Repairing radiators - Pipe Dope?

Albany Chris

I have broken apart some radiators with bad sections and am ready to put them back together. The push nipples appear to be in great shape. Can/Should I put anything on the push nipples first? Or should I just let them do their job? I want to use some real thin pipe dope - I figure if can't hurt and will just get pushed out of the way if not needed. Should I clean the nipples / lightly sand them first?
BTW, I broke apart the sections using wedges cut out of 2x4's and banged them into the radiator using a small sledge. Took less than 10 minutes per radiator.

bob young

I would use permatex

Rich_22

I'd only use teflon pipe dope. do not sand on nipples, just clean with rag. when putting rods back in just snug up enough to get sections back together. I said just snug!!

Foreman

My push nipple were rusted. Since they are tapered and hard to find, I made my own from 2" EMT conduit and made a cut the length of the nipple to adjust for size.

I then used automotive silicone, not on the nipple but on the flangle mating surfaces.

They have worked great for years!

Kevin O. Pulver

I agree

Use the automotive (RTV) silicone. It's wonderful stuff. If they'd had it 100 years ago they might have used it then. Kevin

Paul Pollets

dope

tapered push nipples can be doped with any number of products...my father's company assembled thousands of cast iron tube-type radiators using Hercule's Pro=Dope on the push nipples. As a young man, I was assigned to the "Radiator Siberia" in the old warehouse to learn how to assemble the sections and press with a 20 ton hydraulic hand vise, than cut the threaded rod...I thought it was a cool thing to do...make a radiator. It's still possible to repair and obtain most of the old sections and nipples. I wonder how many do??

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