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]

40% off

[Stein]

I would try to borrow a scuba rig but I wouldn't be surprised if they were about impossible to saw.  It's really hard to get leverage underwater with nothing to push against.  You might try splitting them from the top and seeing if you can then break them off near the bottom.

The other option involves beer, tow straps and wagering and is a bit more unpredictable.

[Cylvertip]

And this saw:

  https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0014CA3JQ?ref=nb_sb_ss_w_as-ypp-ro-model_ypp_ro_model_k0_1_5&amp&crid=2FEB65SEBFXT6&amp&sprefix=silky     

[Jingles]

I have a Dredge with an air system that you could tie off and  spend the day cutting the old pilings and have a steady air supply as long as the Dredge didn't run out of gas. If you'd be interested in doing something like that if all other options fall through

[KFhunter]

Is that a silky saw?  Your URL is broken for us

[Mtnwalker]

If they're not too massive, your idea of a rope saw might just work with enough grunt and preferably a guy on each end. I'd say 30% chance of success but it might be a cheap first try... My personal leanings would be toward an excavator if you have access, but that's my solution for a lot of things as a former equipment operator. Good luck

[jackson7]

hookah rigs are great. used them for many years while cleaning boat bottoms, picking up crabs and conch, and general exploring. Was a lot easier than continually filling tanks.

[NRA4LIFE]

I like Stein's idea too.  Mass quantities of beer, a couple heavy tow straps, a couple F350's and lookout.

[outdooraddict]

Found out a family friend has scuba gear and is gonna help me get underwater at least and ill attempt to cut and hook to a truck and get tension on the piling as i attempt to cut the backside of it. Gotta find the most efficient hand saw

[Scvette]

I worked for a commercial diver in Alaska doing easy jobs. I had to do some grinding on a rudder of a Crab boat so the other guy could weld on it. So I was thinking about when I used a air grinder and thought is there a air powered chain saw so I just looked. Here’s one that’s way cheaper than you quote to remove the post.
https://rentaltoolsonline.com/rental-tools-online-underwater-lift-bags-and-tools-s-83/hydraulic-equipment/hydraulic-tools-s-224/cs06-20-underwater-hydraulic-chain-saw-p-101474.htm
I’m sure this will do the job for you.

[Stein]

If you go Hookah, be careful especially with homemade things.  If the air isn't completely free of oil and contaminates really bad things happen.  Basically, the oil lines your lungs and you suffocate.  It can happen from SCUBA too, particularly third world locations, but in the US, it's easy to find legit refill stations. 

Certainly don't hook a regulator up to your pancake compressor with the auto oiler and let er rip.

[Cylvertip]

Is that a silky saw?  Your URL is broken for us

. Yes, and fixed the link.

[GWP]

If you go Hookah, be careful especially with homemade things.  If the air isn't completely free of oil and contaminates really bad things happen.  Basically, the oil lines your lungs and you suffocate.  It can happen from SCUBA too, particularly third world locations, but in the US, it's easy to find legit refill stations. 

Certainly don't hook a regulator up to your pancake compressor with the auto oiler and let er rip.

This. Same with painting with a hood. You REALLY do not want to breath the oil and contamination.

[CastleRocker]

Have you thought about pulling them?  We had a few up at my folks place on CD'A Lake that we couldn't reach during low water, so we put lift bags on them, (two 55 gallon barrels, and two air-bags), and after the water level came up in the spring, it took about three days for one, about a week for the other.   Had both tied off to the dock so they didn't float away.  They were driven in...they will pull out. 

[gramps]

If room allows around the piling, make a bracket to hold 3 55 gallon barrels.  Take the bungs out and put a hole  in the end of the barrel that would normally be the bottom that can be re-sealed and mount barrels securely to the bracket with the bungs facing down.  Make a manifold with one inlet for an air hose and 3 outlets.  Secure an air hose from each outlet of the manifold to the bung of each barrel ....air hose up inside the bung. Put bracket around the piling and submerge the barrels to allow them to fill with water and reseal the hole in the now top of the barrel.  Apply air to the manifold and all 3 barrels will fill and force the water out of the bung holes and lift the piling .... I think

[lewy]

I’ve removed stumps with Inner tubes. Secure them to object deflated, then dive down with air line and fill tubes.

[NorseNW]

I applaud you DIY attitude. I too try to do most stuff myself.  I would lean heavily on the 55 gallon drum lift option first.  If that doesn't work you may find it was the best $2k you ever spent after you get a bow saw into a water logged submerged piling.  Your diver better be in really good shape and I would have several back up air tanks because he's gonna be a huffin and puffin some O2 with that task.

[GWP]

I applaud you DIY attitude. I too try to do most stuff myself.  I would lean heavily on the 55 gallon drum lift option first.  If that doesn't work you may find it was the best $2k you ever spent after you get a bow saw into a water logged submerged piling.  Your diver better be in really good shape and I would have several back up air tanks because he's gonna be a huffin and puffin some O2 with that task.

Things change quickly even 2’ below the surface. Not our environment. Like a lot of things, it looks and sounds good until we ‘get into it’.
Bags of some sort or drums. Please don’t go diving unless you have done it before and/or are trained.

[lokidog]

My grandfather installed dock posts with a water wand. Similar thing they use to harvest Goeyduck. It is pushed down into the bottom and basically liquefies the substrate. You might be able to then pull it out from shore.

[Ridgeratt]

Tannerite

[PsoasHunter]

I'm curious what ever ended up happening with this?  Did you get them out?

[outdooraddict]

im going down this weekend, the river had major flooding tis year, so we have been delayed.  the one piling has to go, its about 1 foot under the water surface and we are trying to float the dock this wknd.  that piling will cause issues, i ordered a rope saw that apparently cuts both directions,, ill swim out and get it placed and between all of us at camp we will see what we can do.  im sure its gonna be a mess.