Something cheap to chop up a steel bath -tomorrow?

[Lusi83]

Right need to cut a steel( I think) bath up to get rid of it - by Thur at latest...(need to be able to lift it on my own)

Think I need an angle grinder with a metal cutting disc (thought I'd use my Scorpion saw with the metal cutting blade but it has hardly touched it)- I have a bosch pmf with a metal cutting tool ...but it is very small and I haven't tried yet but don't think it will work?

Have long wanted an angle grinder but my dad has a fit every time I mention it (fathers and daughters - doesn't trust me -and I am in my 40s!!! ) Think I posted on here about one before for cutting slabs and in the end he came up with his and did it for me!
But he has told me not to buy any more tools - my uncle passed away earlier this year and he had every tool you can imagine and always bought the best - but although I think I maybe could persuade my dad now - they are 300 miles away...so no good - need something very cheap just to do the job for now ...

Looking at Aldi/Lidl but don't seem to be any in the local branches - thinking the B&Q value one (£15) and the cheap metal discs? - or any other suggestions????

 

[Burnerman]

Much better to buy a Bosch one (once you own an angle grinder you'll wonder how you ever managed before).....
No matter - use 1 or 1.5mm slitting discs, take your time and for heavens sake look out for flying enamel flakes.....goggles essential!
John

 

[OwainDIYer]

not cheap, but you can hire a plasma cutter for the day
http://www.hss.com/g/55874/10mm.html

 

[joe-90]

Only a big hammer will do it. Don't forget the ear muffs. Talk to a local scrap collector and he'll do it for you.

 

[Lusi83]

Have thacked it a few times with a hammer -and it didn't even make an impact - even tried to hit the small dent the saw made with a bolster chisel ....thinking if I can cut through the rim it should weaken it a lot
Guess it takes a really big hammer and a burly bloke .....not sure I'll be able to find one in time... but will try tomorrow ....
(And not sure partner will approve if I can - poor thing is feeling useless enough - normally he does help with heavy lifting etc but waiting on a knee op so not much use for anything like this at mo....)

Hence going down the power tool route -
Plasma cutter - that's a lot of money just to get rid of an old bath....

Will go and get a value angle grinder -not tell my dad - but keep working on him ... I'm sure he will give me my uncle's in the end - using the right tool for the job is safer than improvising etc etc....
Whatever make it will be good one (the tools I have seen are all a few years old now but makitka/feinn/dewalt/hilti etc) - guess at worst I might get my dad's - which is a Bosch....but unfortunately the bath can't wait....
(my brothers are trade so have prof tools anyway....)

 

[Burnerman]

The bath will only crack with a hammer if its a cast iron one....if its steel you've no chance. Forget about the chisel too.
Cut it with your grinder, do a fire watch after all the sparks or hijack some strong people to shift it complete......leave it on your drive overnight and it'll be gone by morning
John

 

[joe-90]

If it's a tin bath simply carry it down the stairs. If it's too heavy then it's a cast bath and the only way is to use a sledge hammer. A grinder is a waste of time. If it's cast then a scrap man will be happy to break it up.

 

[muggles]

Could be cast iron, hit it hard on one of the top corners a couple of times and see how you get on. Wear goggles and thick gloves or you'll be blinded and slash your hands

 

[catlad]

If it is cast then you need a large lump hammer/ sledge hamer and throw an old curtain/rug over it before hitting it.

 

[opps]

If it's a tin bath simply carry it down the stairs. If it's too heavy then it's a cast bath and the only way is to use a sledge hammer. A grinder is a waste of time. If it's cast then a scrap man will be happy to break it up.

A cast iron bath weighs about 120kg, SS about 30iKG

As joe says, just bash it. if it dents then it is steel.

 

[Lusi83]

Sorry for some reason my notification of more replies went into my junk folder...

Thanks - Bath is now history -

Asked the men at the council skips and they introduced me to a guy said he would come and take it off my hands...with some old steel radiators and bits of copper pipe - then he didn't show up!

After waiting for hours I went got myself an angle grinder (a basic bosch...the value one didn't seem up to much and they didn't have the next one up in stock...) and used that to cut through the rims - found out it was cast iron! So it took ages alternating between grinder (to weaken bits ) and lump hammer - but eventually got it into small enough bits I could get out... my arms are still aching now from the bashing! (should have bought a sledge hammer instead!) - And I had come down with a really nasty cold -which made it even more hardwork...raging temperature so even more steamed up googles - coupled with dripping nose and thick gloves -gross!

Only other thing I think I did wrong was to turn it on its side and take the legs off ...think it probably would have been better to leave them on?
(when I could get bits of wood under it it seemed to break easier than when it was flat on the floor)

Next time ....I'll know better
(Actually probably would get someone else to do it for me - never going through that again!)