# Cutting cast iron pipe



## Randy Bush (Mar 7, 2011)

Best way to cut cast iron drain pipe? Angle grinder, carbide blade for sawsall ? Got one need to cut here soon. 

Thanks Randy


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## META (Apr 9, 2015)

We use the cordless Milwaukee band saw for a lot of steel and aluminum cutting. 

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## MarkJames (Nov 25, 2012)

My old school plumber likes a chain cutter, if it's not against the wall (so you can get the chain around it). Next up is angle grinder, but it's hard to reach the far side of the cut.


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

Anything bigger than 2" or so, I use an angle grinder.


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## Leo G (May 12, 2005)




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## tjbnwi (Feb 24, 2009)

As Leo showed, soil pipe snapper. Was one of the most rented tools from my fathers rental.

Tom


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## META (Apr 9, 2015)

I still think he should get affluent all over his nice cordless bandsaw, lol.

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## Pounder (Nov 28, 2020)

There are sawsall blades for cast iron that work well enough, though I can't remember who makes them.


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## Randy Bush (Mar 7, 2011)

META said:


> I still think he should get affluent all over his nice cordless bandsaw, lol.
> 
> Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk


Send me yours to try and see if I like it first. 

Sent from my SM-A115A using Tapatalk


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## rrk (Apr 22, 2012)

snapper


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## Tom M (Jan 3, 2007)

Snapper is good. I did a 4 inch water closet flange 2 weeks ago my sawzall is slow.
I don't have a snapper so I used a metal wheel in the grinder. It's pretty good.

They say you can use a diamond blade but I didn't like the feel of it.


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## dielectricunion (Feb 27, 2013)

A grinder with cheap cutting wheel always works if you can get around the circumference. If you have access to a snap cutter, I would use that unless the pipe is of questionable wall thickness. Rusted out, thinning pipe can crush or break under a snap cutter


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## Randy Bush (Mar 7, 2011)

Being I have angle grind guess that will be the way. Pipe is in pretty rough condition as it the whole drain system. I have a lot of stuff to fix after looking at it again yesterday. floor joint that was just cut out for toilet main thing.


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## NYCB (Sep 20, 2010)

Those special sawzall blades for cast are awesome for that, especially if it's demo work and you just need to get the then taken out.


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## rblakes1 (Jan 8, 2015)

The diamond sawzall blades are useless, I used a combo of the diablo heavy metal full carbide blades and the pipe snapper on the last bathroom I did. I think I have 1 or 2 left, I'll snap a pic if I can


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## Tom M (Jan 3, 2007)

Sawzall is much slower but spark free


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## Seven-Delta-FortyOne (Mar 5, 2011)

Standard metal cutting sawzall and band saw blades will be destroyed in a few seconds on CI.

The special blades for CI that Milwaukee makes are pretty good but slow

Angle grinder is faster but wear a face shield. 😳


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## Ed Corrigan (Jul 18, 2019)

Another vote for angle grinder here. If the pipe is close to the wall, cut a window into it and then finish the cut from the inside.


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## onmywayup (Aug 18, 2012)

Ed Corrigan said:


> Another vote for angle grinder here. If the pipe is close to the wall, cut a window into it and then finish the cut from the inside.


Don't know why that never occurred to me to do before......


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## Pounder (Nov 28, 2020)

Seven-Delta-FortyOne said:


> Standard metal cutting sawzall and band saw blades will be destroyed in a few seconds on CI.
> 
> The special blades for CI that Milwaukee makes are pretty good but slow
> 
> Angle grinder is faster but wear a face shield. 😳


The only bummer about a grinder is they blow sh1t dust everywhere. I don't like sh1t dust.

Why on earth do we have a word filter here? Are there many nine year old's looking for advice or opinions on their construction projects? Has anyone in the trades ever been offended by course language? Quick pole here. Who has crushed a finger with a 22oz framing hammer and said "gosh darn it, that really hurt"?


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