Unscrewing Old Pipe

jwilber

I need to replace an elbow in my steam loop and am having one heck of a time unscrewing it from the main pipe. I have tried heating it and also have sprayed it with WD-40 on the threads in hopes of loosening it. Can you offer any suggestions as to how I can get this thing off?

brian_25

Try a hammer and a new fitting. Is it cast

Weezbo

hammer it three times it sets a rhythum...

sorta works like a tuning fork. you hammer the fitting oh and did i mention a bigger wrench?
cheater hars work wonders and use a hammer to tap on the cheater bar too. same deal it sets up a vibration that "works"on the threads...

lchmb

one more thing

make sure your pipe wrench is in fully against the 90, I have found applying a little heat, putting pressure on the wrench and rapping it with a hammer as I turn it work's...good luck

Weezbo

or break out theWeed burner and heat shields....

jwilber

I ended up cutting it off and pounding out the threaded portion with a cold chisel until it collapsed on itself. Absolute nightmare.

Alan(CaliforniaRadiant)Forbes

Ron, Jr.

gave us some lessons on removing steam pipes. Here's one of his pictures:

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Alan(CaliforniaRadiant)Forbes

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Alan(CaliforniaRadiant)Forbes

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Weezbo

That is my least favorite way of removing fittings,

i usually buy a new coupling that i run back an tighten on the threads take it back off flip it around and tighten it again...works for me...when i thread pipe i keep the coupling and run it off and on my threads before kickin it out the door.

Kal Row

dont tell me you replaced it without using flanges...

flanges, flanges, flanges - doused in teflon paste...
"dats how i do shteem" - the knuckles i save are usually my own = or if i am in the mood, i use K tickness copper, AC grade fitings and silver braze

oil-2-4-6-gas

.

so you had to cut out a nipple --i love doing that

hvacfreak

Portaband

.....one of the greatest inventions of the 20th century.

Weezbo

*~/:) A really good thought !

Thad English

galvanized

What are the odds of removing a galvanized pipe union from a steam main (it's been there for 5 years at a minimum)? any suggestions as to how to go about it? I yanked and banged and cheater-barred the thing, all to no avail. Is a sawzall in my future?

Kal Row

a sawall, 3blades and lots of cutting oil

Thad English

d'oh!!

I was hoping there was some dead-guy trick that would avoid the sawzall. Oh well.....

Dave Ewald

2\" Pipe Cheater Bar

I needed to remove a radiator valve. I heated it with a torch and used a used a pipe wrench (about 24", I think). I cut a 2" pipe into a 4 foot and a 6 foot length. I slipped the 4 foot length onto the wrench handle (not enough space for the 6 foot length) and it actually worked. With less luck I suppose I could have broke the pipe.

Joe_50

Thad take your sawzall and cut diagonally across the union half that you are working on getting off but becareful not to cut into the pipe threads. Once you get close to the threads then cut the face of the union inline with your diagonal cut. Get a cold chisel and give a few wacks into that cut on the face and it will split and come off without breaking your back fighting a wrench.

Alan(CaliforniaRadiant)Forbes

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Thad English

thx

Thanks Joe.