Cheap Pipe Threader???

AdmiralYoda

Contemplating the idea of re-piping my boiler myself. I'm going to run into a few 2" nipples that will have to be cut to size and a hand full of 1.25" ones as well.

I don't have the pipe threading tools and the name brands are big $$$. I see Harbor Freight has a set for cheap but that isn't saying much. Anyone ever give one a shot?

With a 90 day warrantee I can probably go through a half dozen of them if I break things.

leonz

You will be better off buying pipe cutting oil, renting a pipe threader, pipe reamer, pipe cutter, pipe dies and pipe taps for this ordeal as it will take you much less time.

SlamDunk

i used a HF hand threader.    it did alright but by the end, the die was shot.  

Mad Dog_2

I have an old, working  set...all.sizes... I can give you,  Yoda..Just pick up shipping and they're yours, Bro.  Where you located?  Mad Dog 

JUGHNE

Two years ago I did 3 boilers like this in a small room.

Only had to cut 1- 2" thread and some 1/2-3/4-1".

All had double drop risers dropping into a 3" header.

There are precut nipples available from Supply House. com.
95% of the piping are those nipples.

I had all summer to do this and with planning was able to avoid custom pipe cuts.

AdmiralYoda

Thanks for the comments and advice guys! After staring at my pipe configuration it looks like I'll be threading two 2" nipples and two 1.25" nipples per main to re-pipe the near boiler piping. Then from there whatever it takes to make the Hartford loop.

I'll be following the Peerless 63 install manual as my 43 year old boiler is the predecessor to this boiler and hast the steam capacity equivalent of the 63-03. Even though the new manual states to use a single supply connection, I'll be using two as that is how my boiler is currently configured. (Though I have no header...just two supplies feeding the individual mains!!!

@Mad Dog_2 that is very generous of you, thank you!!! PM sent!

AdmiralYoda

Here is the only picture I can dig out at the moment. I have a single pipe counterflow system. No header. Just two supplies feeding the individual 2" mains. They are not connected at all.

The previous owners moved radiators around a few times so there are some dead ends above the boiler, some 10ft long. I'd like to get rid of it all and start fresh.

Why am I doing this to a 43 year old boiler? Well it still runs good and is a bit oversized, so I'd like to make its remaining life as comfortable as possible. Secondly, at some point it will need to be replaced...and the new piping I put in will transfer over to the new boiler without much fuss. That will save me some $$$ when the time comes.



The controls have been updated. My Magnahelic filled up with water...had to raise it up six inches but this is all I've got for a picture.

mattmia2

I used a harbor fright hand pipe threader to thread some pipe to add another line from the meter to a grill and do a few other things. I think it was mostly 3/4" and 1". After the 50 or so threads i made the ratchet was pretty wonky.

dko

For 4 nipples it's hardly worth the effort, time, and money for the tools.

No nearby plumbing shops to cut and thread? Probably worth a drive if you know the lengths you need.

Unless you're really remote and/or you just want the pleasure of DIY.

Also probably cheaper to just ship you the custom length nipples than the tools necessary to do it.

If all else fails and you have the exact measurements, I can cut and thread and ship you the nipples. Then again, you'd probably want it cut and threaded the same time you found out your measurements.

ChrisJ

I bought a Ridgid 65R-TC.

But Mad Dog's offer is very hard to beat.

I had tried using places like Homer, Lowes and a local supply house near me but they messed up so many times I gave up. Especially when trying to work between two fixed objects like a main and a radiator.

I feel the 65R was a very good investment.

mattmia2

ChrisJ said:

I had tried using places like Homer, Lowes and a local supply house near me but they messed up so many times I gave up. Especially when trying to work between two fixed objects like a main and a radiator.

You could always make a deal with a supply house or hardware store with a threader and bring them the cut pipe to thread in their machine.

ChrisJ

mattmia2 said:

ChrisJ said:

I had tried using places like Homer, Lowes and a local supply house near me but they messed up so many times I gave up. Especially when trying to work between two fixed objects like a main and a radiator.

You could always make a deal with a supply house or hardware store with a threader and bring them the cut pipe to thread in their machine.

I had variations in how deep they were threading the pipe it wasn't their cut length necessarily, although one of them screwed that one up too. I think they were an inch short.

When you're trying to match up two items that can't move, how the threads fit really starts to matter.

Now with the 65R-TC I can make everything fit fairly easily.

mattmia2

Doesn't it need to be able to move a couple percent to deal with temp changes and expansion?

ChrisJ

mattmia2 said:

Doesn't it need to be able to move a couple percent to deal with temp changes and expansion?

I guess the steam main moves.

I didn't install the system you know......


Or, the pipe can move some within a hole in the floor, but it needs to be in a certain spot otherwise it'll rub when it's hot, or rub when it's cold etc.

HomerJSmith

Threading 2" pipe with a hand threader is an unbelievable chore. You need a lot of leverage to make that die turn, beside which, you have to secure that pipe while doing it, gasp. There is a minimum length of pipe that can be threaded, so you buy short nipples.
Harbor Freight does have a insurance policy that you can buy, so if anything breaks or wears you can get it replaced. In your case, I would buy it.
Chinese tools vary in quality. Some are good and some not so good. Choose thou!

ChrisJ

HomerJSmith said:

Threading 2" pipe with a hand threader is an unbelievable chore. You need a lot of leverage to make that die turn, beside which, you have to secure that pipe while doing it, gasp. There is a minimum length of pipe that can be threaded, so you buy short nipples.
Harbor Freight does have a insurance policy that you can buy, so if anything breaks or wears you can get it replaced. In your case, I would buy it.

That's why the 65R is a receding threader.
With such a tool it's not an unbelievable chore. Just slow but plenty fast enough for a DIYer.

mattmia2

There are fixtures to hold short nipples for threading as well. I'm sure @ChrisJ has a lathe he could use too.

I think the harbor freight threader I bought had a lifetime warranty.

Rusty2

Admiral - A decent chain vise helps also if you're not threading up in the air. That was very generous of Mad Dog to offer you his set of dies. Also if you don't have a pipe cutter a pair of stainless steel hose clamps work pretty well for a guide to cut pipe with a Sawzall. Get the best blade you can find. I've found you can make a pretty square cut this way. Just use plenty of oil.

Rusty2

Sorry Admiral, I meant use plenty of oil on the die, but you knew that.

AdmiralYoda

@Rusty2 I've got a decent 6" bench vice that has teeth to hold pipe up to about 3" in diameter. Hopefully that will do the trick! And thanks for the tip on the SS hose clamp ad a cutting guide!

My original plan was to swap a metal blade onto an older cheaper miter saw for the rest of its days...

EBEBRATT-Ed

I agree with @ChrisJ 65R is a great threader especially if your hand threading. Only downside as I recall is you can't thread less than about a 7" piece. You just have to plan what you are doing so you don't need a nipple between 6-7" or so because over 6" nipples only come in 1" increments. But you can also use two shorter nipples and a coupling to get by.

I would search for a plumbing supply to cut and thread for you.

JUGHNE

The one 2" thread I needed was done by my friendly lumber/hardware store.
It was even my own pipe that I had.

For the smaller pipe I have a Rigid 600 electric that goes up to 1 1/4".
Although before having that threader, I did more threading of the smaller sizes by hand than after getting the 600. Might have been younger then.

You couldn't see it in the picture but the 3" risers off that header drop into 4".
I brought a length of 4" black pipe and several 4" nipples.
Then a welder would cut the nipples in half and weld up lengths of 4" pipe with those as the threaded ends.

It takes a lot of grab power to hold 3 and 4" pipe even for assembly of nipples and fittings. A chain will hold the pipe without crushing or egg shaping.

If you do a double drop header, maybe consider 3" header made up of nipples as I did, the drop header lets you swivel the risers to land on the tees of the header.

And if you change the boiler, then you have that advantage of the swivel.

Did you consider working backwards from existing mains?
The header does not have to be parallel to the mains.
The boiler risers can 45/90 over to the perpendicular header.
The less old fittings you have to deal with, the better, IMO.

Mad Dog_2

I may have my old oiler too for you. I'll check in the barn tonight.  I treated myself to a Brand new Ridgid 1/2 -2 " Set and an oiler.  2" isn't too bad by hand.  Just a workout..The 65 R is great. I used to have 4 of them that I got free.  Anyone remember the Armstrong hand Dies? Mad 🐕 Dog 

AdmiralYoda

Just about all the pipe in the picture is being tossed.  In the background, upper left you can see a 1.5" pipe going through a stud.  I might change that out to 2" to match the other main.

I'll be adding another radiator off of that main for a bump out addition.

The pipe at the top right of the picture is heading to the other main.

The plan is to cut and chisel off the old connector at those joints and build backwards to a drop header.

Mad Dog_2

Noice....Going to come out great.. You got real good Ridgid Pipe Wrenches?  Mad Dog 🐕 

AdmiralYoda

I've got generic 12", a 50 year old 24" and I'm thinking of getting Chinesium 36" or 48" one.

Big Ed_4

Cutting pipe , Ridgid ... right tool...

mattmia2

AdmiralYoda said:

I've got generic 12", a 50 year old 24" and I'm thinking of getting Chinesium 36" or 48" one.

buy aluminum

oh, and the harbor freight pipe cutter is like $15.

Put a unibit in a drill to ream it.

The 6" bench vise works ok up to 1" but it isn't the most secure thing for threading pipe, it is a bit more than the swivel base is really designed to handle. i have a screw type pipe vise that i got cheap off ebay.

mattmia2

I got something like this:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/374813649836

AdmiralYoda

@mattmia2 Thank you for the good tips! Looking at the price that is a no brainer! I might come up with something to swap that OR my bench vice onto studs to swap around.

Now I'm going to be looking for old tools on ebay to fix up. Probably cheaper than the chinese imports and still better even after 100 years of wear. My wife my not like this new hobby....

36"Walworth-Stillson

Vintage Pipe Reamer - Up to 2.5", 1898

mattmia2

As someone who got a taper shank reamer off ebay and used it in a brace i can say i highly recommend getting a unibit knockoff and putting it in an electric drill

Mad Dog_2

I've got and used Aluminum & Iron Pipe Wrenches.  For larger screw pipe, the traditional, Ridgid, Big Red Iron wrenches do much of the work for you with their extra heft.  You expend less energy and don't need as much Arm-shoulder 💪 Crushing Head-lock power. Iron Wrenches also hold up much better with a Fulcrum pipe on the end of it...Aluminum will take a nice bend on it.  Mad Dog 🐕 

ChrisJ

JUGHNE

ChrisJ, so you're left handed.

ChrisJ

JUGHNE said:

ChrisJ, so you're left handed.

I didn't draw Quagmire.....

CLamb

As a homeowner I find that threading pipe by hand is the best upper body exercise I've had. I hate lifting weights and using machines only for exercise. I'm highly motivated when I want to thread pipe. I've threaded up to 2.5".

Mad Dog_2

I always switch up arms from my Powerlifting/Bodybuilding days..Symmetry...Thats why the Old Timers had  Popeye Arms and  Bull Necks...Large, meaty hands..even the smaller men..Mad Dog

ChrisJ

Mad Dog_2 said:

I always switch up arms from my Powerlifting/Bodybuilding days..Symmetry...Thats why the Old Timers had  Popeye Arms and  Bull Necks...Large, meaty hands..even the smaller men..Mad Dog

Just so there's no confusion.... Those memes are several years old.

ethicalpaul

Jugne has it right. Buy the nipples from supply house, especially the 2” ones. I bought a Chinese threader from Amazon probably the same as HF and it worked well but I’d hate to thread 1-1/2 or 2” with it. 1-1/4 was about all my bench could do. My arm could maybe do 1-1/2 but I didn’t have to find out. 2” I’m sure I’d never get there 

I got the chain vise and the pipe cutter to complete the set, they worked great too.

1/2, 3/4, and 1” were easy and I’m glad to have the set for my needs there

PC7060

Mad Dog_2 said:

I have an old, working  set...all.sizes... I can give you,  Yoda..Just pick up shipping and they're yours, Bro.  Where you located?  Mad Dog 

@Mad Dog_2 - Still looking for a home for the set? 

Mad Dog_2

Ha ha..Isn't that John L Sullivan?  Irish Bareknuckle Champ? I believe he once fought close to 100 rounds.  Admiral Yoda is getting them soon...gonna dig them outta the Barn this weekend.  Threading 2" by hand is not that hard...just a good work out...you gotta get a rhythm going and throw your whole body in to it, not just your arms..ya gotta heave ho....up...down...lots of cutting oil...thats your 10secs of rest....Mad Dog 🐕