Im trying to hook up a gas dryer (Electric's Motor is shot). I have a
1/2" threaded black pipe near my hot water heater thats capped off,
unfortunately, the cap is very rusty, and im worried about damaging the
pipe trying to remove it with a pipe wrench. Any tips for getting the
rusty cap off? Would I risk damage if I applied too much pressure to
it?

My experience would suggest you just use as large a pipe wrenches
as you need. You won't hurt the pipe cap. You need two wrenches,
one to "back up" the pipe while you break the cap free with the
other.


(top posted for your convenience)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Keep the whole world singing . . . .
DanG (remove the sevens)




"Smallz" wrote in message
ups.com...
Im trying to hook up a gas dryer (Electric's Motor is shot). I
have a
1/2" threaded black pipe near my hot water heater thats capped
off,
unfortunately, the cap is very rusty, and im worried about
damaging the
pipe trying to remove it with a pipe wrench. Any tips for
getting the
rusty cap off? Would I risk damage if I applied too much
pressure to
it?

"Smallz" wrote in message
ups.com...
Im trying to hook up a gas dryer (Electric's Motor is shot). I have a
1/2" threaded black pipe near my hot water heater thats capped off,
unfortunately, the cap is very rusty, and im worried about damaging the
pipe trying to remove it with a pipe wrench. Any tips for getting the
rusty cap off? Would I risk damage if I applied too much pressure to
it?

Is that cap on a drip leg? You still need to have one if it is.

Use the biggest wrenches you can find, slip a piece of pipe over the handle
if need be, for more leverage. Yes, it may break the cap, less likely the
pipe, but be sure to hold it steady so you don't loosen all the joints in
the run.

Smallz wrote:
Im trying to hook up a gas dryer (Electric's Motor is shot). I have a
1/2" threaded black pipe near my hot water heater thats capped off,
unfortunately, the cap is very rusty, and im worried about damaging the
pipe trying to remove it with a pipe wrench. Any tips for getting the
rusty cap off? Would I risk damage if I applied too much pressure to
it?

Options:
-wrenches
-bigger wrenches
-heat the cap with a torch and give it a few raps with a hammer, then
wrenches
-cut most of the way through the cap on two sides and the top with a
sawzall being careful not to knick the threads (the threads at the very
end of the pipe you can just graze). Support the cap opposite the cut
with a block of wood or prybar. Use a cold chisel to split the cap.

R

Ricod,

It's a gas pipe, I don't think heating it with a torch is a good
idea.

Dave M.

David Martel wrote:
Ricod,

It's a gas pipe, I don't think heating it with a torch is a good
idea.

Gee, you never let anyone have any fun!

R

David Martel wrote:

Ricod,

It's a gas pipe, I don't think heating it with a torch is a good
idea.

Dave M.


I agree on general principles, but there shouldn't be any oxygen in the
line, so some heating should be ok.

--
The e-mail address in our reply-to line is reversed in an attempt to
minimize spam. Our true address is of the form .

LOL

Thanks for the tips guys! I had my stepson hold the pipe tight and
steady and put my pipewrench on it and gave it several hard thwacks
with a hammer then turned as hard as I could. From there on everything
worked without a hitch! I feel so handy

RicodJour wrote:
David Martel wrote:
Ricod,

It's a gas pipe, I don't think heating it with a torch is a good
idea.

Gee, you never let anyone have any fun!

R

"CJT" wrote in message

I agree on general principles, but there shouldn't be any oxygen in the
line, so some heating should be ok.

I've not only seen gas pipes heated, but welded. Not long ago I saw a 3"
line cut open with a cutting torch when the gas was though to be off. It
wasn't. Amazingly, there was just a long flame but not a lot of force as it
is low pressure. The line was then shut off and the cutting and welding
completed.

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
"CJT" wrote in message

I agree on general principles, but there shouldn't be any oxygen in the
line, so some heating should be ok.

I've not only seen gas pipes heated, but welded. Not long ago I saw a 3"
line cut open with a cutting torch when the gas was though to be off. It
wasn't. Amazingly, there was just a long flame but not a lot of force as it
is low pressure. The line was then shut off and the cutting and welding
completed.

Hope you got a group rate on the laundry.

R

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:

"CJT" wrote in message

I agree on general principles, but there shouldn't be any oxygen in the
line, so some heating should be ok.


I've not only seen gas pipes heated, but welded. Not long ago I saw a 3"
line cut open with a cutting torch when the gas was though to be off. It
wasn't. Amazingly, there was just a long flame but not a lot of force as it
is low pressure. The line was then shut off and the cutting and welding
completed.


I had in mind the amount of heating involved in compressing it -- if it
were capable of ignition, that might be a real problem for transmission
lines.

--
The e-mail address in our reply-to line is reversed in an attempt to
minimize spam. Our true address is of the form .

"RicodJour" wrote in message

Hope you got a group rate on the laundry.

R

It was needed, I assure you.

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
"RicodJour" wrote in message

Hope you got a group rate on the laundry.

It was needed, I assure you.

No doubt! Scared the crap out of me and I'm sitting in a chair reading
about it.

R

Yes, you do risk breaking it. As the other gentleman wondered, wondering if
what you have is a drip leg. Hmm.

In any case, the answer is two pipe wrenches. It also sounds like you're not
really familiar with working on black iron. I'd suggest to find a more
experienced worker for th is job, so you can get some practical training.

--

Christopher A. Young
Do good work.
It's longer in the short run
but shorter in the long run.
..
..


"Smallz" wrote in message
ups.com...
Im trying to hook up a gas dryer (Electric's Motor is shot). I have a
1/2" threaded black pipe near my hot water heater thats capped off,
unfortunately, the cap is very rusty, and im worried about damaging the
pipe trying to remove it with a pipe wrench. Any tips for getting the
rusty cap off? Would I risk damage if I applied too much pressure to
it?

Stormin Mormon wrote:
Yes, you do risk breaking it. As the other gentleman wondered, wondering if
what you have is a drip leg. Hmm.

In any case, the answer is two pipe wrenches. It also sounds like you're not
really familiar with working on black iron. I'd suggest to find a more
experienced worker for th is job, so you can get some practical training.

Looks like he got the training on the job. He posted yesterday
afternoon that he got the cap off.

R