dismantling soil pipe

[catlad]

I want to move a cast iron soil pipe and wanted to know if it is feasible to heat the joints and take it apart and then put it back together. any advice please

 

[Nige F]

Yes it`s possible but you need a big blowlamp like they use for torch - on roofing

 

[catlad]

well as it happens I have one of those it has to go at some point and as the house was only built in 1962 and the pipe looks solid it seems a waste break it thanks.

 

[jabuzzard]

The way I did it was to use long 5mm HSS drill bits and drill diagonally down into the lead. The lead is nice and soft so it is easy to drill and it will only be a couple of cm deep as well. Once through it is just oakum behind.

My other tip for taking it down would be to put an eye type shield anchor high up on the wall, attach a pulley to it and fix a cleat to the wall below. Then you can tie some rope to the sections of soil pipe and lower them down easily. You can also use the same technique to put it back up.

That said it might just be quicker and simpler just to replace it. The existing is fully recyclable so environmentally it is not that bad, and cast iron is easier to get hold and not as expensive as you might imagine.

 

[catlad]

thanks for the tips buzzard I shall have to weigh it up when the time comes cheer's

 

[catlad]

Well I finally got round to dismantling the soil stack. I drilled it with a 5mm masonry bit then put a 6" nail in and levered the lead out, the swan neck was a bit awkward but apart from that no problem.

 

[noseall]

Goodness me Catlad, you've got some tenacity heaving around an old cast pipe and re-fettling it to boot!

We would show it the lump hammer in an instant and opt for placcy in a flash.

 

[catlad]

I have fond memories of using cast pipe as ladders when I was a kid, you can't do that with plastic. Not that kids do that sort of thing these days, the play station generation has seen to that.