Ira Kronitz
: : : I recently moved into a 71 year old home and have : : : discovered an unused branch of the cast iron drain : : : pipe. It was left open and drips slightly. : : : Ive temporarily blocked it with a piece of wood and : : : some caulking. Is there an easy way to install a cap : : : at the end. It looks like 2 inch pipe, flaing to a : : : 4 inch inside diameter end. IF I break open the : : : hung ceiling in the basement and trace it back to the : : : main line, is there an easy way for me to cut the cast : : : iron and cap it?: : Hello Ira: : The best way to cut cast iron is with a cast iron : : pipe snap cutter. Probally the ratchet type would : : be the easiest to use under your house. Just cut : : the cast iron pipe and install a no-hub blind plug : : with a no-hub band. The old cast iron pipe may be : : somewhat larger but will still work ok. You should : : probally use a tee handle tork wrench but probally : : a nut driver will work ok if you dont over tighten.: : Hope this helps….Ray. : : : Thanks for the help.: : Ira, : Rays way is very sound and I think you are being advised to perhaps get a plumber to do the job. Good advice. : If you are out in the boondocks and cannot get quality help or tradespersons to do they job, you may be able to go to your friendly hardware store and buy a neoprene cap that is already on the market to do such a job. : No luck a the store then at apinch you could use good quality truck inner tube and a large stainless clip or two to seal the inner tube when you pull it over the end of the pipe. : I would leave the material in the end of the pipe seeing that you only have a little leak and cut off the bits hanging out of the end of the pipe and then seal as I have described. : both methods will work. Lets see if we can get a third one.: All the best to you Ira.Thanks for the advice. I ended up cutting the pipe with a hack-saw using bi-metal blades (24 teeth/inch).It was fairly tough, but it took only an hour, using 2 blades. Due to the limited clearance I was using only half the blade at a time and turned it around to use the remaining sharp teeth. I then capped it using a 3 to 2 rubber adapter, plugging the 2 side with a PVC cleanout plug. It turns out that the cast iron was actually 3 pipe. If folks are hesitant to spend that much time on the cutting, you could probably rent a sawzall for $20 /day. That would take about 3 minutes to cut through the pipe.Thanks again for the suggestions.
