Demolishing large cast iron.

[draymorris]

We have an old vertical boring mill that we are scrapping. I need reccommendations on the best methods to ruduced its castings to managable sizes. It will not cut with a oxy acetylene torch. Much of the castings are 1.5 inches or thicker.

 

[IFRs]

Is it cold enough to drill and tap holes, pour in water then thread in bolts and freeze the assembly? The expansion of the water should break the casting.

 

[deanc]

Torch: Try this. #2 tip,40# O2,7# acetlyene. You must have a high preheat from the torch tip. Then use a 180 degree semi circle pattern to cut. Like an upside down arc.

Or try the carbon steel method. One way is to lay a piece of 3/16" plate over the area and cut thru both. It only needs to lay fairly flat as you don"t care what the results are. The other way is to use the method first listed and feed some small diameter rod stock into your cut with your free hand. I have had good luck with this one.

The O2 lance,yes it will stay lit. Remember to heat a spot of your base metal and the end of the pipe white hot before you turn on the O2. It does consume the pipe. 1/4" would prob. be ok. BE CAREFUL this is dangerous.

 

[CWIC]

draymorris:
Once you try the lances you'll wish you went that route to begin with.

The lances are "hot" as long as the tip is red hot. As noted previously it WILL make quick work of that chunk of iron. They are easy to use and it dosen't take much practice to effectively cut, pierce or gouge. I still caution you on the flying debris because the lance will really break down the cast iron quickly and all that molten material has to go somewhere.

You might be able to coax the local welding rep. to stop in and do a "demo" for you on your equipment with their LOC equipment.

 

[draymorris]

Well I gave up!
I found a scrap hard close enough to haul the large peices to. They said if thier 800 ton shear won't shear it, they will find a way to demolish it and buy it anyway.

Sorry, I know everyone was wanting to hear of some crazy stories of fires and expolosions, but I think I will take the safe and easy way out. I may try the oxygen lance someday, just to play around.

Thanks for all your help.

Danny

 

[unclesyd]

You don't need a piece of iron or steel as you can go through concrete, cut brick, stainless steel also. Just start with thin stuff and a long lance with the proper safety gear. Watch the O2 hose, don't let it get hot or wrap it around anything that you don't want to burn.

Thanks for the update!

unclesyd

 

[KnifeKnut]

Well be sure to keep us updated as to whether the 800 ton shear works, or if the scrap yard has to get creative!

 

[NickE]

I really think that you should at least take pictures of the shear w/ this thing in it. (As they say on the Internet BBS': TTIWWOP (This Thread Is Worthless WithOut Pictures)


OR: Explosives!!!


nick

 

[sbi]

To bad you missed the sub 0 weather we had up here in Ne. then all you needed is a small crane and a heavy chunk of steel to drop on the casting, Iron is britle, and will break a whole lot easyer when it is cold

 

[etch]

lol i was going to say just same thing, in ye olden days a common prank was on really cold winter days, was to go around hitting cast iron fences an gates with a hammer and run like hell as they shattered.

here is what i would have done

dug a big hole, put said machine in hole and covered machine.

 

[davefitz]

try flash cooling it and hitting it with a sledgehammer or large chipping hammer. Better wear safety gear and stand above it , though. It will shatter like glass.

 

[burningboy]

i could have cut it using a 5ft. torch and #7 or 8 tip.It may have taken a day. If it's still there or you have more let me know. I'll make a long weekend trip.

 

[harleyrider007]

your in Texas ..right? just put a sign in spanish on saying FREE!!!

 

[123Dog]

On similar machine we drilled holes close together in conjunction with the slitting action of an 8inch cutoff wheel , on an angle grinder, and broke it,with a sledge
Good Luck
Hey RD I had one too the 400

 

[EdStainless]

If your scrap dealer can deliver it to an industiral user it should be worth ~$1,300. I am sure that he will mess around with it for a while.

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Corrosion never sleeps, but it can be managed.

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