What we have here is an older house, built in the 50's, concrete floor. We'd like to remove the cast iron pipe where the toilet mounts and replace it with a more current plastic version. I'm assuming the pipe is leaded on and would require something like mapp gas for melting it. My question is, where do I start attacking this with the mapp gas? The 2nd ring or inside the drain a couple inches down? There's a lot of corrosion so I cannot make out where it was sealed. Or should I approach this another way, perhaps with a saws all?


Thanks! :)

I'm assuming the pipe is leaded on and would require something like mapp gas for melting it That's not the way to remove a lead and oakum poured and caulked joint. To remove a poured lead and oakum joint take a 3/8" drill bit and drill a few holes down past the lead and into the oakum.. Push a screwdriver under the lead ring and lever it up. Once it's free you can began to peel the lead ring out. Now pick out the oakum and you can pull the joint apart. Once you get that apart let me know about the other one. Let's get this down to the pipe coming out of the slab. Good luck, Tom

That's not the way to remove a lead and oakum poured and caulked joint. To remove a poured lead and oakum joint take a 3/8" drill bit and drill a few holes down past the lead and into the oakum.. Push a screwdriver under the lead ring and lever it up. Once it's free you can began to peel the lead ring out. Now pick out the oakum and you can pull the joint apart. Once you get that apart let me know about the other one. Let's get this down to the pipe coming out of the slab. Good luck, Tom


I'm not sure that I can get a screwdriver under that outer ring. The cement floor is poured right up to the lip with no gap. Perhaps I can chisel away at the concrete some. Would I drill 3/8" bit into the second ring on my picture?

Thanks again for my novice-ness. :)

Would I drill 3/8" bit into the second ring on my picture?If that's a lead joint the answer's yes. Tom

Break it... Take 4" grinder, cut the flange in one place all the way through, take a chisel and carefully chip it off. Once you get 1/2 removed, the other half should pop up.