Taking apart steam pipe

tommyoil

and in with the new.

David Hohengasser

Taking apart steam pipe

I am in the process of correcting my near boiler piping. Some was installed in 1987 and a smaller protion in 1997. Is there any "tricks of the trade" for taking apart the old piping? Or do you guys just cut it out and scrap old and buy new?

Ken_8

One tip.

Pray your installer used cast iron fittings.

We don't unscrew old pipe. We crack the elbows and tees using a "striker" hammer; and a larger "anvil" hammer.

Buck up the fitting on one side with something the size of a 10 lb. sledge. Strike the opposite side of the fitting with a 1-2 lb hammer. One good blow and the dissasembly is done for you. If however malleable fittings were used, borrow a torch or Sawzall and get busy.

Let us know how you make out.

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David Hohengasser

To Ken

When you say "buck up" the back side of the fittings, please explain in more detail. Where do you strike the fitting? On the threaded area or the thinner section in between?

Jim Bennett

C.I. Fittings

I might issue a word of caution regarding the use of a hand sledge to remove piping. Cast iron fittings can be broken "fairly" easily, but you still need to know what you are doing. What Ken means by "buck up" is to have a good size piece of steel (i.e. a ten pound sledge) against the fitting on the opposite side from where you strike it. This helps absorb the rebound shock from the blow and concentrate all the energy on the fitting.

But- if you do it wrong, you may transfer alot of the shock and vibration to your boiler which is also cast iron.

When you are removing an old boiler for replacement, you don't care. But you want to keep yours!

A sawzall and some Lenox 818 blades should be pretty quick and less stressful.

Good luck,
Jim