How to cut metal pole

I need to cut a steel pole. It is the pole of an inground basketball goal. It is currently standing up and anchored with concrete to the ground. I am totally clueless about metal cutting.
Is it possible to "saw off" the pole near its base ? If yes, what type of saw or cutting tool do I need to use ? Any advice on how to go about it ?
For background, this is an old and broken goal installed by the previous owner of the house. It is just outside our fence, on the back alley. This morning a city inspector knocked on our door and asked that it be removed immediately, since some big trucks are having problems going through the alley.
Another option would be to break the concrete base where it is anchored. But that seems to me like even a bigger and more complex job.
Please help.
Thanks, Andy

Andy wrote: (clip)Any advice on how to go about it ? ^^^^^^^^^^ Oxy-acetylene cutting torch. Drill a hole just where it comes out of the concrete imbedment, to make it easy to start the cut. Afterwards, grind it off smooth and fill with concrete. The cutting part should take, maybe, two minutes. Maybe someone in your area with a torch will offer to help. Where are you?

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Man oh man that's extreme. I've cut hundreds of steel objects off that were imbedded in concrete and lived to cut another day. Mostly anchors, some pipe, wide flanges ect. An inexperienced type could direct enough heat into the concrete to pop a few pieces out, but that is how we learn not to do it!
JTMcC.
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clare wrote: Do NOT use a torch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. The concrete will blast away something awfull. ^^^^^^^^^^^ I think NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you turn the torch directly onto the concrete, you will surely get some flaking and popping, but if you direct the flame to the inside of the pole, through a hole, as I suggested, you will not have this problem at all. The trick is to get someone with a torch to come help you. If you have to hire a professional, with a truck full of equipment, then it could be fairly expensive. In that case I would resort to a Sawzall, or just follow the legal counsel of several others in this thread, and let the city take care of it.
If the concrete contains that special expanding re-bar that is evidently used in Texas freeways, this could be a whole nother story. :-)

The cheapest and fastest method for you will probably be to get a 41/2" grinder ( Dewalt or Makita style ) and along extension cord at Home Depot or other tool store like that and grind through and around the pipe at the ground level about 90 percent of the out side. Then bend the pipe and it will probably break the rest or the way off. You can then grind the pipe flush with the ground. Be sure to wear your safety glasses.
Andy wrote:
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A few ways:
Ideally, with a cutting torch. Blow a starter hole, and jump back in case it has water in it. Cut as low as you can. Maybe take a chisel and cut down an inch or so under the level of the street. Backfill with concrete.
Hand grinder. Hack saw. Sawzall. Circle saw with metal cutting blade.
Cutting with the means that will leave metal above ground, cut the stump vertically several times so that you can fold pieces inward and downward. Use large hammer to bend them over. Imagine banana peels, but going inward into the hole.
Whatever you do, have one or two people with ropes to pull the thing the way you want it to fall.
Good luck. Not a big project, but an interesting one where you have to be paying attention.
Steve

1) Rent a pipe cutter. Cut as low to the ground as possible. Smash the remaining stub down with a sledge. Or... 2) Get a shovel and dig around and below the concrete, it probably has no more than one bag of concrete. Use the pole as a big lever to drag the thing out of the ground, it won't be as hard as you think. Call the city to haul the thing away.
Vaughn
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On 16 Jul 2003 08:27:43 -0700, snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com (Andy) wrote:
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My personal preference is 3 wraps of 200gr primacord, but you could use a cutting torch, or at worst, tie a rope to the top of it, after wetting the ground around it for a day or two, then seeing if it will simply pull out of the ground, by pulling it over.
A hacksaw and some GOOD blades might be a good thing, depending on how much concrete flowed up into the pipe w hen it was installed.
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Another question..is it on or off your property line? If its off your property line, and not yours..seems to be the city's problem..they can cut if down in very short order. If its inside your property line..why are the trucks driving on your property?
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A shovel and a sledge hammer works fine, but takes a while. If you cannot come up with the tools such as a hacksaw or cutting torch, try as I said, wetting the soil well, with a hose trickling on it for a few days, then pulling it over with a rope tied to the top. Most posts of this nature are not generally in very deep. If the ground is wet, they generally topple over like a wind blown tree, roots and all.
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Gunner

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A pressure washer, or even a hosepipe with a tightly focussed spray nozzle may be of great use in freeing the concrete base from the ground.

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LOL. Good point. Missed that one!
Jim
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Gunner wrote:
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It could be on his property but in the city easment for the alley. Think 'sidewalk' - you can build something over a sidewalk even though you own the land, same can go for the alley.
Me? I'd ask one of the trucks to push it over and get the driver to help me roll it out of the way. But then I've pulled out bushes from my front yard with a 4wd and a tow strap, I'm kind of messy that way.

I've read news stories about trash (dumped couches, washers) in the alleyway and the property owners are responsible for cleanup so the trash trucks can do their job. I have a 3' sidewalk right at the curb, but an 8' easement for utilities (5' past the sidewalk). That's most of my front yard. Technically the utility can come in ripup and fix their stuff and leave the mess, but they usually put things back.
I'll never forget the guy in my front yard who was standing in a 3' deep hole. Since it was 105 outside, he looked like a bog monster.
Joel. phx
Our HomeDepo have rent-a-centers. Must be something in there to hack down a pole. I'd go for something gas powered without a muffler,....
That or Harbor Freight has a $14 hand-held grinder you could use. Not nearly as impressive.
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On Wed, 16 Jul 2003 11:49:26 -0700, "Michael"
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Tell the city it's on their property, bring in a backhoe or Hiab and yank it out.

ahhh, Joel ur absolutely right, i'm slipping. :)
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understood
foot

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Make sure you have enough beer, too.
Steve ;-)

I agree with Jim, If it is not on your property then, and you did not put it in, then it is not your problem. If it is on your property, then it is still not your problem because it's on your property.
Of course this assumes there are no "laws" that are interfering with common sense.
Vince
P.S. I also agree with the cutting torch.
jim rozen wrote:
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Andy, A cutting torch might work but you might want to check to make sure the pole is not concrete filled. When I installed on of these years ago I filled the pole with concrete, made a real solid instalation but hard to remove. :-) Paul
snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com (Andy) wrote in message
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Hell, tell the local scrap guy he can have it if he cuts it down. I'd use a torch.

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    And if the pole is full of water (as was a flagpole I saw them trying to cut down when I was in high school), it can take a long time to cut through, at which point it attempts to put out the torch with a stream of water. I would drill two holes -- one where I intended to cut, and one a little lower, to drain the water below the ring of cutting, so you don't have this boiling heat sink on the inside of the pipe. It seemed to take forever for him to get that hole through, and a drill motor first, and while it is draining you set up your torch would probably make more sense.
    Enjoy,         DoN.

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Destructo Saw. Great tool.
Gary