Cast Iron Boiler Removal

[woodrail]

As I'm up in the "great white north" (Cleveland Ohio area), time is almost here to move to the winter home of my shop projects - the heated basement! In attempt to buy a little more space, I need to get rid of a 3'x3'x4' cast iron boiler. This bad boy weights alot. I'm afraid to try to get it up the stairs in a single piece.

I've had a couple of local scrappers look at it, and they walked away.

Heres the problem: Several years ago, the boiler dry fired for several hours. Luckily, we didn't lose the house, but that could have easily happened.

When it was discovered, it was white hot and the basement was well over 130 degrees. The gas was cut off. As the assembly cooled, the water lines all seperated and joints and valves started failing. This obviously was a problem for both flooding and for water hitting the boiler.

In short, insurance took care of installing a new forced air system in exchange for me demo'ing the old steam heat system. I hated giving it up, but it was not effecient, and the radiators really hampered room layout.

So, I got everything out that was not buried in walls except for the boiler jacket itself. To this day, I've been using it as an anvil! But, its time for it to go.

My understanding is these are typicall assembled in a press and then through-bolted. Evidently during my "super-heat" episode, I really welded this puppy together. I've removed everything possible and sledged the hell out of this thing. I cannot get it to spit in half. I'm now to the point of breaking the castings, but this aint easy!

I do not want to grind or torch it if possible as I have to many flamables around it.

So, any suggestions. Sawzall? Jaws of life? Football players?


Help!

 

[Rhsty]

Cast iron boilers are usually pressed together using tapered push ******* between the sections usually just hammer and chisel near the water jackets and they pop apart. I have done it this way for years on small to 3 million BTU boilers, mind you it is not an easy task but can be done.

 

[ratdoggy]

Sledge hammer? Cast breaks up fairly easily.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I know most people just use a sledge and beat the hell out of them. Be smart and wear some eye protection though.

 

[Jackfre]

I know most people just use a sledge and beat the hell out of them. Be smart and wear some eye protection though.

Cover anything you don't want damaged. Your block will be very brittle and becomes shrapnel as it breaks up. You can probably pull the rods that hold the sections together and some hardwood wedges are best for separating sections at the push ******* if you choose to take it apart that way.

 

[kmacht]

If it won't break up by just hitting it then drill a hole or two and try hitting between the holes. I had a heck of a time breaking up an old cast iron tub until I drilled a hole and gave it somewhere to start breaking. Once you get the first piece off it suddenly becomes alot easier.

Keith

 

[Lippyp]

My old boiler at my last house was similar, several sections held together with threaded rods, I unscrewed the rods and used a wide cold chisel to split the sections up, the were sealed together with some kind of sealant goop and took some shifting, Mind you, the sections were still damn heavy and I could only just about lift them into the trailer to take them to the scrapper.

Otherwise just smack it with the biggest hammer you can find, you can always chuck an old tarp or blanket over it to contain the shrapnel when you break it up. Cast is funny stuff, hit it in the wrong place and you'll ring like a bell all the way up to your shoulder, tap it in the right place and it'll crack easily.

 

[danski0224]

Torch.

Be wary of asbestos in jacket insulation and fire brick lining.

If you use a hammer, definitely get ear protection to muffle the noise, and keep stuff out of your ears.

Goggles and a full face shield is also recommended.

I'd also wear a half face respirator with P100 filters.

 

[agoins]

A port-a-power might be useful for breaking it apart.

 

[bazzateer]

Let your local cops play with it, cops can break anything!

 

[ctb]

An angle grinder cuts through cast real quick. Just wear a mask.

 

[darkk]

I know most people just use a sledge and beat the hell out of them. Be smart and wear some eye protection though.

yup..

 

[SGKent]

maybe a sledge like this might work better? just a guess. I would cover it with a heavy plastic sheet and wet blanket to slow the asbestos which may be there. That is may be why everyone is walking away.

you tube

also here is a good thread: http://www.diychatroom.com/f17/removing-old-boiler-22412/

 

[kbs2244]

SGKent is on the right track.
After making sure all the connecting rods are free ues log spilting wedges.
Some thin wood, like lath, between the wedge and the cast will make things easier.

But do protect your eyes.
When they pop, stuff goes flying.

 

[nehog]

maybe a sledge like this might work better? just a guess. I would cover it with a heavy plastic sheet and wet blanket to slow the asbestos which may be there. That is may be why everyone is walking away.

you tube

also here is a good thread: http://www.diychatroom.com/f17/removing-old-boiler-22412/

I have one of those sledges and was thinking the same thing: that 'pointed' end is made for breaking things up--the correct tool for this job, too.

 

[rlitman]

Torch.

Cast iron does not cut with a torch like steel. This is a waste of time and gas.
A plasma cutter would work, but I suspect you do not have one.
A demolition saw with a 14" abrasive blade would take it apart in no time, but that makes a huge mess and lots of sparks.

So, like everyone said, you're left with the hammer as the easiest method. Since I own a jackhammer, I'd probably grab that if the sledge was difficult. You could put a wood splitting wedge between the sections and hit that.

You can also cut it with a sawzall and a carbide grit blade. These are made for cast iron, but will be real slow going.

 

[NUTTSGT]

maybe a sledge like this might work better? just a guess. I would cover it with a heavy plastic sheet and wet blanket to slow the asbestos which may be there. That is may be why everyone is walking away.

You know that picture reminds me. One of the guys at work broke up a boiler (fuel oil) when he switched to an outdoor wood boiler. I remember asking him what he used to break his old one up. His reply, an old maul.

 

[BD1]

Might want to post a picture. Like stated, cut draw rods and pound chisel between sections.

 

[pauls340]

We bought an old home in downtown Farmington Michigan several years ago. It was 90*F out during the home inspection so the boiler was not tested. The first time we turned it on it literally exploded...$6300 later we had a shinny new box. The contractor had four high school football players carry each piece of the four section boiler out....it's heavy.

 

[woodrail]

I'm liking the maul and plastic tarp idea. Asbestos is non-existant. THe lining ws on the sheetmetal (long gone).

Thanks everyone for the ideas.

I understand about the flying piece theory. Last time I broke abart a cast iron bathtub, the toilet also got replaced. Yea, you know what happened......

 

[SGKent]

the only caveat I can give is that make sure something heavy is on it to cover it and wear eye protection. I got hit by a piece of shrapnel about the size of a pellet while I was spitting wood 10 - 15 years ago and it had enough energy to enter, bounce off two ribs and spin like a bullet inside my right breast. Took surgey to get it out. X-Ray technician asked me, "but you were you splitting wood. We see about 10 -20 of these a year.... That small sharpnel has a velocity like a slow bullet when it come off."

Or you could do like my science teacher in physics did - fill it with water and find a way to freeze it...

 

[Oldbear]

"great white north"

The Great White North is reserved for us north of the 49th... Bob and Doug are Canadian after all...

That said, if you can't torch the boiler, you may have to drill or cut any bolts or rivets and then punch & hammer to knock them out. Or many, many saw blades.

Good luck and let us knwo what worked. We have a 80+ year boiler to remove from my parents place (great grandpa's homestead) - although we have talked leaving it there for 'historical" reasons.

 

[woodrail]

"......leaving it there for 'historical" reasons"

My home is a Sears catalog house, "The Crescent". We have several historical architectural items stashed for history. I've kept the pegged out melted valves off of the boiler for this purpose. I also have a couple of lumps of coal from the original coal fired heater.

I'll try to take some pics when I'm working on the beast.