Cutting cast iron

Reciprocating saw, or even a jigsam with a metal cutting blade. Time is on your side :-)

Oops, that 'w' is in upside-down ^

I think I would go with an angle grinder personally. One problem with this sort of cast iron is that it is quite likely to contain nasty hard slag inclusions. These are more likely to make a reciprocating saw "kick" than a grinder. If you have a good flat surface to run a jigsaw on that might be OK (variable speed jigsaws are fairly easy to control).

With a grinder, start with narrow, flat cutting disks and cut as close to size as you can. If you need to "trim" afterwards, use the thick dished grinding disks. It's not going to be a quick job.

I suspect that someone who knows what they are doing might be able to do it with a gas axe or plasma cutter, but I would be worried about cracking it through differential thermal expansion. And you would probably still need to clean up with a grinder.

The other specialist method which I forgot to mention is electro discharge machining (EDM) which would definitely work. ISTR reading about people who have DIYed this in the States, although I wouldn't recommend this for just one job!. You might find a workshop who would take on the job.

This time an angle grinder IS the correct tool.

It's ALWAYS the correct tool...

Yeh - but I'm terrified of them. ;-)

In message , "Dave Plowman (News)" writes

Invite Frank along to do it?

If you have the time & fancy getting fit you could even do it with a hacksaw. Blade rotated through 90 deg for long cuts, get a blade with the right TPI for the thickness to be cut (approx 4 teeth in the cut for most cast iron).

Phil.

A 9" angle grinder with a diamond blade will do this job in under 5 mins.

I would paint a thick white line down the edge to be cut. When dry use a thick marker pen to mark the line of cut. It will be hard to see if you mark direct on to the cast. Or, if it will stick use masking tape to receive the marked line.

mark

Might give the jigsaw way a try. Are there special blades for cast iron? Any lubricant help?

Just coarser than normal metal cutting blade for a thick cut, no lube for cast iron.

Metal cutting blade. B-) Note the comment above about the TPI, that's a minimum and is a good rule of thumb for cutting many materials. Don't really know about a lubricant, a spot or two of light oil won't harm though.

I've got a variety of jigsaw blades, but don't remember any being marked as for cast iron. Although those 'diagrams' showing what they can be used for might as well be in Russian. ;-)

Only sensible way. CI doesn't like plasma, it's too heavy to easily pass it through a bandsaw and reciprocating saws leap around all over the place. Biggest diameter possible for the disk cutter gives the straightest cut.

snipped-for-privacy@davenoise.co.uk...

or white "tippex" in a pen type dispenser will draw a nice white line

Jim K

Hi Dave, Jane here, I was just googling this as I have exactly the same issue - I know it was three years you posted this but what did yu do and how did you get it to fit? Any advice would be a great help. Thank you!

Can't really help as I gave up the idea. Sold the insert for a decent price and went for plan B. ;-)