With the angle grinder, you’re not cutting the pipe in one go; you’re scoring a groove around it, like carving a line on a turkey before you snap the wishbone. Make a deep, even cut all the way around—about a quarter-inch deep. Then, take a cold chisel and a hammer, and give the pipe a sharp whack right on the score line. It should pop apart like a chocolate bar that’s been sitting in the sun.
I remember the first time I did this; I whacked the pipe and it flew off and bounced off my tool box, sounding like a gong. My neighbor yelled, “You okay?” from his yard. I yelled back, “I’m forging my destiny!” He didn’t laugh. But the pipe was cut, and that’s all that mattered.
Watch Out for the Dust Monsters
Cast iron dust gets everywhere—everywhere, like glitter at a craft fair, but way less fun. It will coat your hair, your coffee mug, and the soul of your favorite hoodie. Wear a respirator or at least a dust mask, because breathing that stuff is like vacuuming a campfire. Open a window, point a fan outward, and accept that you’ll be cleaning for the next two hours.
Also, protect your ears. The angle grinder screams like a banshee on a sugar rush, and your ears will ring for days if you skip earplugs. I once forgot ear protection and spent the evening hearing a noise that sounded like a dial-up modem in my head. Not fun.
How to Cut Cast Iron Pipe: 7 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow Life
