JustinW wrote:
Hi All,

I'm rehabbing a building that is 40-50 years old. While mowing the tall
grass, I ran over a outside faucet and destroyed it. I dug up the line
and intended to plug it. It was half inch galvanized pipe. It was
originally assembled with some type of thread-sealing pipe dope that has
long ago turned rock hard.

What I tried to remove the first connection, I put a cheater bar over a
pipe wrench and tried to unscrew the damaged fitting. The pipe was
weakened by corrosion and it just crushed. I went up the water line and
broke several other fittings.

I'm now working under the house in a tough environment -- very little
crawlspace, sloping ground and a few other things. I'm trying to remove a
half inch reducer screwed into a three quarter galvanized T. It's the last
fitting before I encounter serious expense doing some wholesale repiping.

So far, I've used a propane torch on the galvanized T while periodically
dousing the reducer with water. I've also used about 5,000 gallons of
penetrating oil. I don't have room for a cheater (good thing huh?) and so
far I can't budge the reducer with two-foot pipe wrenches.

Any thoughts or ideas would be seriously appreciated.


Justin
..
Can you just cap it off at some point where the pipe seems reasonably
substantial and get- at-able. Even if you have to hacksaw off the pipe
and then cut a thread on it onto which to screw a galvanised cap?
Just an idea anyway.

JustinW wrote:
On Fri, 25 Aug 2006 12:55:37 -0700, terry wrote:


.
Can you just cap it off at some point where the pipe seems reasonably
substantial and get- at-able. Even if you have to hacksaw off the pipe
and then cut a thread on it onto which to screw a galvanised cap?
Just an idea anyway.



I did rent and use a portable manual pipe threader some time back. I
wonder where I could find one of these...


Great idea -- thanks!

That would have been my first thought, but I would probably have just
cut if off at the first elbow so could put the spigot back...but,
anyway, that's over--

For up to inch pipe a manual threader isn't bad at all and imo
something one should have, anyway. But, for simply one or two joints,
a die and a handle is all you would have to have unless the quarters
are so tight you must have the ratcheting handle. Would think you
could do the minimal "get by with" for not much over a rental fee and
have it for the future, besides.

Another comment/thought or two--heat is good, but need more than a
propane torch to have much luck for really stuck pieces--an
oxy/acetylene torch is best of course, although I've been told Mapp gas
will work, I've not tried it (since I have a torch, not had the need).
Of course, gotta' be careful w/ the flame around stuff so under the
house isn't really good place to practice!

If you must get back to the tee for some reason, I'd seriously consider
the same trick of cutting the tee out of the existing pipe and fitting
a new section in. Could use a union if lacking space or can't turn the
other end to make the final connection.

If it is a reducing bushing and not a reducing coupling, then the idea
of splitting it isn't so feasible. There are also splitters for pipe
fittings simliar to nut splitters if it is a real bear and need more
repair in the future.

As for pipe dope, most, while they will harden w/ time don't actually
sieze so maybe this wasn't really a pipe dope anyway. Or there wasn't
enough to prevent the buildup of corrosion to the point the threads are
actually rusted together throughout the joint. A good quality dope
should be fine for reassembly imo.

dpb wrote:
JustinW wrote:

Can you just cap it off at some point where the pipe seems reasonably
substantial and get- at-able. Even if you have to hacksaw off the pipe
and then cut a thread on it onto which to screw a galvanised cap?
Just an idea anyway.
I did rent and use a portable manual pipe threader some time back. I
wonder where I could find one of these...
That would have been my first thought, but I would probably have just
cut if off at the first elbow so could put the spigot back...but,
anyway, that's over--
For up to inch pipe a manual threader isn't bad at all and imo
something one should have, anyway. But, for simply one or two joints,
a die and a handle is all you would have to have unless the quarters
are so tight you must have the ratcheting handle. Would think you
could do the minimal "get by with" for not much over a rental fee and
have it for the future, besides.

I have one of these and can reccomend:
http://www.acehardware.com/product/i...=pipe+threader

and the die:
http://www.acehardware.com/product/i...archId=1260903

"Lawrence" wrote in message
ups.com...

dpb wrote:
JustinW wrote:
..

I have one of these and can reccomend:
http://www.acehardware.com/product/i...=pipe+threader

and the die:
http://www.acehardware.com/product/i...archId=1260903


You could try one of these:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=38438


I can't comment on the quality of this as I've never used it but it would be
rather inexpensive and probably work the few times you might use it.
Cheers,
cc