Plumbing Question

Tim Melley

I've found an angle grinder with diamond blade works fine, though a gas saw would probably be faster and cleaner. I also believe a sawzall with a long, fine or cast iron type blade would work, especially if your trench is tight in diameter. The advantage there is that you might get a cleaner cut. If you use the angle grinder, try to remove a section of the bad pipe to give yourself access to the clay pipe from underneath/all sides.

My fear about a chain snapper is that these pipes are often 100 years old and very fragile. I've never tried it, so it may work, but I've seen these pipes crack when you just look at them wrong.

I think you'll find that the Fernco (rubber fitting) is relatively forgiving even if your cut is not perfect.

ddlong1286@yahoo.com

Cutting Clay sewer pipe

Hi all,

I am currently having sewer problems in my home and need some info on cutting 4 inch clay sewer pipe. Will a carbide sawsall blade work best or what would be the best tool to cut it? It has a glass like surface and is a dark brown with a hub on it like cast iron.

Any suggestions?

Thanks
Don in Mo

adambuild

!

The best way to cut with the lowest risk of damaging the pipe is to cut it with a 4.5" diamond blade in an angle grinder. Works every time.

Jim Bennett

I have....

a cheap diamond cut off wheel on a 4 1/2" angle grinder that does a nice job. Got it for less that $25.00 a a contractor supply house. You need to be able to get all the way around the pipe.

I have also cut it with chain cutters but you need to go extremely slow and gentle to do this. best to practice on some old stuff first with this method.

Good luck,

Jim

Jim Bennett

Great minds...

Think alike

Unknown

nooooooo Nooooooo oh oooo

Cutting clay ( thanks God its viterous)
Best way to cut it is to use the chain snapper... You can get it rental store. Better, yet. Get a pro in that way your plumbings and vent will be installed according to national as well local codes.

ScottMP

I'm not sure

I've seen clay pipe crush with a chain cutter.

The other problem will be adapting to the size. SOme of that stuff is odd in size.

Scott

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Matt_67

easy cut

having cut clay pipe many times and many ways i find the safest easiest way to be with a sawzall using 8" wood cutting blades. it's a little slow but always makes a clean cut . you don't have to expose all the way around the pipe leaving it open to cracking, it wont collapse and it's no big expence. you might use 2 or three blades and take 10 or 15 minutes to make the cut but it works every time. good luck

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Don \"Grumpy\" Walsh

OR???

Almost all clay pipe came in three foot sections, some in four footers. Why not remove the entire section, connect to the remaining pipe with a Fernco Clay to PVC adapter on the bald end, and use a rubber donut on the bell end?

EJW_3

Clay Tile

JK has the answer. Wood blades work very well on clay. If you can keep the cut cool with water you wont use as many blades, but this isnt always possible to do.

robert griggs

We use a 14" gas cut off saw with a diamond blade or a grinder with a diamond blade. Gas saw is preferred method as it is extremely fast and leaves a perfect cut.

fatty

i found sawzall blades that have masonry edges, no teeth just the abrasive edge. man i love them. i can jigsaw puzzle out bricks from a wall with it. i'm sure it would do a number on a clay sewer pipe.