Post Tricks of the Plumbing Trade Here. - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

Ron The Plumber · 12-10-2006, 01:09 PM

Find a kink in 1-1/4 or 1-1/2 Wirsbo Pex no way to cut it out and fix it.

Use a torch, heat it only, don't burn it, pipe will turn clear, it will return to it's factory shape, let cool.

Ron The Plumber · 12-10-2006, 01:25 PM

Have an old galvinized nipple at wall needing to be replaced, too close to wall to for pipe wrench to grap it, to tight for channel locks to remove it with. Don't have the leverage.

Use your basin wrench on the end of nipple with crescent wrench to help assit in the removal.

Ron The Plumber · 12-10-2006, 04:52 PM

Still using a hacksaw / saw or tubing cutter to cut sink tubular parts want to cut them faster a cleaner?

Use your pvc cutter, squeeze down on place to cut apply pressure and twist around in a circle, I find the Victor Rachet Cutter best to use in the application.

Toothpick · 12-10-2006, 05:35 PM

I'm not a plumber but found this trick in a magazine. Use string such as a masons line to cut pvc, abs pipe in tight spots. Simply loop around the pipe and pull back and forth, I even had to try it out on some scrap and it really works.

mdshunk · 12-10-2006, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toothpick

I'm not a plumber but found this trick in a magazine. Use string such as a masons line to cut pvc, abs pipe in tight spots. Simply loop around the pipe and pull back and forth, I even had to try it out on some scrap and it really works.

Yep, I use that same trick for PVC conduit sometimes. It helps if you dip that string in some powdered cleanser like Ajax or Comet.

tzzzz216 · 12-10-2006, 05:58 PM

Want a nice looking solder joint clean fitting and pipe then use a leaded pencil and go around the pipe about a 1/16 " down from the fitting and the solder wont run past the lead .

**Double-A** · 12-10-2006, 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toothpick

I'm not a plumber but found this trick in a magazine. Use string such as a masons line to cut pvc, abs pipe in tight spots. Simply loop around the pipe and pull back and forth, I even had to try it out on some scrap and it really works.

This will not work is the PVC or ABS is under water.

**Double-A** · 12-10-2006, 11:58 PM

When using type L or K soft copper, leave it longer than you need while bending by hand. This will allow you to use the added length at each end as leverage and will not tend to deform or oval the ends that will recieve a fitting.

A light touch with slip joint pliers will help to reform the end of a deformed piece of copper tubing.

When you need a bend in copper, but don't have any soft copper on hand, only hard drawn, remove the temper from the copper by heating it to red hot with your torch and allow to cool down to ambient temperature, then bend. This technique is great for getting around an obstacle in a wall without any added joints or the fuss of soldering in fittings.

Be sure to heat a large 6" - 12" length.

**Double-A** · 12-11-2006, 12:07 AM

The thread-in on NPT threads is 1/2" up to 2" diameter pipe.

Ron The Plumber · 12-11-2006, 08:48 AM

Have a water heater element that you don't have the leverage to get it to unscrew?

Use your basin wrench, opens just wide enough to grip the edges on it, then with a pipe wrench for leverage, it should unscrew from there now.

Ron The Plumber · 12-11-2006, 08:51 AM

Left shop without your ohm meter to test water heater elements, need to know if an element is working?

Turn power off and feel the tank where element is, if hot then it's a working, cold then it's not.

a1plumbingyakim · 12-12-2006, 10:16 PM

although not "right" a hub of a 3" abs fitting will glue and test inside a piece of 4" abs pipe.

don't throw away your scraps of abs...use them as rigid spacers for your crawler work, cut them in 1" increments and you have set your grade with your spacers and tape.

tired of sheetrockers covering clean outs, cut a short piece of 1 1/2 abs and force it over your raised clean out plug, cut another short piece of 2" abs and slide it over the 1 1/2" piece glueing the end slightly, this makes the sheetrocker cut for your clean out, and then you just break off the stub and screw in a clean out cover. the 2" lets you get that plug out too without jabbing sheet rock. i'll take some pics, works great.

if your dobber for your abs breaks off in the can...small piece of pex with a bit of cloth ziptied to it....

spray your stubs with cooking oil, paint wipes right off

threads break off at the fitting, inside wrench won't work, carefully cut out a section of the threads, drive a punch or old screwdriver between the remaining threads and the fitting, pops right out.

twenty bucks to a guy that needs his fix, saves your back.......
lifting, digging, etc

abs cut at 45* and spun and hammered through the dirt makes a good tunneler, and sleeve for new pipe, under sidewalks on a service repipe etc

plumber jay · 12-13-2006, 05:23 PM

[quote=

spray your stubs with cooking oil, paint wipes right off

[/quote]
Leave your stubs unglued.

If you are doing a copper dwv rough
On your clean out for the urinal have a coupling just inside the wall with an unsoldered stub out. So when you are finnishing you pull it out cut your piece then solder it through the inside and your done. Because it is always a pain to try to cut the copper flush to the wall without damaging the wall

plumber jay · 12-13-2006, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Double-A

When you need a bend in copper, but don't have any soft copper on hand, only hard drawn, remove the temper from the copper by heating it to red hot with your torch and allow to cool down to ambient temperature, then bend. This technique is great for getting around an obstacle in a wall without any added joints or the fuss of soldering in fittings.

Be sure to heat a large 6" - 12" length.

This is not legal in my area.

**Teetorbilt** · 12-13-2006, 06:57 PM

The process is called annealing, it works with copper and brass. If you use an O/A rig, touch off just the acetylene and blacken the part then heat until the carbon goes away and let air cool. Make your bends, repeat the process and quench in water to bring the temper back.

A REALLY old dude taught me this trick, he's now 83. He was a career welder in the Navy from WWII through the nukies and was nuclear certified.

a1plumbingyakim · 12-19-2006, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by plumber jay

Leave your stubs unglued.

not too easily accomplished when you must test your waste system or especially when you have your copper bullets stubbed out for your H2O rough.

**Double-A** · 12-22-2006, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by plumber jay

This is not legal in my area.

Jay, why would this not be legal in your area?

I understand many model codes do not allow for use of 'soft drawn copper' or limit it to 2' of vertical-only runs.

I'm just curious.

Squench · 12-23-2006, 01:57 AM

Recycle those plastic bags. When pulling a W/C and removing the old wax ring, stuff your hand in the bag, then into the flange and drag the old wax off the flange. Flip it inside out and there you go all bagged up nice and neat. I also carry a small wet/dry vac to suck out the trap to keep down on excess splashing. I vac out the tank when changing a fill valve also. It's much easier to work without all that Chinese water torture.

Squench · 12-23-2006, 02:02 AM

Oh, here's a good one...If you have a toilet flange that needs to be anchored to slab, but there's too much crete missing, or is too grainy to bite the screw threads, hammer slivers of wood in there as tight as you can, and pack it down good with a punch tool or swedge. Then screw to the wood. Sits Like an ANVIL BABY!!!

a1plumbingyakim · 12-23-2006, 02:36 AM

when draining water heaters, disconnect the hot side and put your 3/4" gas test gauge on the dielectric nipple and with your compressor force the water out of the water heater through your hose hooked to the drain.

sioux chief makes what's called a no putty gasket, use it in place of plumbers putty, works great baskets don't spin while tightening $.48/ea

another sioux chief product....plastic closet bolts....they are cool...