Watched a commercial diver use a torch on a piling in 2005 vs watching one use a hydraulic saw last month

Richard Wright · 2026-10-01T10:40:03.201475+00:00

I got into the trade around 2003 and back then burning and welding underwater was just how you cut almost everything, even on wooden pilings where it made zero sense. Last month I watched a guy on a dock job in Seattle slice through a 24 inch steel pile with a hydraulic saw in about 20 minutes and there was barely any top side support needed for it. I think what changed is 3 things: the saws got cheaper, the safety rules got tighter after a couple bad accidents, and the clients finally stopped flinching at the rental cost. I still keep my torch skills sharp though because you never know when the saw breaks down mid job. Anybody else notice the switch, or is it still torch first where you work?

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Watched a commercial diver use a torch on a piling in 2005 vs watching one use a hydraulic saw last month | Commercial Divers - Babble Community