Removing old embedded cast iron pipes and thought I'd share some newly gained experiences.
Angle grinder
+ Fast
- Makes a mess and dusts like crazy!
Reciprocating saw
+ Doesn't make as much mess. Good precision and clean cut
- Takes significantly longer and consumes blades
Sledgehammer
+ Fast, doesn't dust much
- Poor precision, results in sharp shards that tend to fly away.
In my case, when the pipes needed to be removed as quickly as possible with no need for finesse, the sledgehammer won by far! At a couple of spots, I used the angle grinder to make a cut and thus weaken the pipes to facilitate breaking.
Use gloves, safety glasses, and ear protection.
Angle grinder
+ Fast
- Makes a mess and dusts like crazy!
Reciprocating saw
+ Doesn't make as much mess. Good precision and clean cut
- Takes significantly longer and consumes blades
Sledgehammer
+ Fast, doesn't dust much
- Poor precision, results in sharp shards that tend to fly away.
In my case, when the pipes needed to be removed as quickly as possible with no need for finesse, the sledgehammer won by far! At a couple of spots, I used the angle grinder to make a cut and thus weaken the pipes to facilitate breaking.
Use gloves, safety glasses, and ear protection.
We use safety goggles for that, right?
Not worth the risk.Handyman 1 said:Safety glasses are what we use for that, right?
A safety squint works fine, just kidding. Hammering them down with a sledgehammer is handy where possible, but safety glasses are recommended if you don't plan on becoming a pirate.
As an intern, I had the pleasure of tearing down cast iron pipes with a sledgehammer once, and it was somewhat satisfying in some way.
As an intern, I had the pleasure of tearing down cast iron pipes with a sledgehammer once, and it was somewhat satisfying in some way.