Not a plumber

darmajazz71

So I found an article talking about 11/16 copper pipe. I’m Replacing toilet innards, shut off valve stripped. Cut off copper pipe past previous sweated area….. 1/2 inch compression ring still won’t go on. Trying to sand down edge….

Larry Weingarten

Hi, Is there room to sweat a 1/2" male adapter onto the copper pipe? Also, when a dull tubing cutter is used, it can raise a burr around the pipe, right at the end. This can make it hard to get fittings on. A small flat file can be used to take that burr down. Or maybe once that burr is gone, you'll be able to get the compression ring/ferrule in place.

Yours, Larry

darmajazz71

I don’t know how to sweat on anything. There’s room…. I’ve sanded down any burrs…. The pipe is just a hair bigger then the 1/2 inch compression ring…. It’s sooooo frustrating!!! House was built well in 1973… probably will have to call a plumber which is so irritating!!!  

Alan (California Radiant) Forbes

For 1/2" copper, you need a 5/8" compression ring.

DJD775

Did you cut something that looks like this? If so that is soldered over the copper pipe and it will need to be removed in order for a new valve to fit.

Larry Weingarten

Hi, Two ideas come to mind. First is to run your fingers down the pipe and off the cut end. Fingers are sensitive and will feel if there is any burr remaining. I'm not able to sand burrs off, I need to use a file, or it isn't a smooth (flush with the pipe) job. The other idea is to get another ferule from a different store/supplier. There is a chance what you have wasn't properly machined. I had to replace an angle stop a few days ago. Got one at a big box and found the threads were cut too small. Yes. Frustrating...irritating!

Yours, Larry

mattmia2

Is there a solder drip on the bottom making the pipe bigger? Is the pipe copper color? Could always flare it, the flaring tool would compress and stretch the copper a little as needed.

Zipper13

You probably found my post here too. I found an article supporting that my pipe was a weird size, but really it was just that I had regular 1/2" with a sleeve over it as shown by @DJD775 . with liberal heat form a torch and a careful hand with a small file, I was able to peel back the sleeve from the copper like a an old sardine can. I could fit the compression fitting on OK, but I feared that I had melted the joint in the upstream elbow...it took a lot of heat... so I opened the wall and replaced it back to the elbow in the wall like I should have done from teh start.