underwater cutting

[outdooraddict]

my mom has a place on the st joe river, and they got new pilings pounded in last year for a dock.  the dock has been ordered and will be ready this summer. However there are 3 old pilings that are 6-8 ft tall (based off mid summer water depth that will be in the way of a boat docking or kids jumping off the dock. any recommendations for cutting these pilings, I talked to a scuba guy in cda and they wanted like 2k to cut them off, I was thinking of using a chainsaw blade and opening it up and tying rope with handles to each side and use it as a hand saw from shore.  any ideas or has anyone ever cut something underwater before

[KFhunter]

I wonder how far they're pounded in?  I imagine deeeep.

Maybe work on them a bit with a winch see if they'll budge? 

Put a fulcrum near the base of the piling to redirect the winch force upwards instead of pulling directly sideways on the piling. I'd use a chunk of sturdy steel and weld a tab to keep a chain link captured and a cross piece foot on the bottom to keep it from sinking in the mud, wrap the chain around the base of the piling then up to your steel fulcrum then to your winchline

An interesting problem 

[JimmyHoffa]

Can you get a pressure washer near the bases?  A regular hose may work a little too.  Blow out the dirt, mud and gravel and then maybe you can pull it out.  I like the float idea with the drums.  Maybe combine the two?

[GWP]

Tried the hand cutting thing with a saw made for it ‘above water’. It did not go well under ‘good’ conditions. Your results might be better.

[Netminder01]

Whatever solution(s) you try, video and post.

Good luck!

[JimmyHoffa]

Whatever solution(s) you try, video and post.

Good luck!

Is this code for "lots of tannerite"?

[KFhunter]

Whatever solution(s) you try, video and post.

Good luck!

Is this code for "lots of tannerite"?

You win sir

[KFhunter]

I just envisioned a skidder tire packed with tannerite, sealed, slid down over the piling with a string attached to a detonation device.....


A very long string   

[The scout]

You can rent a hydraulic chain saw and power pack

[outdooraddict]

thanks for the tips, i suspect these are pounded in 6 -10 feet probably, i also suspect they are fairly waterlogged and potentially a little rotten. i guess i could try to winch them over and break them at ground level. i wish i was scuba certified, id dive down and bow saw them,  that's what the scuba shop told me they would do. i cant hold my breath long enough to snorkel down and saw, and keep myself down at the bottom in mid summer they are only in 6-8 ft of water and only 8 ft from land, but irrelevant, because they are still underwater.

[NRA4LIFE]

Would it be possible to get an excavator or large backhoe with a thumb close enough to grab them and pull them out? Or maybe just snap them off? I would think way less than $2K.

[The scout]

It won’t matter how old they are, everything under water and underground will be as solid as the day it went in. Bow saw is almost impossible when you do it underwater. It is really hard to pull pile, without being able to vibrate them a bit as you pull. Stinks they didn’t pull out the old ones when they drove the new ones.

[KFhunter]

thanks for the tips, i suspect these are pounded in 6 -10 feet probably, i also suspect they are fairly waterlogged and potentially a little rotten. i guess i could try to winch them over and break them at ground level. i wish i was scuba certified, id dive down and bow saw them,  that's what the scuba shop told me they would do. i cant hold my breath long enough to snorkel down and saw, and keep myself down at the bottom in mid summer they are only in 6-8 ft of water and only 8 ft from land, but irrelevant, because they are still underwater.

You could beg, borrow or rent a hookah

If you got 12v battery you could hook an air pump to a regulator and diy it

[KFhunter]

tons of DIY hookah's on the youtubes!   I liked this one, most folks got a oil less compressor and you prolly got power there

[KFhunter]

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