cutting legs of rad.

nick z.

H.O. was doing his own plumbing on bathroom remodel.Now he calls and says since the brought the floor up the Rad. won't fit. Now he wants me to fix it, I'm wondering if any of you guys ever cut a 1/4 0r 1/2" of rad. legs?

ScottMP

Nick

I've never cut the legs off and I don't think I would recommend it.

Here's what I have done, used a fitting that is 1/2 male x 1/2" female. Many times this extends the riser just enough for the new tile job. These fittings come brass and black mallable.

Good Luck

Scott


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hot_rod

nipple extenders

is what we called them. We used them when we did fire sprinkler work to extend heads. Should be able to find them at plumbing and heating suppliers. I think we used a Ward brand. Steel, galv, or brass are available.

Yo can also build one with copper fittings. Use a copper street by fip adapter with a mip or urinal adapter. Sounds like an off the shelf. black steel extender would be best for your application, however.

This is a FIP adapter with a 1" brass urnial adapter over it. It allows some adjustment before you sweat it up.

hot rod

ScottMP

HR

We call that a scully bushing. Sound familair ?

Or is it a Bostin Thing .

Scott

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Geno_9

Try this

I had an old house once with steam they put new flooring in and then the radiators were too high to go back in. I marked the floor and using a router cut small holes to match the leg bottoms. Since it was a one pipe steam system I pitched them too. You couldn't tell looking right at them but you have to make accurate measurements /markings / cutting. It was real easy and fast.
Gene

jeff_13

sometimes you can pull up the riser if not cemented to the floor just put or pipe wrench around pipe and with a small block of wood under wrench push down on handle sometimes lifts the pipe

Unknown

Bad idea, lifting the pipe

It usually changes the pitch of the main beneath the floor, causing it to hold water near the new "high spot".

I've seen this done a lot, and to fix it, you let the pipe back down to where it used to be, and procede as the others have suggested.

Noel

hot_rod

Scully?? sounds like

an Eastern thang. Maybe a nautical term

You say potato I say potahto.

hot rod

Brian_19

rad legs

Cut the legs on the radiators. I did it many times. It is very simple and does not hurt a thing.

Unknown

Some legs are hollow

some aren't.

Check it out next time you break up a radiator for disposal.

Noel

Mark J Strawcutter

Sounds like something you'd find...

in a body-piercing shop.

Mark

hot_rod

stumpy!

We've cut the legs when riser nipples don't offer the proper adjustment. Although I've never (yet) experienced a problem with hollow legs, there's always that chance & I've never cut off more than 1/2". Gotta watch those "new" feet to avoid screwing up the flooring when positioning the rad - sharper edges.

Agree with the caution regarding jamming the riser upward with a block and lever (typically a pipe wrench while standing on it!), although I've seen a number of one-pipe systems in row homes that have benefited from re-pitching the side arm that conmes off of the main line to eliminate the settling in a 100 year old home that has caused those lines to go level or fall the wrong way. In those cases we've used hardwood plugs under the legs or the steel risers made just for radiator legs - look like oversized thimbles. Come to think of it, I haven't seen one of those for years! Typically fluted at the base for looks.

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johj f wisker

cutting rad legs

i also have cut the legs its a pain, you have to make sure the legs are all even.i dont recommend lifting up the radiator valve i have seen the spud just shear off after a few cycles especially on the cheap inports.eather use an
extention coupling or carefuly cape out the old nipple, through the hole in the floor under the f&c plate, i feel that this is the best job and you dont look like you are trying to adapt something like a handyman would

ScottMP

Me Too

I Knew we were both older than Hunt.

I 've tried to find those things for years and everyone looks at me like I am ..... well Old.

Scott

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Dave Yates (PAH)

Hunt's just a kid & I think I remember being 40!

What were we taking about.........(G)

I look around the shop & see if I can find them. Probably upstairs in the really old storage area with the Model-T parts! (I'm not kidding.)

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Geno_10

Legs

I honestly can't believe you guys are all talking about cutting radiators and cutting pipe. Why make it so hard? Leave the pipes alone- domino's, opening a can of worms. You cut the radiator?? Are you brave! Without x-ray vision I'd never do that. You drill out the floor the same diameter as the leg dropping it 1/4". Done. End of story. You cut into a hollow leg you end up with scrap metal. You mess with the pipes and you'll be repairing leaks in the area or at the next few joints. My Dept Head is sitting next to me wanting to know the same thing. I asked his opinion because I thought perhaps I was eccentric. I am but, we found that we have both done the same thing in discussing this problem. The poor person who originallly inquired about this must be confused by now.
Geno

Dave Yates (PAH)

last time

The last time I had to do that, it was from a HO installing ceramic tile in a 2nd floor bath (1-pipe steam system). He'd managed to undo the union and remove the rad from under the vanity top, but now he'd raised the floor & a riser nipple threw me up too high to match union faces. The counter top did not allow me to raise the radiator to match a riser nipple adjustment either. The pipe, she wasn't budging - not even a smidge. The only method, short of removing tile where the legs sat - which I sure as heckfire wasn't about to try - was to shave off the legs. A sawzall & a few minutes later all was ok. Pieces of cardboard under the legs preserved the flooring as the rad was shifted about.

In more than 30 years of working with ancient radiators and steam systems, I've never encountered a problem cutting a wee bit off of the legs. Now that I've said that, every stinking one I cut over the next 30 years will be as hollow as a tin can!

I've got a few old rads hanging around. If I get some free time (HAH!) over the next couple of weeks, I'm going to try cutting one closer to the section & see how hollow it really is.

Scott, I didn't find them yet, but there's many a nook & cranny yet to be peered into in this 103 year old cluster of buildings. As I was searching, my memory showed me an image that suggests I saw a stack of them (maybe six) tucked away somewhere many years ago.

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Brian_19

cutting legs

I have never seen a hollow leg. Not to say it does not exist,but I would say most legs are solid.
With a new blade it takes me no longer than 10 to 15 minutes to cut the legs and remove the rough edges with a file. Unless using a diamond hole saw I do not see how you can cut ceramic floor tile quicker. Some of that tile is very tough. I cut many radiator legs and no hollow legs and no problems.

Brian_19

cutting legs

I have never seen a hollow leg. Not to say it does not exist,but I would say most legs are solid.
With a new blade it takes me no longer than 10 to 15 minutes to cut the legs and remove the rough edges with a file. Unless using a diamond hole saw I do not see how you can cut ceramic floor tile quicker. Some of that tile is very tough. I cut many radiator legs and no hollow legs and no problems. Quick and easy.

J.C.A._3

Noel...

Hit it right on the head .When Mr. Milne started reading me this post this a.m. , I said before he got the words out , "but what if the legs are hollow?"

A pile of older steam radiators DID have hollow legs, but it was less prevelent with hot water radiators. Really. I'm not lying !

Pull the bottom connection first and measure the depth of the leg , if at all possible before cutting into a "perfectly healthy body" .

The cutting of the floor method works ...if you've got enough flooring to work with. I'm also not a big fan (like Milne) as it always seems to look like an out of place corrections. With steam it makes the job work, but the "nitpickers" will always point it out to you .

As in most of our work, it is all up to the individual to make the decision as to what will work and look best . Just be careful and do it right. Callbacks for something so easily avoided stink !. Chris

Unknown

Chris, I realized that...

A lot of guys never see houses this old, never mind radiators. Working in New England has exposed us to a whole lot of history. Some parts of the country weren't parts of the country at all, when these radiators were poured.

I love this business!

Noel