Cutting cast iron sewer pipe ?

[nospam4me]

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 .

[Speedy Jim]

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

[rb608]

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.

[Art Todesco]

[Happy Homeowner]

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).

[jriegle]

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

[Fake name goes here]

next time do the math: 1 sledgehammer = 20 minutes

[nospam4me]

[Art Todesco]

[Walt Conner]

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