Why does nobody talk about how long it takes to clear a blocked riser?

Had a stubborn blockage in a steel casting riser that just would not clear. Spent almost three hours on it with rods and air lances before it finally gave way. What's your go-to method for a quick clear when the usual tricks fail?

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3 Comments

leelewis5mo ago

We had one like that last month. Ended up using a long, thin oxy-acetylene heating lance to soften the plug from the top down. Once it was glowing, a few sharp air lance bursts broke it up. It was messy but got the job done in under an hour.

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angelacooper5mo ago

My uncle ran a small foundry and swore by a mix of diesel fuel and oxygen for the really tough ones. He'd soak a rag, drop it down, and light it with a long match. The sudden heat shock would sometimes crack things loose when steady heat failed. Always made me nervous, but he never had a fire.

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evaperez4mo ago

Why take the risk of burning your whole foundry down with diesel and oxygen? A controlled oxy-acetylene lance gives you way more precision and less chance of a runaway fire. Sounds like your uncle was lucky, not smart.

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