[Shop-talk] Shop-talk Digest, Vol 20, Issue 126

[Jim Franklin]

The plasma cutter also suffers from being too short, but yea the fume thing is a big impediment. The sawzall didn't make much smoke, so I'm not worried, and it turned out to live up to its name. About 5 minutes per post, way easier than I expected, though I ran out of extension cord and need another 50 footer. When I sold my last house in 2020 and swore I'd never own a house again I gave away a large box of really good ones. :-(

Addressing another comment - I'm on good terms with my neighbor, another reason I don't want to damage his fence. And he only put up the fence to stop the 2-owners-ago creepy guy from staring at his wife & kids in the pool. 

Using a hoist to pull up the plug of concrete would damage the fence; I'd have needed to dig a trench on the side and slide the whole mess out. 

That chain tailpipe cutter...interesting tool, might have worked. I did think about a soil stack cutter as well. But 1/8" thick pipe might blow out my forearms before I got one done. 

Thanks for all the ideas. 

jim

> On Oct 30, 2026, at 8:53 AM, Mark Meany <mmeany7 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> Since this hasn't been mentioned yet, I thought I'd point out the peril in cutting galvanized pipe. I imagine the fumes created by a plasma cutter would be pretty dangerous and wonder whether the dust from a Sawzall might have issues too. It may be that the best option is an engine hoist (2 floor jacks?) connected to a rod sticking out on either side of holes poked into the post. Probably clearing the dirt out from on top of the concrete base would help.
>> 
>> To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
>> . Re: Cutting a chain link fence post? (Steven Trovato)
>>    2. Re: Cutting a chain link fence post? (Steven Trovato)
>>    3. Re: Cutting a chain link fence post? (Brian Kemp)
>>    4. Re: Cutting a chain link fence post? (DArmstrong)
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>> From: Steven Trovato <strovato at optonline.net <mailto:strovato at optonline.net>>
>> To: Jim Franklin <jamesf at groupwbench.org <mailto:jamesf at groupwbench.org>>
>> Cc: Shop-Talk <shop-talk at autox.team.net <mailto:shop-talk at autox.team.net>>
>> Bcc: 
>> Date: Thu, 29 Oct 2026 16:36:42 -0400
>> Subject: Re: [Shop-talk] Cutting a chain link fence post?
>> Well, in that case, the excavator is probably not an option either.
>> 
>> At 03:55  
>>>> 
>> 
>>> 
>> 
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Shop-talk <shop-talk-bounces at autox.team.net <mailto:shop-talk-bounces at autox.team.net>> On Behalf Of Jim Franklin
>> Sent: October 29, 2026 1:25 PM
>> To: Shop-Talk <shop-talk at autox.team.net <mailto:shop-talk at autox.team.net>>
>> Subject: [Shop-talk] Cutting a chain link fence post?
>> 
>> I need to cut down about 20 of these a few inches below grade. The catch is
>> they are right next to my neighbor's PVC fence, so I can't get to that side.
>> 
>> 
>> I can use my sawzall but I want the cut parallel to the grade which means
>> getting the entire sawzall below grade and sucking schmutz into the motor.
>> Do-able and at the top of the list so far. 
>> 
>> I was going to rent an excavator (still might) to also remove the concrete
>> blob but then I'd need a bunch of fill delivered (none on site but there may
>> be some when they dig up the driveway to repave it, shelving this idea for a
>> few weeks), hassle factor exceeds the joy of having an excavator. 
>> 
>> Portable bandsaw seems like a useful lifetime tool, especially if it can be
>> mounted vertically to use as a regular bandsaw and also mounted in a chop
>> saw table. Internet isn't forthcoming on the viability of these options. 
>> 
>> Angle grinder won't reach around the back.
>> 
>> Plasma cutter is contraindicated with neighbor's fence. 
>> 
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