On Sat, 8 Oct 2016 12:45:06 -0700 (PDT),
wrote:

dpb, good idea about the union. Thank you.

Ed, thank you for the further input.

Now here's a question that you folks feel free to inform me qualifies for the dumbest post of the month:

I see the gas line pressure is low, like 1 psi at most. Would it be damned foolish to replace this pipe without turning off the gas? I think the horizontal force on the pipe that I would be "fighting" when threading would be on the order of Pi*(0.5 inch)^2 * 1 psi =~ 1 pound.
Yes. it WOULD be stupid even at half a PSI there can be a LOT of flow
from a 1 inch pipe - and it doesn't take much to make a flamable
mixture - or much to light it.