Removing Ramset fasteners
 

Need to remove a lot of Ramset fasteners. Anyone tried this before?

Here's what happened. Client wanted to remodel their basement. I bid it for framing out with 2x4s, and 1/2 inch greenboard upper and 1/2 cement board along floor. (They have a creek 20 yards from the basement door....) When they converted to gas this fall, the plumber installed the new baseboard directly to the concrete foundation with about 50 Ramset loads.... BEFORE I got to frame it up! So now the system has to be drained, the copper line cut and capped, so I can frame the wall. Not looking forward to getting those things out. Tried a long metal sawzall blade today. First one went easy, then nothing appeared to be getting cut.... Decided to wait until the heating line is out of the way so I don't create any collateral damage... Suggestions welcomed. Experience really welcomed....

Options I have thought of;
Sawzall
Masonry chisel
Pry bar
Some sort of hole saw to cut through back of baseboard plate around the fastener, thus releasing the back plate

yeah....did a lawyers office down in Miami and I shot the plate down
like that... one round between each bay ....then the inspector comes in
afterwards and tells us... hey this is florida :point: subject to flooding and that sill plate has to be PT ......and we're like... you gotta be f-ing kidden me....
so yeah we took chisels and pry bars to make just enough lift
so the blade was free flowing and had to cut every single one
then slid the new pt plate back in.

I don't envy that. The idiots that did my house nailed the baseboard heaters into studs with really wide head nails. I had to sawzall them from behind but it was a pain. Note, this is not a pro experience.
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That's a tough one hey?

Not sure how the money is working on that job but you could just leave um there and get new dummy's and just move the elements.

How about a metal cutting hole saw around each head

How about a long arz flat bar and pop the backer off over the nail, leaves a big old hole that needs to be hammered flat on the backer

Wack the heads with a 4 pound hammer, may drive the head right on thru

How about go find the plumber and tell him to do it or you'll KHA. 👹

We cut hard fasteners in concrete with abrasive wheels on angle grinders all the time.
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I agree with Fishpart. Grind the heads off , remove the baseboard frames and grind the rest of the fasteners flat to the wall. One of them small high speed grinders with about a 4 or 5 inch fairly coarse wheel should zip right through.

http://www.harborfreight.com/4-inch-...der-91222.html

hard to advise without seeing the task at hand

I run metal cutting circular blades in my skilsaw
roof saw....(60amp) as the depth allows you to access stuff
even if you have to lay it down on it's side ....and it cuts fast.

I have popped them off with a 4'pry bar and it was not a challenge for the bar. In this case it may be difficult to get the bar behind the backer of the heat but if you have the space it works well.

sounds like a real fun job
easier to knock them side to side til they break rather than prying out, but if there is not enough sticking out, go at them with the grinder like suggested. I bet any sheetmetal is gonna be wasted or have big holes in it but oh well, that's what they get putting the cart before the horse.

I got lucky. The heating guy pulled the pipes and put them in another part of the basement, hung from the joists overhead so they wouldn't get messed up. Fortunately he used 1 inch ramset nails. Most I got out pretty easily by hammering a 12 inch catspaw under the heads. Maybe eight gave me a hard time and two are still imbedded in the concrete, but between the framing. Took about an hour. Only have another 12' to frame out tomorrow morning. Then insulate and call the electrician to wire for outlets. Board up on Friday. Thanks for all your suggestions. As I said, I got lucky.....