Steam radiator pipe 1\" too short. What to do???

thfurnitureguy_4

Cut closet rod with you miterbox saw and paint to match the rad. (looks better than the stack of playing cards that the renters used)you could JB weld them to the bottom of the leg to keep the vacume from moving them, but paint is holding mine

Toolfreak

Steam radiator pipe 1\" too short. What to do???

I had to replace a steam radiator because it had a crack in it. I found a near-identical replacement. However, the pipe coming out of the floor is about an inch too long to connect to the new radiator. Standard floor-to-center of pipe going into the radiator, I'm told, is 2-1/2". My old radiator was 3-1/2".

To the plumbers out there: Can I easily back the pipe out of the floor, cut it shorter, and re-thread it? How risky is this? I assume the pipe is threaded into an elbow under the floor.

TF

Gene_3

hmmmmm

You might be able to thread it right there if you can carefully cut it and use a hand tap while protecting the floor.

I have found that if I can't see or get to the pipes below I leave them alone, they don't like me and Murphy is always around.

Can't think of anything else.

Good luck

Dave DeFord_3

Raise the radiator.

> You might be able to thread it right there if you

> can carefully cut it and use a hand tap while

> protecting the floor.

>

> I have found that if I

> can't see or get to the pipes below I leave them

> alone, they don't like me and Murphy is always

> around.

>

> Can't think of anything else.

>

> Good

> luck

Dave DeFord_3

Raise the radiator.

> You might be able to thread it right there if you

> can carefully cut it and use a hand tap while

> protecting the floor.

>

> I have found that if I

> can't see or get to the pipes below I leave them

> alone, they don't like me and Murphy is always

> around.

>

> Can't think of anything else.

>

> Good

> luck

Dave DeFord_3

Raise the radiator.

If I understand your problem right. Maybe you could make some nice risers for the radiator. Maybe something in 5/4 of the same wood as the flooring. Probably beats fooling around with fragile piping. If you need to raise the pipe there is a current thread that addresses this exact problem.

Toolfreak

Actually, the problem is that the pipe is too "high." The new radiator is too low.

The idea of cutting the pipe in place is interesting. My concern, though, is getting a die on there might prove difficult as the pipe is only 2-3 inches from the wall.

Hmm.....

Dave DeFord_3

Ridgid

> Actually, the problem is that the pipe is too

> "high." The new radiator is too low.

>

> The

> idea of cutting the pipe in place is interesting.

> My concern, though, is getting a die on there

> might prove difficult as the pipe is only 2-3

> inches from the wall.

>

> Hmm.....

Dave DeFord_3

Ridgid

makes a racheting pipe threader. Probably pretty expensive for one job but you might be able to rent one. I believe they are available in up too 2" capacity. I'm still voting on raising the radiator. Maybe someone knows of somewhere where you can get leg extensions for the radiator.

JB_8

pipe

Yes you can. I just did it last year when we got a new floor and was off by 3/4". I would wait till after the winter if you think Mr Murphy is around. My 3/4"

Toolfreak

finish your sentence

Your message got cut off at the end.

JB_8

pipe

OK MY 2 cents

Gene_3

MARBLES

The only other thing I can think of is to use some nice marble or other ornate stone if it will get your height right AND if the customer approves. They make medalions that are small but not sure on the thickness, check at a tile shop.

You could also have custom wooden risers made to match the floor, with routed edges, know any carpenters/craftsmen????

BD Brannan_2

Riser Options

One of the radiators in our 1910s era house sits up on tapered 3 inch high hollow cast iron risers. They resemble upside down dixie cups. As far as I can tell they are original, but who knows. Judging by paint layers they've been there awhile. Otherwise throughout the house I've pitched rads to drain as needed (by as much as one inch) with wooden disks cut from leftover oak flooring, stacked and glued together. Inexpensive and not terribly complicated, and they pretty much disappeared when painted to match the rads. Raising a radiator is sure easier than trying to lower one.

bd

Long Beach Ed

Feet on Ebay

Cast iron radiator riser feet on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/CAST-IRON-RADIATOR-FEET_W0QQitemZ7382691130QQcategoryZ66637QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Only problem is they are in England. Several manufacturers made them in various heights here in the US back in the 1920's.

Long Beach Ed

BigRed

Uses a

extension cupling male thrds on one female thrds on the other.I thing the only size are 1"long

Bob W._3

I got a number of those puppies in my house. The installers back then (1910) must have had bushels of them, in different heights.