Re-assembling Cast Iron Baseboard

filmguy

I have a new (to me) house with cast iron baseboard. Last winter, the former owner was away, and while he was away, ont one of the zones thermostat failed and four of the baseboards froze and broke. I'm working with a great heating contractor to make the repairs, but am doing as much as I can myself to keep the cost where I can afford it. I'd like to ask your advice on the possiblities for re-combining sections of the baseboards to make them serviceable.



Question #1: Is it reasonable to think that I can break one of the units down and use its segments to repair the other three? I've seen some threads on here on the need to use a draw-up tool and permeated on the nipples, but what is the likelyhood of success with an enterprise like this? And what are the gotchas I need to look out for?

Question #2: Is it possible to re-position a segment from the middle to an end? Is that just a matter of changeing fittings or are the ends and middles different in other ways? I haven't taken any of these apart yet, so I don't yet know what the other differences might be.

Question #3: I've attached a couple of pics. Does anybody know who made these?

Many thanks! I'vd already learned a great deal from the folks at this site.

Paul S_3

I think your best bet is too purchase new baseboard...new push nipples, bushings, supply valve and return elbow. you can rent the tool for joining these together from your local plumbing supply or tool rental. I myself have never taken cast iron baseboard apart to repair, seems like a lot of work and the possibility of damage to the baseboard. I would just buy new baseboard. especially if your doing it yourself. I believe most plumbing supplies will sell an already joined baseboard up to 6FT , just remember it gets heavy that's why I like to build them near where I'm going to install it. also try to keep the baseboard length the same as the one your replacing, looks like your system is a one pipe monoflo.....maybe some other guys on here have taken these type apart I haven't. Where are you located?

filmguy

I think your best bet is too purchase new baseboard...new push nipples, bushings, supply valve and return elbow. you can rent the tool for joining these together from your local plumbing supply or tool rental. I myself have never taken cast iron baseboard apart to repair, seems like a lot of work and the possibility of damage to the baseboard. I would just buy new baseboard. especially if your doing it yourself. I believe most plumbing supplies will sell an already joined baseboard up to 6FT , just remember it gets heavy that's why I like to build them near where I'm going to install it. also try to keep the baseboard length the same as the one your replacing, looks like your system is a one pipe monoflo.....maybe some other guys on here have taken these type apart I haven't. Where are you located?

I'm in Auburn, Maine.

It may well come to buying new baseboard, but at $+/ft, it'll be well over $$ with fittings. So it seemed worth exploring the idea of re-habbing the units I have before I go there.

Tinman

It's relatively easy to take apart cast iron baseboard, move it if you have to, and reassemble it. It's bolted together on the back side and the push nipples keep it leak free. You can get a PDF copy of Burnham's BaseRay installation instructions at US Boiler's website. If they're in decent shape, I would re-use them.

Paul S_3

@filmguy we do not discuss pricing here....the baseboard should not cost that much...should be less than half that ....alot less...thats for cast iron baseboard

cutter

Don't know if this is what you have or would want but go to this site and type in cast iron baseboard in the upper right hand corner http://www.supplyhouse.com/Baseboard-Heaters-808000 Free shipping to your door.

filmguy

Paul S said:

@filmguy we do not discuss pricing here....the baseboard should not cost that much...should be less than half that ....alot less...thats for cast iron baseboard

My apologies I will keep that in mind for future. I thought that the rule against price discussion was regarding more specific prices. I'll not go there again.

filmguy

Stephen Minnich said:

It's relatively easy to take apart cast iron baseboard, move it if you have to, and reassemble it. It's bolted together on the back side and the push nipples keep it leak free. You can get a PDF copy of Burnham's BaseRay installation instructions at US Boiler's website. If they're in decent shape, I would re-use them.

@Stephen Minnich So is there nothing to prevent using a middle section on an end? Is it just a matter of getting the right fittings?

Tinman

No. A middle section has no legs and should only be used in the middle.

filmguy

Ah, I see. Thank you.

kcopp

Have you looked on craigslist? Apex radiator in Hope, ME certainly has something.

kcopp

https://nh.craigslist.org/fuo/5544499794.html

filmguy

Thanks for those leads. I'll check them out.

MikeL_2

Film guy,
The end sections have tappings for piping connections and thumb screws; the thumb screws hold the end covers / caps in place.
We pressure test an assembled unit before installation, and are careful to handle / move the unit while held vertically......

Hilly

The legs on some CI BB are moveable as they just fit in with the nuts and bolts just like the end caps do. Middle sections have no tappings, but they can be tapped easily enough. But you curretly have a left end and a right end so unless you want to make a second heater for another room you won't need to tap anything.

filmguy

That's interesting. It'll be about a week before I will have time to pull them off the wall and really see how they are put together. But I was feeling around under the end caps today and could feel no feet at all. Any chance that some units are mounted only with the screw fasteners at the top?

GW

If there are no feet stubs then that's exactly what's going on. With enough screws you could have a party on the piece of baseboard (not recommended)

I've only dealt with ci Bb a handful of times.

Hilly

Looked at the picture again and there are 3 mounting screws (one per section) and it looks like the end caps were used as supports. I have seen that a lot before.

JMPIMEN

Hi, I need the same baseboard, does anyone have any information where I can find this one. thank you.

Intplm.

@filmguy I salute your enthusiasm and your effort.
However I would not do this. After all the hard work and sweat equity you will put into this, the cost savings will not be that great. And the possibilities of having leaks is great.

However. If you do go ahead and try the repairs please follow through with a post here, stating how things have progressed and what you did to get the repairs to work.

Hope it works out for you.

emchdev

This is an old post and I am late to the show but here goes. Your baseboard is an odd ball. It may very likely be crane or american standard but no one knows for sure. I know this however: the sections are held together with one 3/8 in bolt using two 1 inch push nipples. The end sections use a heavy steel leg support bolted to the baseboard. They sit 9 7/8 in off the floor. They perform extremely well and smoke most baseboard out there. Convection is excellent and radiation is excellent down to less than 150 degree supply. But there is no manufacture name or distinctive model identifier. I am still trying to find out who made this stuff. I am in need of replacement sections and will need to cannibalize baseboard from the back of the house to repair mine for short term. Long term I will need to complete wood patterns and core boxes and have new sections cast at an amish foundary. End sections are identical to center sections except where holes are tapped 3/4 npt instead of taper reamed to accept push nipples. Repair of this exact baseboard is daunting but I have no intent of gutting mine due to its performance. Thanks for posting yours as its the first instance we have found of this particular baseboard.

SuperTech

@emchdev good luck with your project with the cast iron baseboards.  I have similar baseboards at my house and I feel the same way about the performance of them. I find that they outperform copper fin tube baseboards with the way they hold the heat providing superior comfort with less cycles on the boiler. I wouldn't trade them for anything except cast iron radiators.  Please keep us updated on the progress of your repairs . 

filmguy

It's been a long time since I made this post. I did, in the end, find someone via Craigslist who was selling sections of this same baseboard. I bought the sections I needed, and persuaded a local heating contractor to take on the project of replacing them. The whole project worked perfectly with one exception—the initial inspection had missed one cracked section that only opened up when the system was hot. I was unable to find another replacement section for that one, so I ended up replacing that entire baseboard with new Burnham Baseray. I have to say that the new baseboard works fine, but it is neither as attractive nor as well-made as the original.

JimP

That is Crane baseboard. I’d say of all the different brands and sizes it’s one of the best.

814CrazyCat32

Im new to this feed, as I am replacing slantfin aluminum baseboards with cast iron base-ray baseboards as my system has cast iron rads throughout, I guess the previous owners were just putting something in to make it seem like there was a heating system in place. That being said, I'm having trouble taking the plug out of my second hand base-ray baseboards to install bleeder valves, I tried PB blaster and pipe wrench broke a corner off of the plug so I stopped as I don't want to break the 5 ft section (2@ 24", 1 @ 12") my question is instead of possibly breaking the whole thing, can't I drill a hole near the top and tap a hole and install a bleeder? Or do the make fittings with air bleeder valves that I can I stall on the return? Help as I think I should have just purchased radiators and saved myself$$$

mattmia2

You can drill and tap the casting but be careful you pick someplace with enough meat to do it. You can drill out the plug and possibly remove it. You can drill and tap the plug to the next size. There is a fitting called a baseboard tee with at tapping for a bleader in it. If you arrange the piping and the valves at the boiler such that you can purge it and you have good air elimination (or air control if it is a compression tank system) you can purge it and not need to blead at each emitter.

Mad Dog_2

Unfortunately, I've seen Cast Iron BB, in general, across the board, decline in quality of castings and milling....even the best one. I'm very reluctant to even install it new these days. Mad Dog