6 inch drop header coming up

Paul S_3

in a few weeks. i will keep you guys posted.

Danny Scully

Let me guess, it's for a power vent IN3?

Paul S_3

lol...no weil mclain 680

Danny Scully

Update? Never mind just re-read a few weeks

lchmb

some reason my arms just started hurting... WOW..

EzzyT

Turning those 5' steel pipe wrenches are a work out

Paul S_3

I bought (1) 60 inch....and I have a 36 inch chain wrench...they should work? I never turned bigger than 4 inch

EzzyT

36" chain wrench capacity is 41/2" you'll need another 5' wrench

EzzyT

3 strand lamp wick and Permabond will do the job on those 6" nipples and pipe threads

Paul S_3

the 36 in chain wrench wraps around the fittings with a lot of slack.... seems like itll work....I believe JSTAR used this type of wrench with the 60in...ezzy when you say 3strand lamp wick...you mean the wick that comes in a ball? I was thinking lamp wick,megatape and megaloc.....Ive used that on 3 and 4in...has anybody used Ridgid's compound leverage wrench? looks big and bulky

ChrisJ

Amatuer question here, please don't take offense.

But, why would you need lampwick with good cut threads and quality fittings? Shouldn't Megaloc alone work just fine?

EzzyT

It will work with the chain wrenches but you'll have to put a lot of weight into it, yes lamp wick in a ball. Teflon on top of the lamp wick will work too.
Yes compound pipe wrenches are a bit bulky but there worth having, sometimes you just can't get that extra leverage with a pipe persuader or don't have the room for one that's when the compound pipe wrench comes in handy

Paul S_3

@ChrisJ I just would like to make sure turning all that pipe and then I have a leak....better safe then sorry....back in march I did a 4 in header I only used megatape and megaloc, no lamp wick worked fine.. I really never use lamp wick on new fittings

Paul S_3

@EzzyT do you have a compound wrench? do you use it often if you do?

ChrisJ

Paul S said:

@ChrisJ I just would like to make sure turning all that pipe and then I have a leak....better safe then sorry....back in march I did a 4 in header I only used megatape and megaloc, no lamp wick worked fine.. I really never use lamp wick on new fittings

On my 2" risers and 3" header I only used Megaloc dope on all new joints, nothing else. Into the block I used Blue Monster tape + Megalock just because I didn't like the feel of the threads. Also tape + dope into the original fittings on the mains.

The way I go, with the few things I do is if I can thread it together dry a few turns smoothly, I use only dope. If it binds fast, and feels poor I use tape and dope.

The only thing I've had problems with were female copper adapters which is why I've been using brass couplers + copper male adapters ever since. Never an issue since switching.

If I have to use nipples or fittings from Home Depot or Lowes I throw them out and find good material.

Of course, I haven't done a huge amount of threaded joints. Probably what I do in a year a typical contractor does in a day. But it works for me, so far. I only asked because I wanted to know Ezzy's reason for using lamp wick on the larger fittings. I thought perhaps because it's hard to "tighten the hell out of them" like you can with smaller stuff. You never know, I may end up with an EG-35 with a 5 or 6" header one day.

EzzyT

Chris the thread depth on 6" are really deep and Teflon tape just doesn't do it

EzzyT

Yes I do and use it not so often but when I need it I have it

ChrisJ

EzzyT said:

Chris the thread depth on 6" are really deep and Teflon tape just doesn't do it

I didn't think about the thread depth. Personally I feel PTFE tape works best at sealing, while dope works best at lubricating. So, you're reasoning of the wick because of the deeper threads makes sense in my mind.

SWEI

The old guys used litharge and glycerine. We have anaerobic threadlockers.

Paul S_3

some progress on 6 inch header.

Paul S_3

EzzyT

Looking good @Paul S

Fred

WoW! Beautiful!

EzzyT

What size boiler is that again?

Paul S_3

787K weil mclain 680....thanks guys

warno

Good gerd!!! I really hope the handle on that big wrench is aluminum. Makes me glad I weld everything, takes 10 times longer but my tools are light enough a child could use them.

Looks good man!

Dave0176

Paul show those welders there are still real men that can screw pipe lmaooooo.....

Paul S_3

Lmao

EzzyT

Hahaha

warno

It takes a real man to swing those wrenches. That's for sure! I've had to run my fair share of 1" and 2" pipe threading it together but never 6".

Paul S_3

i personally think the 4 in was harder connecting to the supply mains 9 feet high....6 inch is just really heavy but its a straight run....the 4 inch is tough to line up, up that high.....and big thanks to @EzzyT for all the help and tips

EzzyT

Those steel 5 footers are a workout lol. No problem @Paul S anytime

Sailah

Man I got tired just looking at those pictures. I need to go out to the plant and do some 2" steam trap curls...

EzzyT

Lmao

New England SteamWorks

Looking very nice indeed. Excellent design, perfect proportions, I see the equalizer already lined up to the return. Bravo! Can't wait for tomorrow's pics.

The Steam Whisperer

VERY NICE!!!! That boiler will have a mcuh better chance of having a long life with the movement allowed by those threaded fittings. I don't think I have seen a single big Weil (or for that better most any newer larger cast iron boiler) here in Chicago installed with threaded swing joints, let alone a drop header. Everything is welded right up to the block, often with no swing arms at all. Sometimes we'll see a few flanges on the boiler risers that may allow the block to move but that's it. 14 years for the LGB's and maybe a little longer for the 88's is the typical life we see with all welded piping on multiple riser boilers. Single riser boilers generally last about twice as long or more. It's great to see someone investing in piping it up for decades of life.

njtommy

Nice work.

Paul S_3

what do you guys think so far ? any suggestions to improve installation?
.....im piping storage tanks soon....i soldered on this job not the usual propress i had the time and have a bunch of sweat fittings .....im still not as good as @Stephen Minnich though....lol...thanks Paul S

Fred

Beautiful!

EzzyT

Beautiful as always @Paul S

Paul S_3

Thanks @EzzyT .....thanks again for all your help....Ezzy you are one knowledgable individual....i also found a few bottles of steamaster tablets....finally...there not that readily available.....