

[TomR]

Tim Watts wrote:
> On Friday 04 January 2013 14:51 TomR wrote in alt.home.repair:
>
>> While reading another thread here, I noticed some comments about what
>> types
>> of cutting wheel to use for cutting metal. One person wrote,
>>
>> "Although steel is tough on a diamond blade, it isn't instant death.
>> I have used mine in reinforced concrete. I have also used a diamond
>> wheel on cast iron pipe. (just because it was tight and a fiber wheel
>> wore down too fast)"
>>
>> My question is, for cutting cast iron sewer pipe -- with an angle
>> grinder -- what type of wheel/cutter is recommended?
>>
>> I always thought that any "metal cutting" wheel/cutter would be fine
>> -- maybe a diamond blade? But, what are the possible choices, and
>> what would people here suggest or recommend?
>>
>> Thanks.
>
> Chain cutter?
>
> http://www.hss.com/g/68230/Soil-Pipe-Cutter-150mm-6-.html

Thanks. I know about those and even used one once. It worked well when I
used it, but they can sometimes be a problem if the sewer line is worn
because it can break the pipe instead of cutting it off cleanly.

But, I am asking specifically in regard to an angle grinder. I have seen
them used a number of times and they work well. However, I am just curious
about the type of cutting wheel to get for cutting cast iron sewer pipes.

[Steve B]

"TomR" <To...@tomrljp5.lhd> wrote in message
news:kc6tks$sgm$1...@dont-email.me...

What diameter? The larger it is, the more difficult it is to get in there
360. A plain metal cutting blade in a quickie saw like they use for block
would cut it, but the diameter of the pipe would dictate how hard it would
be to get all around the pipe. I guess you've ruled out a smoke wrench?

I saw a deal once on Bob Vila. Remember him? Anyway, I saw him once cut a
cast iron pipe with a device that increasingly put pressure on the pipe in a
ring configuration, and then the thing just popped. It got cleaner results
than I woulda thought, but IIRC, it did not yield a good straight cut.

Steve

Steve

[Tim Watts]

On Friday 04 January 2013 15:45 tra...@optonline.net wrote in
alt.home.repair:

Indeed - and for the OP's benefit, relies on cast iron being brittle. It
would not work on steel downpipes, lead (loos at work are plumbed in 4" lead
- from a very long time ago!) or plastic.

--
Tim Watts Personal Blog: http://www.dionic.net/tim/

"She got her looks from her father. He's a plastic surgeon."

[Tim Watts]

Personally I would use a standard metal cutoff disc (well, several as
required). I would also try to dig out and expose the pipe from all sides
and go round it with a 4 1/2" sized grinder rather than trying to put a 12"
grinder through from one or two sides - less chance of snagging the disc and
exploding it into a multitude of high speed daggers!

Needless to say, safety googles are a must for a job like this, ear
defenders would be wise as would heavy work gloves.

--
Tim Watts Personal Blog: http://www.dionic.net/tim/

"History will be kind to me for I intend to write it."

[Jim Elbrecht]

For cast I use the angle grinder and the wheels that say 'For Ferrous
metals" on them.

Jim

[Red Green]

"Steve B" <ste...@gmail.com> wrote in
news:kc6u9i$tg8$1...@speranza.aioe.org:

> I saw him once cut a cast iron pipe with ...

You ACTUALLY SAW Vila do something besides interrupt people talking who
actually know what they are talking about?

[Stormin Mormon]

Got to admit, I laughed.

+1

May I nominate......

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

"Red Green" <postm...@127.0.0.1> wrote in message
news:XnsA13EAB3DC...@88.198.244.100...

[TomR]

Thanks. I think that's the answer that I was looking for. I wasn't sure
because I was reading elsewhere about diamond cutting blades etc. But it
appears that what you wrote is what I needed to know.

[Vic Smith]

Watch this for a caution about wearing a full face mask when using an
angle grinder.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zei2c_moHIQ

I'd rent a snap cutter, which is what the plumber I worked for used.
Easy peasy.

[TomR]

"Vic Smith" <thismaila...@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:foree8t2erms1eqnq...@4ax.com...

I did see that YouTube video and almost posted the link myself. And, I did
remember the part where the guy talks about wearing a facemask because the
angle grinder wheel could break apart and send pieces into someone face like
happened to the person he knows.

I don't have any one particular job in mind. I have a contractor who has
done a number of sewer lines for me and others (where I was there) and he
always uses an angle grinder. I am sure now that he uses a metal cutoff
wheel like someone else here suggested. But, I was curious because I saw
the other post in another thread about using a diamond blade and wondered
about that.

I forget which YouTube video I also saw today that talked about what I
mentioned earlier about the snap cutter -- that it can break or crush the
pipe instead of cutting it off cleanly, especially for old pipe. And that
person suggested using an angle grinder instead of a snap cutting tool for
that type of pipe.

[Vic Smith]

On Fri, 4 Jan 2013 20:18:37 -0500, "TomR" <To...@tomrljp2hg.mht> wrote:


>
>I forget which YouTube video I also saw today that talked about what I
>mentioned earlier about the snap cutter -- that it can break or crush the
>pipe instead of cutting it off cleanly, especially for old pipe. And that
>person suggested using an angle grinder instead of a snap cutting tool for
>that type of pipe.
>

Same vid, but at the end he seems to say go for the snap cutter.
I don't know what "old" is. The ones I helped with were maybe 60
years old. Toilet stacks. Apartment building reno in Chicago.
Only saw it done twice, and I was the helper.
As in "Hang onto this stack and don't let it move after I snap it."
More interesting was watching him stuff oakum into the new joints and
melt lead into it. Nice looking joints. Pretty much all I remember
about those stacks.

[home...@home.com]

I've cut cast iron sewer pipe with a standard angle grinder cutting
blade. One blade should last long enough to cut thru a 4 inch pipe.
The regular blades are only around $2. A diamond blade will be much
more costly. Most of the time all you need to do is cut in half the
thickness of the pipe, and whack it with a hammer and it will break in
half. Warning, if you're cutting into an existing cast iron plumbing
stack, be aware that there may be hundreds of pounds of cast iron above
the cut that could crash down. Always secure it first. I saw one crash
once, and it was not a pleasant sight.

[harry]

Expensive diamond wheels can be ruined by using on ferrous materials.
As the cut heats up the steel absorbs carbon from the diamonds in the
wheel.

Wheels for cutting metal are usually carborundum.

[DanG]

I call them weld cutting disks. They are fiber blades about 1/16th inch
thick. You need to be able to get around the outside or the pipe or
inside the pipe. Works really well when you have to cut a leaded floor
flange loose.

--


___________________________________

Keep the whole world singing . . .
Dan G
remove the seven

[Harry K]

On Jan 4, 7:45 am, "trad...@optonline.net" <trad...@optonline.net>
wrote:

Yep, the only way to fly if you cna borrow one. Only thing I know
what can cut a cast pipe neatly with almost zero clearance.

Harry K

[Steve B]

"DanG" <dgri...@cox.net> wrote in message
news:kc99um$7hi$1...@speranza.aioe.org...

They do make them in different shapes and thicknesses. I use a lot of them.
Some are dished in the middle, and some absolutely flat. The flat ones fit
in most regular grinders, you just have a different angle of attack. I have
a Makita 14k rpm 3" disc die grinder. Looks like one of those straight
things with a handle you plunge down into mix to mix batter. Except on the
end, at a 90 degree angle, you have the disc. This would be easy to attack
the inside of the pipe through the opening, if it is of sufficient inside
diameter, but only to cut off the last inch or three. Go to ebay, and
search Makita die grinder. On the outside, you would get better pressure
with a hand grinder, you would just have to have about two feet clearance
around the pipe in all directions.

Steve

[The Daring Dufas]

Interesting video but when it was over, a featured video popped up in
the frame and perhaps one could argue that it is related to plumbing but
it had me laughing so hard I almost fell out of my chair. ^_^

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nD4teWhld1M

TDD

[rsicki...@gmail.com]

I would recommend using an angle grinder with an abrasive cut off wheel. I don't use snap/chain cutters on old cast because it could break the pipe further up and you could end up with a lot bigger job than you wanted to get into. You can use just regular metal cut off wheel, I do this often. Hopefully this was helpful to you.

[elain...@gmail.com]

[Tekkie®]

elain...@gmail.com posted for all of us...

Yes

--
Tekkie

[catalpa]

<elain...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:cf38a293-e959-45df...@googlegroups.com...

A cheap cutting wheel from Harbor Freight will do the job.

[gfre...@aol.com]

On Mon, 6 May 2019 22:45:50 -0400, "catalpa" <cat...@entertab.org>
wrote:

The biggest difference is access. If you have easy access all the way
around the pipe you can live with the wear on a cheap carbide wheel
but if it is tight and you need all the wheel you can get, use the
diamond.

[Tekkie®]

gfre...@aol.com posted for all of us...

I did not see the original post so...

Could use a chisel if he is into S&M

IDK if anyone has a pipe-snapper anymore. It would depend on access.

--
Tekkie

[dpb]

...

The tool designed for the job--
<https://www.homedepot.com/tool-truck-rental/Ratchet-Soil-Pipe-Cutter-6/69982/index.html>

--

[Tekkie®]

dpb posted for all of us...

Yeah, that is it. A pipe snapper

--
Tekkie