fr

"fork"

17/11/2006 11:14 AM

How do I cut a hole in a cast iron wood stove?

I need to cut a rectangular hole in the side of my cast iron wood
stove, about 3"x5". I was thinking to drill holes for the corners and
then try to cut with a sawzall. I'm guessing the iron is about 1/4"
thick. Think that will work? What kind of blade would I need? Any
other suggestions? (I don't have a cutting torch or an angle grinder).


Thanks in advance.

PS For anyone who's curious, it's a very nice stove but it has a 'dead'
airspace in the top that cannot be accessed except through a couple of
narrow slits along the top. This space is not part of the fire box,
I'm not sure why it's there at all... My three year old intuitively
understood what those slits are for, he filled them with plastic mardi
gras beads. I found out about it when we fired up the stove. Now I
need to chip/burn/sandblast that space out.


This topic has 36 replies

RN

"RayV"

in reply to "fork" on 17/11/2006 11:14 AM

17/11/2006 11:30 AM


Speedy Jim wrote:
> fork wrote:
>
> > I need to cut a rectangular hole in the side of my cast iron wood
> > stove, about 3"x5". I was thinking to drill holes for the corners and
> > then try to cut with a sawzall. I'm guessing the iron is about 1/4"
> > thick. Think that will work? What kind of blade would I need? Any
> > other suggestions? (I don't have a cutting torch or an angle grinder).
>
> I would drill maybe 3/8" holes at the corners and then get
> a ferrous metal abrasive blade for the circ saw to make the
> cuts lengthwise between holes. (Lotsa metal dust, so be prepared.)
> I have a bad feeling about the Sawzall in this application.
>

I agree with Jim. Sawzall creates a lot of vibration.

HK

"Harry K"

in reply to "fork" on 17/11/2006 11:14 AM

17/11/2006 11:32 AM


Speedy Jim wrote:
> fork wrote:
>
> > I need to cut a rectangular hole in the side of my cast iron wood
> > stove, about 3"x5". I was thinking to drill holes for the corners and
> > then try to cut with a sawzall. I'm guessing the iron is about 1/4"
> > thick. Think that will work? What kind of blade would I need? Any
> > other suggestions? (I don't have a cutting torch or an angle grinder).
> >
> >
> > Thanks in advance.
> >
> > PS For anyone who's curious, it's a very nice stove but it has a 'dead'
> > airspace in the top that cannot be accessed except through a couple of
> > narrow slits along the top. This space is not part of the fire box,
> > I'm not sure why it's there at all... My three year old intuitively
> > understood what those slits are for, he filled them with plastic mardi
> > gras beads. I found out about it when we fired up the stove. Now I
> > need to chip/burn/sandblast that space out.
> >
>
> I would drill maybe 3/8" holes at the corners and then get
> a ferrous metal abrasive blade for the circ saw to make the
> cuts lengthwise between holes. (Lotsa metal dust, so be prepared.)
> I have a bad feeling about the Sawzall in this application.
>
> Is there no other way to retrieve whatever?
>
> Jim

I would try a hacksaw blade in a jigsaw first. Better control and you
can cut the length of the blade down to provide clearance if the cavity
is shallow. Cast iron machines easy once you get through the scale so
a saw blade should work fine.

Harry K

f

in reply to "fork" on 17/11/2006 11:14 AM

17/11/2006 11:44 AM

I'll tell you that the emergency rescue metal cutting blades for the
sawzall worked great on cast iron pipe but they are a inch long you may
have to drill quite alot but they worked better than the black blades
that are supposed to work on cast iron
fork wrote:
> I need to cut a rectangular hole in the side of my cast iron wood
> stove, about 3"x5". I was thinking to drill holes for the corners and
> then try to cut with a sawzall. I'm guessing the iron is about 1/4"
> thick. Think that will work? What kind of blade would I need? Any
> other suggestions? (I don't have a cutting torch or an angle grinder).
>
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> PS For anyone who's curious, it's a very nice stove but it has a 'dead'
> airspace in the top that cannot be accessed except through a couple of
> narrow slits along the top. This space is not part of the fire box,
> I'm not sure why it's there at all... My three year old intuitively
> understood what those slits are for, he filled them with plastic mardi
> gras beads. I found out about it when we fired up the stove. Now I
> need to chip/burn/sandblast that space out.

RS

"Roger Shoaf"

in reply to "fork" on 17/11/2006 11:14 AM

17/11/2006 12:49 PM

I would not cut into the stove. Try this first, take the whole stove
outside, get a blazing fire going and just burn off the plastic.

By cutting into the cast iron this is a failure waiting to happen and then
you either scrap the stove or are faced with a bitch to repair.


--

Roger Shoaf

About the time I had mastered getting the toothpaste back in the tube, then
they come up with this striped stuff.
"fork" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I need to cut a rectangular hole in the side of my cast iron wood
> stove, about 3"x5". I was thinking to drill holes for the corners and
> then try to cut with a sawzall. I'm guessing the iron is about 1/4"
> thick. Think that will work? What kind of blade would I need? Any
> other suggestions? (I don't have a cutting torch or an angle grinder).
>
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> PS For anyone who's curious, it's a very nice stove but it has a 'dead'
> airspace in the top that cannot be accessed except through a couple of
> narrow slits along the top. This space is not part of the fire box,
> I'm not sure why it's there at all... My three year old intuitively
> understood what those slits are for, he filled them with plastic mardi
> gras beads. I found out about it when we fired up the stove. Now I
> need to chip/burn/sandblast that space out.
>

Ds

"DonkeyHody"

in reply to "fork" on 17/11/2006 11:14 AM

17/11/2006 5:08 PM


Roger Shoaf wrote:
> I would not cut into the stove. Try this first, take the whole stove
> outside, get a blazing fire going and just burn off the plastic.
>
> By cutting into the cast iron this is a failure waiting to happen and then
> you either scrap the stove or are faced with a bitch to repair.
>
>
Yeah, What he said . . .
Mother was an old-fashioned Southern cook who used her cast iron
skillets daily. Now a good skillet was a family heirloom that was
passed down from mother to daughter. They just don't make 'em like
that anymore. A couple of times in my youth, she decided that one of
her skillets had too much carbon build-up on it and needed to be
re-seasoned. She'd wait until we were burning a pile of brush - Dad
was a firebug and always seemed to be burning a pile of brush somewhere
- and she'd toss her prized skillet into the hottest part of the
inferno. She'd wait a day or so until the coals cooled down and
retrieve her skillet. It would be burned down to the bare cast iron.
She'd re-season it and it would be good for another 20 years. One time
she took the bakelite handle off her aluminum pressure cooker and put
it in the fire with her skillet. When she went back, she found her
skillet - and a puddle of aluminum.

There just ain't no Mardi-Gras beads around that can take the heat of a
good fire. The plastic should first melt, then burn to ashes.

DonkeyHody
"He who lieth down with dogs waketh up with fleas."

RS

"Roger Shoaf"

in reply to "fork" on 17/11/2006 11:14 AM

17/11/2006 7:01 PM

Which is by the way, that the modern self cleaning oven does its thing. It
gets very hot and the crud burns away to ash.

"DonkeyHody" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Roger Shoaf wrote:
> > I would not cut into the stove. Try this first, take the whole stove
> > outside, get a blazing fire going and just burn off the plastic.
> >
> > By cutting into the cast iron this is a failure waiting to happen and
then
> > you either scrap the stove or are faced with a bitch to repair.
> >
> >
> Yeah, What he said . . .
> Mother was an old-fashioned Southern cook who used her cast iron
> skillets daily. Now a good skillet was a family heirloom that was
> passed down from mother to daughter. They just don't make 'em like
> that anymore. A couple of times in my youth, she decided that one of
> her skillets had too much carbon build-up on it and needed to be
> re-seasoned. She'd wait until we were burning a pile of brush - Dad
> was a firebug and always seemed to be burning a pile of brush somewhere
> - and she'd toss her prized skillet into the hottest part of the
> inferno. She'd wait a day or so until the coals cooled down and
> retrieve her skillet. It would be burned down to the bare cast iron.
> She'd re-season it and it would be good for another 20 years. One time
> she took the bakelite handle off her aluminum pressure cooker and put
> it in the fire with her skillet. When she went back, she found her
> skillet - and a puddle of aluminum.
>
> There just ain't no Mardi-Gras beads around that can take the heat of a
> good fire. The plastic should first melt, then burn to ashes.
>
> DonkeyHody
> "He who lieth down with dogs waketh up with fleas."
>

mm

"maico"

in reply to "fork" on 17/11/2006 11:14 AM

17/11/2006 7:30 PM

Drill a hole in each corner. Use a jigsaw with a metal cutting blade.
Machining cast iron is like cutting through butter. The high carbon
content acts like a lubricant (think graphite) and keeps your tools
relatively cool; enough so that you shouldn't need lubricant.

Let us know how it works out.

Michael


r payne wrote:
> fork wrote:
>
> > I need to cut a rectangular hole in the side of my cast iron wood
> > stove, about 3"x5". I was thinking to drill holes for the corners and
> > then try to cut with a sawzall. I'm guessing the iron is about 1/4"
> > thick. Think that will work? What kind of blade would I need? Any
> > other suggestions? (I don't have a cutting torch or an angle grinder).
> >
> > Thanks in advance.
> >
> > PS For anyone who's curious, it's a very nice stove but it has a 'dead'
> > airspace in the top that cannot be accessed except through a couple of
> > narrow slits along the top. This space is not part of the fire box,
> > I'm not sure why it's there at all... My three year old intuitively
> > understood what those slits are for, he filled them with plastic mardi
> > gras beads. I found out about it when we fired up the stove. Now I
> > need to chip/burn/sandblast that space out.
>
> Just a guess but I imaging the space is to pre-heat the air feeding the
> fire. That makes the fire more effecient and effenciency is an EPA
> requirement on newer stoves. If you go into the space the wrong way you
> will ruin the stove even if you are successful at removing the plastic.
>
> You may want to ask a dealer for the brand of stove what he thinks of the
> problem or a chimney sweep.
>
> The best advice I've seen here is burning it our but if that produces the
> thick black smoke common to incomplete burning of plastic, that is a whole
> nother can of worms and a violation of the clean air act.
>
> ron

HK

"Harry K"

in reply to "fork" on 17/11/2006 11:14 AM

18/11/2006 7:30 PM


DoubleD wrote:
> Fork,
>
> First off, don't waste an entire pack of saw blades on this little project.
> Haul the stove over to the nearest machinist, tell him to torch a 3 x 5 hole
> in it, and then weld an over hanging 1/4" x 1" iron lip all the way around
> the outside edges of the cut out piece with a small piece of it welded on
> edge at aprox the outside center point to make a handle. Now you have a
> permanent access door. If the area your wanting to cut is totally vertical,
> then have the machinist leave one short side of the door unlipped and have
> hime weld a heavy duty iron hinge from that edge to the stove.
>
> DoubleD
> [email protected]
> ____________________________________________________________

That might work if the machinist has a plasma arc torch or similar as a
regular oxy/acetylene one will not cut cast. He will also have to be
up on welding cast.
Both should be a part of any welding shop so not a real problem.

Harry K

HK

"Harry K"

in reply to "fork" on 17/11/2006 11:14 AM

19/11/2006 7:38 AM


[email protected] wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>, <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> >>Haul the stove over to the nearest machinist, tell him to torch a 3 x 5 hole
> >>in it,
> >
> >I'll say it again. You cannot flame cut cast iron.
> >
> >pete
>
>
> I wouldn't take the stove to a shop for problem the OP described,
> there are too many relatively simple ways to DIY, but, most machine
> shops & welding shops have a plasma cutter these days. And it's not
> impossible to cut cast iron with oxy-acetylene equipment but it is
> messy, slow, sloppy.
> --
>
> Larry Wasserman - Baltimore Maryland - [email protected]

Yeah! You don't flame 'cut' it, you melt it away. Makes for a very
ragged, pitted sloppy "cut".

Harry K

fr

"fork"

in reply to "fork" on 17/11/2006 11:14 AM

19/11/2006 2:27 PM

Thanks everyone for all the advice/info. The back panel of the stove I
ended up cutting through was just sheet metal; kind of a wrapper around
the interior cast-iron fire box. I didn't realize that at first
because there was *another* sheet metal wrapper around it for aesthetic
purposes. As one person suggested, this space is for preheating the
air that feeds the fire. It should be no problem to patch it once I'm
done. So I got some access to the melted plastic, but it's very hard
hard and well adhered, and I can't reach most of it well enough to chip
it out. So now on to plan B - drag the thing outside, get it hot
enough to melt the plastic, scrape out what I can, and burn the rest
off with a propane torch. I'm still concerend that this thing will
smell like burning plastic forever after. Hopefully I can get it hot
enough for long enough to avoid that. Thanks again.

fr

"fork"

in reply to "fork" on 17/11/2006 11:14 AM

19/11/2006 9:04 PM

> The typical torch supplied with a bottle for the home owner is
> basically a drug addicts tool.

Good idea Lew, I like the way you think! Plan B-revised: score some
rock, use propane torch per suggestion, molten plastic will no longer
be my #1 concern.

RS

"Roger Shoaf"

in reply to "fork" on 17/11/2006 11:14 AM

19/11/2006 10:50 PM


"fork" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> So I got some access to the melted plastic, but it's very hard
> hard and well adhered, and I can't reach most of it well enough to chip
> it out. So now on to plan B - drag the thing outside, get it hot
> enough to melt the plastic, scrape out what I can, and burn the rest
> off with a propane torch. I'm still concerend that this thing will
> smell like burning plastic forever after. Hopefully I can get it hot
> enough for long enough to avoid that. Thanks again.
>


I suggest if you want to try and chip the stuff off, do that cold. If you
want to burn it off don't even bother with the torch. Stoke the stove with
a few hardwood logs and open up the air vents. The heat from the combustion
will reduce to ask the bits of plastic and once it is burned off there will
be only ashes left.

Prove it to your self. Stick an iron bar in the vise, heat up the end with
a torch and set a piece of plastic on the bar. The plastic will melt then
burn off. With a fire blazing inside the stove, the temperature of the
outside of that fire box is going to be at least 800 degrees F. Plastic is
made from oil and once oil is burned away not much is left to stink.

--
Roger Shoaf
If you are not part of the solution, you are not dissolved in the solvent.

fr

"fork"

in reply to "fork" on 17/11/2006 11:14 AM

20/11/2006 5:23 PM

Lew Hodgett wrote:

> If you want to win, use a .357 mag or bigger.<G>
>

What kind of ammo do you think? Normally I'd be concerned about
riccochets, but being on crack will take care of that. The .357 will
help with the first part of the plan too. Keep those ideas a comin'!

rp

r payne

in reply to "fork" on 17/11/2006 11:14 AM

18/11/2006 3:04 AM



fork wrote:

> I need to cut a rectangular hole in the side of my cast iron wood
> stove, about 3"x5". I was thinking to drill holes for the corners and
> then try to cut with a sawzall. I'm guessing the iron is about 1/4"
> thick. Think that will work? What kind of blade would I need? Any
> other suggestions? (I don't have a cutting torch or an angle grinder).
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> PS For anyone who's curious, it's a very nice stove but it has a 'dead'
> airspace in the top that cannot be accessed except through a couple of
> narrow slits along the top. This space is not part of the fire box,
> I'm not sure why it's there at all... My three year old intuitively
> understood what those slits are for, he filled them with plastic mardi
> gras beads. I found out about it when we fired up the stove. Now I
> need to chip/burn/sandblast that space out.

Just a guess but I imaging the space is to pre-heat the air feeding the
fire. That makes the fire more effecient and effenciency is an EPA
requirement on newer stoves. If you go into the space the wrong way you
will ruin the stove even if you are successful at removing the plastic.

You may want to ask a dealer for the brand of stove what he thinks of the
problem or a chimney sweep.

The best advice I've seen here is burning it our but if that produces the
thick black smoke common to incomplete burning of plastic, that is a whole
nother can of worms and a violation of the clean air act.

ron

c

in reply to "fork" on 17/11/2006 11:14 AM

18/11/2006 12:04 AM


>> Layout the hole, then drill holes along cutout line as close together
>> as possible, say 1/4 holes on 3/8 centers, then use a saber saw with a
>> bi-metal blade to cut out.
>>
>> Finally, clean up edges with a 4" right angle grinder.
>>

This is the easiest way to to the job. The hole you leave becomes the
issue. If the stove is infact cast iron, you may getaway with a patch
of other cast iron or steel screwed over the hole. Welding a patch on
cast iron is another story and you cannot flame cut cast iron.

Next I'm having trouble seeing a cast iron stove with a dead air space
that you cannot get to. These things are all bolted together.
Unless you actually have a welded steel stove.

The suggestion to take the stove outside and "burn out" the plastic
may be the better way to go.

c

in reply to "fork" on 17/11/2006 11:14 AM

18/11/2006 11:31 PM


>Haul the stove over to the nearest machinist, tell him to torch a 3 x 5 hole
>in it,

I'll say it again. You cannot flame cut cast iron.

pete

PC

"Pete C."

in reply to "fork" on 17/11/2006 11:14 AM

08/01/2007 11:56 PM

Mike Marlow wrote:
>
> <[email protected]> wrote in message news:9Kzoh.122250$YV4.73830@edtnps89...
> > Glad that you did not cut in the cast iron. Like some said it is easier
> to
> > burn it out with a real hot fire. If you cut in the cast iron and you
> > every had a house fire, the insurance company would surely use that as an
> > excuse not to pay your claim.
> >
> > Eric
>
> Not surely. Not even likely.

Indeed, they would almost certainly pay the claim without a peep.

Of course come renewal time the "not surely" and "not likely" would come
into play and with the collusion between insurers you'd find the same
"not likely" from most of them.

Ll

Leuf

in reply to "fork" on 17/11/2006 11:14 AM

17/11/2006 7:11 PM

On 17 Nov 2006 11:14:55 -0800, "fork" <[email protected]> wrote:

>PS For anyone who's curious, it's a very nice stove but it has a 'dead'
>airspace in the top that cannot be accessed except through a couple of
>narrow slits along the top. This space is not part of the fire box,
>I'm not sure why it's there at all... My three year old intuitively
>understood what those slits are for, he filled them with plastic mardi
>gras beads. I found out about it when we fired up the stove. Now I
>need to chip/burn/sandblast that space out.

You've already tried the shopvac? Or it's all turned into a solid
chunk of plastic? I'd be trying to drill into it and chisel and
whatnot through the slits before I was cutting my stove apart.

-Leuf

LH

Lew Hodgett

in reply to "fork" on 17/11/2006 11:14 AM

20/11/2006 12:22 AM

fork wrote:

<snip>
> So now on to plan B - drag the thing outside, get it hot
> enough to melt the plastic, scrape out what I can, and burn the rest
> off with a propane torch. I'm still concerend that this thing will
> smell like burning plastic forever after.
<snip>

Don't send a boy to do a man's job.

The typical torch supplied with a bottle for the home owner is
basically a drug addicts tool.

To do this job, you need a BURNER.

As far as smoke, smell, etc, 2,800F for 0.1 second solves a lot of
problems.

Trust me, been there, done that.

If you know someone in the asphalt parking lot paving business, you
are in luck.

Asphalt people have a 500,000 BTU, cast iron, hand held burners used
to seal the seams between passes.

A case of beer and some sweet talk, they might just stop buy and burn
it out for you.

There won't be any residue.

I used 2 of these burners (1,000,000 BTU) to melt and pour 20,000 lbs
of lead into over 650, 30 lb pigs.

Still have the burners.

If you are in SoCal, maybe we can work something out.

Lew

e

in reply to "fork" on 17/11/2006 11:14 AM

08/01/2007 10:39 PM

Glad that you did not cut in the cast iron. Like some said it is easier to
burn it out with a real hot fire. If you cut in the cast iron and you
every had a house fire, the insurance company would surely use that as an
excuse not to pay your claim.

Eric

MM

"Mike Marlow"

in reply to "fork" on 17/11/2006 11:14 AM

08/01/2007 5:39 PM


<[email protected]> wrote in message news:9Kzoh.122250$YV4.73830@edtnps89...
> Glad that you did not cut in the cast iron. Like some said it is easier
to
> burn it out with a real hot fire. If you cut in the cast iron and you
> every had a house fire, the insurance company would surely use that as an
> excuse not to pay your claim.
>
> Eric

Not surely. Not even likely.

--

-Mike-
[email protected]

Cc

"CW"

in reply to "fork" on 17/11/2006 11:14 AM

17/11/2006 10:16 PM

Best advice I've seen yet.

"Lew Hodgett" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> fork wrote:
> > I need to cut a rectangular hole in the side of my cast iron wood
> > stove, about 3"x5". I was thinking to drill holes for the corners and
> > then try to cut with a sawzall. I'm guessing the iron is about 1/4"
> > thick.
> <snip>
>
> Layout the hole, then drill holes along cutout line as close together
> as possible, say 1/4 holes on 3/8 centers, then use a saber saw with a
> bi-metal blade to cut out.
>
> Finally, clean up edges with a 4" right angle grinder.
>
> You will still have a pile of C/I dust, but it will be about as small
> as possible.
>
> Lew

l

in reply to "fork" on 17/11/2006 11:14 AM

19/11/2006 12:56 AM

In article <[email protected]>, <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>Haul the stove over to the nearest machinist, tell him to torch a 3 x 5 hole
>>in it,
>
>I'll say it again. You cannot flame cut cast iron.
>
>pete


I wouldn't take the stove to a shop for problem the OP described,
there are too many relatively simple ways to DIY, but, most machine
shops & welding shops have a plasma cutter these days. And it's not
impossible to cut cast iron with oxy-acetylene equipment but it is
messy, slow, sloppy.
--
For every complicated, difficult problem, there is a simple, easy
solution that does not work.

Larry Wasserman - Baltimore Maryland - [email protected]

LH

Lew Hodgett

in reply to "fork" on 17/11/2006 11:14 AM

17/11/2006 8:34 PM

fork wrote:
> I need to cut a rectangular hole in the side of my cast iron wood
> stove, about 3"x5". I was thinking to drill holes for the corners and
> then try to cut with a sawzall. I'm guessing the iron is about 1/4"
> thick.
<snip>

Layout the hole, then drill holes along cutout line as close together
as possible, say 1/4 holes on 3/8 centers, then use a saber saw with a
bi-metal blade to cut out.

Finally, clean up edges with a 4" right angle grinder.

You will still have a pile of C/I dust, but it will be about as small
as possible.

Lew

Sl

"Shopdog"

in reply to "fork" on 17/11/2006 11:14 AM

17/11/2006 11:40 PM

Wouldn't the intense heat just burn the plastic material off after awhile?

Searcher

LH

Lew Hodgett

in reply to "fork" on 17/11/2006 11:14 AM

20/11/2006 5:58 AM

fork wrote:

> Good idea Lew, I like the way you think! Plan B-revised: score some
> rock, use propane torch per suggestion, molten plastic will no longer
> be my #1 concern.
>

Was involved in the combustion burner business for a while.

Main thing I learned is there is no substitute for BTU's.

Same rule that applies to a knife fight.

If you want to win, use a .357 mag or bigger.<G>

What I'm trying to say is forget the rocks, get a bigger burner.<G>

Lew

ln

lex

in reply to "fork" on 17/11/2006 11:14 AM

17/11/2006 8:32 PM

If you have an air compressor, part with the $10.....
> http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Category.taf?CategoryID=331&pricetype=




fork wrote:
> I need to cut a rectangular hole in the side of my cast iron wood
> stove, about 3"x5". I was thinking to drill holes for the corners and
> then try to cut with a sawzall. I'm guessing the iron is about 1/4"
> thick. Think that will work? What kind of blade would I need? Any
> other suggestions? (I don't have a cutting torch or an angle grinder).
>
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> PS For anyone who's curious, it's a very nice stove but it has a 'dead'
> airspace in the top that cannot be accessed except through a couple of
> narrow slits along the top. This space is not part of the fire box,
> I'm not sure why it's there at all... My three year old intuitively
> understood what those slits are for, he filled them with plastic mardi
> gras beads. I found out about it when we fired up the stove. Now I
> need to chip/burn/sandblast that space out.
>

SJ

Speedy Jim

in reply to "fork" on 17/11/2006 11:14 AM

17/11/2006 7:21 PM

fork wrote:

> I need to cut a rectangular hole in the side of my cast iron wood
> stove, about 3"x5". I was thinking to drill holes for the corners and
> then try to cut with a sawzall. I'm guessing the iron is about 1/4"
> thick. Think that will work? What kind of blade would I need? Any
> other suggestions? (I don't have a cutting torch or an angle grinder).
>
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> PS For anyone who's curious, it's a very nice stove but it has a 'dead'
> airspace in the top that cannot be accessed except through a couple of
> narrow slits along the top. This space is not part of the fire box,
> I'm not sure why it's there at all... My three year old intuitively
> understood what those slits are for, he filled them with plastic mardi
> gras beads. I found out about it when we fired up the stove. Now I
> need to chip/burn/sandblast that space out.
>

I would drill maybe 3/8" holes at the corners and then get
a ferrous metal abrasive blade for the circ saw to make the
cuts lengthwise between holes. (Lotsa metal dust, so be prepared.)
I have a bad feeling about the Sawzall in this application.

Is there no other way to retrieve whatever?

Jim

m

in reply to "fork" on 17/11/2006 11:14 AM

17/11/2006 8:12 PM

I do not know where your cast iron stove comes from or what type of cast
iron
was used.
Using a grinding disk is not a bad idea but you may have some difficulty of
getting the right cutting disk.
Plus you will have to control the speed and the sparks.
I would first try a bi-metal cutting blade and cutting lubricant. I have
done with a scroll saw at low speed using a premium quality blade with lots
of cutting oil. I mean cutting oil not lubrication oil. The cutting oil
makes all the difference. I even cut 1/4 steel plate.
First you will need a pilot hole to allow the blade to get in. Be careful
not to drill through a double wall construction. At that time, while boring
into the cast iron you will get a feel for the hardness of the metal. Some
stoves have been casted with soft iron mixed with lots of sand and when
drilling it goes very fast. Under times you may encounter some hard spots.
Always use lots of cutting oil.
If you go thought some gas pockets you will have to fill the voids with
stove cement. When cutting with a scroll saw make sure that the base of the
saw is hold firmly against the flat surface to be cut.
PS I prefer a scroll saw for the type of work plus the blade are cheaper to
buy. With a reciprocating saw you will have to make a larger pilot hole and
make sure that the reciprocating saw base stay in firm contact with the
surface to be cut and start at very low speed.


<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I'll tell you that the emergency rescue metal cutting blades for the
> sawzall worked great on cast iron pipe but they are a inch long you may
> have to drill quite alot but they worked better than the black blades
> that are supposed to work on cast iron
> fork wrote:
>> I need to cut a rectangular hole in the side of my cast iron wood
>> stove, about 3"x5". I was thinking to drill holes for the corners and
>> then try to cut with a sawzall. I'm guessing the iron is about 1/4"
>> thick. Think that will work? What kind of blade would I need? Any
>> other suggestions? (I don't have a cutting torch or an angle grinder).
>>
>>
>> Thanks in advance.
>>
>> PS For anyone who's curious, it's a very nice stove but it has a 'dead'
>> airspace in the top that cannot be accessed except through a couple of
>> narrow slits along the top. This space is not part of the fire box,
>> I'm not sure why it's there at all... My three year old intuitively
>> understood what those slits are for, he filled them with plastic mardi
>> gras beads. I found out about it when we fired up the stove. Now I
>> need to chip/burn/sandblast that space out.
>

RH

Ron Hock

in reply to "fork" on 17/11/2006 11:14 AM

09/01/2007 9:26 AM


>
> Patriarch,
> 34 years with the same carrier...

And how many claims?


--
Ron Hock
HOCK TOOLS www.hocktools.com

Pg

Patriarch

in reply to "fork" on 17/11/2006 11:14 AM

08/01/2007 10:00 PM

"Mike Marlow" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

>
> "Pete C." <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> Mike Marlow wrote:
>> >
>> > <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:9Kzoh.122250$YV4.73830@edtnps89...
>> > > Glad that you did not cut in the cast iron. Like some said it is
> easier
>> > to
>> > > burn it out with a real hot fire. If you cut in the cast iron
>> > > and you every had a house fire, the insurance company would
>> > > surely use that as
> an
>> > > excuse not to pay your claim.
>> > >
>> > > Eric
>> >
>> > Not surely. Not even likely.
>>
>> Indeed, they would almost certainly pay the claim without a peep.
>>
>> Of course come renewal time the "not surely" and "not likely" would
>> come into play and with the collusion between insurers you'd find the
>> same "not likely" from most of them.
>
> Agreed. Then again, that result is also very common after any
> significant claim from a homeowner. We had snow weight damage and the
> claim was paid, no problem. Upon renewal time... you guessed it. We
> were invited not to play with Nationwide any longer. Nothing wrong
> with the design or the construction either. This was during a winter
> when buildings were collapsing all around from the snow. Ours is not
> an unusual situation either.
>

In our area, they call it 'reducing their exposure'. That they have
been 'too successful' in marketing in our area, and need to spread out
their risk to other areas. It's the insurance game. TANSTAAFL.

Patriarch,
34 years with the same carrier...

Pg

Patriarch

in reply to "fork" on 17/11/2006 11:14 AM

09/01/2007 6:16 PM

Ron Hock <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

>
>>
>> Patriarch,
>> 34 years with the same carrier...
>
> And how many claims?
>
>

Fortunately, very few. And I'd prefer to keep it that way, thank you very
much.

I like very much the replacement blade I got for my Stanley #5, btw. Need
to go looking for a few more of those...

Patriarch,
member, Diablo Woodworkers

Cc

"CW"

in reply to "fork" on 17/11/2006 11:14 AM

19/11/2006 1:17 AM

When you get to the machine shop, they should be able to give you directions
to the local welding shop. It's a round about way of getting directions but
it should work.

"DoubleD" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Fork,
>
> First off, don't waste an entire pack of saw blades on this little
project.
> Haul the stove over to the nearest machinist, tell him to torch a 3 x 5
hole
> in it, and then weld an over hanging 1/4" x 1" iron lip all the way around
> the outside edges of the cut out piece with a small piece of it welded on
> edge at aprox the outside center point to make a handle. Now you have a
> permanent access door. If the area your wanting to cut is totally
vertical,
> then have the machinist leave one short side of the door unlipped and have
> hime weld a heavy duty iron hinge from that edge to the stove.
>
> DoubleD
> [email protected]
> ____________________________________________________________
>
> "fork" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> >I need to cut a rectangular hole in the side of my cast iron wood
> > stove, about 3"x5". I was thinking to drill holes for the corners and
> > then try to cut with a sawzall. I'm guessing the iron is about 1/4"
> > thick. Think that will work? What kind of blade would I need? Any
> > other suggestions? (I don't have a cutting torch or an angle grinder).
>
>

MM

"Mike Marlow"

in reply to "fork" on 17/11/2006 11:14 AM

08/01/2007 10:51 PM


"Pete C." <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Mike Marlow wrote:
> >
> > <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:9Kzoh.122250$YV4.73830@edtnps89...
> > > Glad that you did not cut in the cast iron. Like some said it is
easier
> > to
> > > burn it out with a real hot fire. If you cut in the cast iron and you
> > > every had a house fire, the insurance company would surely use that as
an
> > > excuse not to pay your claim.
> > >
> > > Eric
> >
> > Not surely. Not even likely.
>
> Indeed, they would almost certainly pay the claim without a peep.
>
> Of course come renewal time the "not surely" and "not likely" would come
> into play and with the collusion between insurers you'd find the same
> "not likely" from most of them.

Agreed. Then again, that result is also very common after any significant
claim from a homeowner. We had snow weight damage and the claim was paid,
no problem. Upon renewal time... you guessed it. We were invited not to
play with Nationwide any longer. Nothing wrong with the design or the
construction either. This was during a winter when buildings were
collapsing all around from the snow. Ours is not an unusual situation
either.

--

-Mike-
[email protected]

Dn

"DoubleD"

in reply to "fork" on 17/11/2006 11:14 AM

18/11/2006 2:27 PM

Fork,

First off, don't waste an entire pack of saw blades on this little project.
Haul the stove over to the nearest machinist, tell him to torch a 3 x 5 hole
in it, and then weld an over hanging 1/4" x 1" iron lip all the way around
the outside edges of the cut out piece with a small piece of it welded on
edge at aprox the outside center point to make a handle. Now you have a
permanent access door. If the area your wanting to cut is totally vertical,
then have the machinist leave one short side of the door unlipped and have
hime weld a heavy duty iron hinge from that edge to the stove.

DoubleD
[email protected]
____________________________________________________________

"fork" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I need to cut a rectangular hole in the side of my cast iron wood
> stove, about 3"x5". I was thinking to drill holes for the corners and
> then try to cut with a sawzall. I'm guessing the iron is about 1/4"
> thick. Think that will work? What kind of blade would I need? Any
> other suggestions? (I don't have a cutting torch or an angle grinder).

Dt

Dude

in reply to "fork" on 17/11/2006 11:14 AM

09/01/2007 4:26 PM

Ron Hock wrote:
>
>>
>> Patriarch,
>> 34 years with the same carrier...
>
> And how many claims?
>
>
Three claims and you're out.


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