# First cast iron job



## Bill (Jun 17, 2008)

GC told me PVC waste and pex supply.
HO says cast iron and copper
HO footing the bill
Cast iron and copper it is.

Never done cast in a house, though I have done many outside drains with it. HO wants cast so he dont hear the water running. I talked to my dad and he suggested to do the horizontal and vertical with cast, but then switch to PVC at the traps. Makes sense, you will not hear the water running through the traps anyway. vents I will do in PVC as well. I am going to take some pix later on after its done.

First time for everything


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## Marlin (Aug 14, 2008)

We have done several residential houses like that. It looks pretty when you're done, black waste lines, and white vents. 
It can help win bids to. Give a price for all cast iron then another price for cast iron/pvc with an explanation. If they bite on the PVC vents your price is pretty much guaranteed to be competitive. That is unless that is the standard where you are, around here we seem to be the only company that's caught on to that trick yet.


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## user4 (Jun 12, 2008)

If you are using No Hub spend the money to get a torque wrench for it.


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## Marlin (Aug 14, 2008)

Killertoiletspider said:


> If you are using No Hub spend the money to get a torque wrench for it.


We use a cordless screw gun with a 5/16 (I think) socket in it. Using the torque wrench you can calibrate the screw gun to the correct torque. It's not a bad idea to check after ever five clamps or so that the screw gun is still correct or to even go over every clamp with the torque wrench. Saves a lot of time over tightening them all down with just the torque wrench.


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## uaplumber (Jun 16, 2008)

Cast would be nice to do.


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

Marlin said:


> We use a cordless screw gun with a 5/16 (I think) socket in it. *Using the torque wrench you can calibrate the screw gun to the correct torque. *It's not a bad idea to check after ever five clamps or so that the screw gun is still correct or to even go over every clamp with the torque wrench. Saves a lot of time over tightening them all down with just the torque wrench.


That's a great idea.


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## Bill (Jun 17, 2008)

I have a "T" torque wrench already. I always use it foe bands because if I use a 6 way screwdriver it ruins the end, or I overtighten the band.


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

Seekonk makes a beauty of a tee handle torque wrench!


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

Marlin said:


> We use a cordless screw gun with a 5/16 (I think) socket in it. Using the torque wrench you can calibrate the screw gun to the correct torque. It's not a bad idea to check after ever five clamps or so that the screw gun is still correct or to even go over every clamp with the torque wrench. Saves a lot of time over tightening them all down with just the torque wrench.


When your running alot of cast its good to keep a few batteries on charge as well if your using your drill.


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## user4 (Jun 12, 2008)

Redwood said:


> Seekonk makes a beauty of a tee handle torque wrench!



That's what I have in 5/16 and 3/8.


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## 22rifle (Jun 14, 2008)

Killertoiletspider said:


> That's what I have in 5/16 and 3/8.


Must be a regional thing? Never heard of that brand. I have a Ridgid. They any good?


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## user4 (Jun 12, 2008)

22rifle said:


> Must be a regional thing? Never heard of that brand. I have a Ridgid. They any good?



Ridgid's are disposable, Seekonk makes a wide variety of precision torque tools, and they can be re-calibrated. It's not a regional thing, it's a quality thing.

You can see what Seekonk has to offer here.


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## 22rifle (Jun 14, 2008)

Killertoiletspider said:


> It's not a regional thing, it's a quality thing.


Thanks. I meant the ready availability being a regional thing.

If I ever get into a lot of CI I will remember this.


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## user4 (Jun 12, 2008)

22rifle said:


> Thanks. I meant the ready availability being a regional thing.
> 
> If I ever get into a lot of CI I will remember this.


When it comes to tools I usually buy the best, I have accounts with the local Snap-on, Mac, and Matco dealers, but I also use my tools for a lot more than just plumbing.


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

Seekonk...
Can't beat em!










The anodized barrel slides up and down to lock for reversing.


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## 22rifle (Jun 14, 2008)

Killertoiletspider said:


> When it comes to tools I usually buy the best, I have accounts with the local Snap-on, Mac, and Matco dealers, but I also use my tools for a lot more than just plumbing.


All my screwdrivers are Snap-on plus a few other tools. I have some Rothenberger pump pliers, Malco wide jaw adjustable wrenches (ouch! on the cost), etc. 

I just have never had the need to use a torque wrench more than for service work so just picked up a Ridgid. I am glad for the input though.


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## Herk (Jun 12, 2008)

Seems to me there used to be a drill-powered tool for tightening both sides of a no-hub evenly. Anybody used one?


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## younger-plumber (Sep 12, 2008)

lol. i have never installed cast in my life! whats it like to cut? what do u use? im really used to cutting the gunked up garbage out of old houses!


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

Have you got a snapper?


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## I'mYourTourGuide (Jun 23, 2008)

I got some Klein nut drivers (1/4 and 5/16) and a torque wrench that tightens to 60 inch pounds before slipping. I usually get task force or kobalt screw drivers, but i prefer deWalt bits for my drill.


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## Marlin (Aug 14, 2008)

They're cheaper online, they were $65 at the supply house and they gave it to me for $55. Probably about the same when you add in shipping though. Yes, they are better quality then the Ridgid ones and they don't cost that much more.


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## Herk (Jun 12, 2008)

When I first started, we cut most of our cast with a two-handle snapper. In those days, that meant real cast iron, not that thin no-hub stuff. I have a Ridgid snapper that's getting long in the tooth now which was originally designed for no-hub and I did do some of it in my early business years. I don't think it was long after I bought that one that they came out with chain snappers that use an automotive-type ratchet. Probably a lot easier to handle in a trench.

I've also used cutters with four wheels for cast. The old-timers complained because we didn't cut it with a hammer and chisel the way they did.


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## Marlin (Aug 14, 2008)

Their is no cutting no hub with a hammer and a chisel, it's way to thin. We use a scissor style chain cutter for new installs. I don't think their is anything that's going to cut faster then that. For repairs in tight spaces we have a ratchet chain cutter. In rare cases we use a reciprocating saw for cast iron in tight spaces. Both cutters work just fine on both new no hub and old pre-war cast iron.

Scissor cutter










Ratchet Cutter


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

Try the new lenox diamond blades for c.i. Works great.


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## Marlin (Aug 14, 2008)

gear junkie said:


> Try the new lenox diamond blades for c.i. Works great.


That's what we use. It's much easier to use the ratchet cutter if you have the room. 30 seconds a cut as opposed to a couple minutes.


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## plumbingpaul (Sep 18, 2008)

*Cast for vertical drains*

This is common in custom homes, and where a waste pump is installed like in daylight basement applications where your bathroom is below your sewer main. The pumps are so noisy you use cast iron on your vertical drain so it cuts back on the noise. Ive only used cast iron in residential on custom homes and pump applications. Its fun to snap the cast every now and then.:thumbup:


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## JCsPlumbing (Jul 1, 2008)

They do make a drill/impact driver attachment set to band torque specs. Only way to fly. 

WheeleRex Model 1964. Pay attention to the size and make sure you get the one you need. 

J.C.


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## tamor67 (Dec 13, 2008)

Seekonk torque wrenches are the best, torque set to 60in. lbs. make cast iron work easy. Post pictures of your work...:thumbsup:


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## Wethead (Oct 13, 2008)

Bill said:


> GC told me PVC waste and pex supply.
> HO says cast iron and copper
> HO footing the bill
> Cast iron and copper it is.
> ...


I just found ths thread....

Did you use no hub>?

On Long Island we ALWAYS used cast iron on the stacks , that's why they call it the "quite pipe" folks 

Yea, sometimes we would do the whole house with no hub, we cut it with a cut saw.

Then we would use brass traps.

In the houses we did pvc, we used it for all risers like I mentioned above,,,


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## muck (Oct 10, 2008)

Thats not to far from where i live and they are garrentied for life



Redwood said:


> Seekonk makes a beauty of a tee handle torque wrench!


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## muck (Oct 10, 2008)

tamor67 said:


> Seekonk torque wrenches are the best, torque set to 60in. lbs. make cast iron work easy. Post pictures of your work...:thumbsup:


 red center is 60 lbs 
green center is 80lbs

all we can do is cast iron here


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## Wethead (Oct 13, 2008)

muck said:


> red center is 60 lbs
> green center is 80lbs
> 
> all we can do is cast iron here


Thats the way it should be

The world keeps talking about "going green" yet miles of pvc are layed each day.......ahhh yea .......


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## user4 (Jun 12, 2008)

We can't use no hub in Chicago, it's all hub and spigot.


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## celtic1 (Dec 16, 2008)

Killertoiletspider said:


> We can't use no hub in Chicago, it's all hub and spigot.


 and curb traps like S.F. right?


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## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

celtic1 said:


> and curb traps like S.F. right?


Hi Celtic1,

How about an intro, tell us where you live and what code you use? Little info about you would help us know you better.

Thanks Ron


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## ROCKSTARPLUMBER (Dec 14, 2008)

I love cast iron, snap cutters, no hub bands, t wrenches, clevis hangers, all thread rod, beam clamps, pain in the ass offsets. Hell yea baby, bring it on. I swear to god I would die for dis ****.


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## Marlin (Aug 14, 2008)

The wrench I bought from Seekon was only guaranteed for a year or two, I forget which.


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

Marlin said:


> The wrench I bought from Seekonk was only guaranteed for a year or two, I forget which.


Yea but more important than that how long did it last?:whistling2:
Mine is about 10 years old and still working nice!

I had one of these POS  wrenches not even last a day!:furious:


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## Bulldog Plumbing (Nov 9, 2008)

Marlin said:


> We use a cordless screw gun with a 5/16 (I think) socket in it. Using the torque wrench you can calibrate the screw gun to the correct torque. It's not a bad idea to check after ever five clamps or so that the screw gun is still correct or to even go over every clamp with the torque wrench. Saves a lot of time over tightening them all down with just the torque wrench.


 
Same here. However, I always make sure those clamps are as tight as the gun will get them. Hold that trigger down an extra second after it clutches out. 
One time we roughed a 6 bathroom house in cast iron. Inspector showed up for water test just as we were filling the system, and about 80% of the joints were leaking. It was my first cast iron job, but my boss had done hundreds and said he had never seen anything like that before. We just had to go back and tighten every clamp with a nut driver by hand and then they held. My boss was fuming, it must have looked pretty bad to the inspector. 
Ever since that incident he will never use Tyler clamps again. Supposedly they are domestic, but they performed like they were from China.


We cut it with a masonry saw I guess you would call it. We just call it the grinder; it stinks the whole house up. Everyone else starts whinning about the smell, its hilarious. I think its faster than the snap cutter, and it also gives you nice smooth cuts. Sometimes the snap cutter just gives you a jagged mess.


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## muck (Oct 10, 2008)

a grinder takes way to long. a snap cutter is wicked quick if you use it all the time. plus the grinder makes a mess


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## Bulldog Plumbing (Nov 9, 2008)

muck said:


> a grinder takes way to long. a snap cutter is wicked quick if you use it all the time. plus the grinder makes a mess


Maybe, but it takes me about 15 seconds to cut through a piece of 2" NH. We do have a pretty good grinder though (ridgid). I don't know if its just cause we have an old snap cutter but I tried using it about a week ago in 20 degree weather and it just basically shattered the iron, so i had to break out the grinder. 
The mess isn't really a big deal for us when were doing new construction.


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## user4 (Jun 12, 2008)

JoeTepleyP&H said:


> Maybe, but it takes me about 15 seconds to cut through a piece of 2" NH. We do have a pretty good grinder though (ridgid). I don't know if its just cause we have an old snap cutter but I tried using it about a week ago in 20 degree weather and it just basically shattered the iron, so i had to break out the grinder.
> The mess isn't really a big deal for us when were doing new construction.


You're probably using an older snap cutter that was made for cutting XH cast iron.


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## PipemanNYC (Nov 21, 2008)

The grinder is going to make horrible dust ... and take too long.. Get a snap cutter and a seekonk torgue wrench,, get an extened one also if money is not an issue.. Ive been working with cast SV Xtra Heavy No Hub all of it since 1991.. still to this day,, If possible suggest doing just the vents in PVC. It works out great.. Good Luck and take some pics.


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## pzmember (Sep 20, 2008)

ive used a chop saw for alot of cast jobs. i get about 100 cuts on 4" before i change the blade and it works well, and ive been using my ridgid 60 in lbs tork tee that i got in my plumbing school tool box 22 years ago. but im w/ the chi town boys, i like a lead joint to a no-hub any day.


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## muck (Oct 10, 2008)

JoeTepleyP&H said:


> Maybe, but it takes me about 15 seconds to cut through a piece of 2" NH. We do have a pretty good grinder though (ridgid). I don't know if its just cause we have an old snap cutter but I tried using it about a week ago in 20 degree weather and it just basically shattered the iron, so i had to break out the grinder.
> The mess isn't really a big deal for us when were doing new construction.


 did you have "china" cast iron? Its much cheaper and just shatters when cut. All state jobs ban china iron. And around here most inspectors want to see the lettering on the pipe to make sure its not china


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## Bulldog Plumbing (Nov 9, 2008)

muck said:


> did you have "china" cast iron? Its much cheaper and just shatters when cut. All state jobs ban china iron. And around here most inspectors want to see the lettering on the pipe to make sure its not china


 
China sucks


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## frisco kid (Dec 18, 2008)

so... do you guys get your seekonk t-handle torque wrenches re-calibrated regularly? I have one and didn't realize they need calibration until I read this thread and checked out the seekonk site. 

...if so is this recalibrating something you do yourself? 
...great tool by the way, i love mine.


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## PipemanNYC (Nov 21, 2008)

Its not just because its from china that it shatters,, its the spun cast pipe that breaks. the china fittings are always cheap feeling also..


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## muck (Oct 10, 2008)

PipemanNYC said:


> Its not just because its from china that it shatters,, its the spun cast pipe that breaks. the china fittings are always cheap feeling also..


their sizes are off often too. not quite matching up


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