How would you cut a 1" thick piece of cast iron?

[AlanB]

Assuming I was going to scrap it (I would try and sell it or use it as a culvert myself) I would scribe it with the demo (abrasive saw) then sledge or Jack hammer on it.

Most brittle materials (just did some tungsten blocks, you want to talk about hard) if you scribe where you want it to break (by scribe I mean cut a thin line say 1/4" deep) then give it a hard sharp strike right on the line, often they will crack right along the fault.

So if it was me, and I forgot the dimensions, but I would do a circumferential scribe at about the length of my trailer, then strike it, or Jack hammer it, or drill a hole, put my porta power wedge in and strike the opposite side. and cut the thing into a length that would go on my trailer.

Then I would scribe lengthwise down it on opposite sides, or maybe quarters and repeat the process.

I think it could be done in fairly short order.

 

[slowzuki]

Scribe and break or carbon arc are the only two practical ideas I can see on this thread. The most practical idea I can think of is take the stuff in and try and trade it at the scrap yard for something closer to the right shape for the evaporator.

 

[rbcsaver]

I'm not sure if it's possible or practical. I was telling my neighbor about a couple pieces of old pipe i found next to a woods road (trying to figure out a way to break them up into manageable pieces to get the $800+- scrap value) when he mentioned he could use some of it for grates in his maple syrup evaporator. That sounds like more fun... suggestions anyone?

Didn't it occur to someone that this pipe actually belongs to someone else. At the least, it sounds like it's on someone else's property, and that would be stealing. I'm just saying.
Steve

 

[jgrieve]

wet material wont hurt nuttin

 

[jgrieve]

you can cut just about anthing with a grinder with a good cutting wheel. Prefered horse is a very good brand

 

[wdchyd]

you can cut just about anthing with a grinder with a good cutting wheel. Prefered horse is a very good brand

Maybe this was overlooked but: the OP'er mentions 31" od x 1" thick.......good luck with grinding that......you must work pretty cheap.......I'll reserve my valuable time to playing tiddlywinks or becoming a part-time skin diver for Roto Rooter......Just kidding..:laughing:

Or just maybe I'd just leave it for someone like you that has all the time in the world to grind it apart......:laughing::laughing:......

 

[Jstpssng]

Didn't it occur to someone that this pipe actually belongs to someone else. At the least, it sounds like it's on someone else's property, and that would be stealing. I'm just saying.
Steve

Good point, but I've got that covered. It's on land which my employer manages,and they have no problem with me hauling off any of the junk whic has accumulated over the last 30 years.

 

[yomax4]

You would need about a 100 amp Plasma to make it worth messing with but a generator to run it would be hard to find. How about what JJ mentioned, Arc Air Slice Torch. ( Exothermic) All the craze with Fire Departments who don't have time to wait for the Jaws of Life to cut a roof off. 80# of Oxygen, A battery to power the rod stricker and some slice rods. They cut anything. Often used to demolish bridges. Easy to run and not as expensive as Cutoff Wheels. If you were closer, I would loan you mine. Or if you can find a super large generator, A Plasma would make short easy work of it.

 

[wdchyd]

How about one of these.......Oxylance Incorporated :: Sure Cut Kits

Bottle of Oxygen and a battery......Shazamm.......

I have one of these also.....the cost of the rods would be my concern....not exactly cheap.....

 

[jamesa]

if i was doing it i would try to sell it as a unit, get a farmer to drag it out and load it with a big tractor. now if i hadto cut it up i would grab my plasma cutter and get a big PTO tractor genny and start slice and dice! any farmer will have a pto gen to keep the milk cold when the powers out. the HAVE to milk 2 times a day power or not.