# Maybe you can use this?



## PLUMBER_BILL (Oct 23, 2009)

Yesterday I had a job whereas the C.P. Nipple [closet supply to wall] 2nd floor had a leak. I thought it was where the valve was screwed on. I held back on the nipple and turned off the valve. Leak was on the nipple, cracked thread. I put a 8" pipe wrench on the nipple and as I started to turn it felt like I was twisting copper tube. I stopped! Marked the outer edge of the escheution, drilled a few 1/4" holes in the wet-base tile, vintage 1960 era and made a little hole. Confirmed that some dead man before me pulled a fast one [no lug ell], just a 3/8" copper x 3/8 female 90. Back about 1-1/2 inches from the face of the tile. Now lucky me there was a hex on the casting. I took a tub faucet socket, found one that fit the hex, cut it off with a hack saw, slipped it over the hex, held back with a cresant wrench and screwed out the nipple. New nipple tightened in same way, new escheution, valve and riser -- job complete. No tile damaged, customer very -- VERY happy! This is one of those that could have been a nightmare of a repair job ... Just passen on the idea in case it ever comes up.


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## TheMaster (Jun 12, 2009)

I've had some of those nipples break at the threads back up in the wall at the 1/2"x3/8" fip ell. I've used an easyout and a socket extension to remove the remaining threads then screw in a new nipple or solder a 1/2"swt x 3/8" male on a piece of pipe and extend out of the wall with that and use a swt on stop valve.


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

Use can always use an inside wrench ... but in Bills case the pipe was not secure


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

I have a set of internal nipple extractors for those. Saves from having to open the wall and get a basin wrench on brass nipple.


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

*What About Shower Arm?*

How do you guys remove remaining threads from wing-ell inside wall when the shower arm breaks? I have found that a scratch-awl will work perfect. You insert point of awl between threads of wing-ell and threads of what's left of shw. arm and pry it out.


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## Hero Plumber (Sep 2, 2010)

little hack saw blade, cut till you get through the nipple thread(not the Eared Ell) pry with little screw driver.


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## smellslike$tome (Jun 16, 2008)

Although I'm glad it worked out for you, I'm not about to start cutting up my tools "to make it work". I'm all for ingenuity and thinking outside the box but there is a line not to be crossed. In this case, I would have had to inform the ho that we would have to go inside the wall because whoever originally installed the piping didn't do it properly and why it was not proper. Then I would open the wall, install the blocking, cut the offending fitting out and repipe using a drop eared ell, new nipple and new stop. I would then have handed her a card for either a drywall man or a tile man whichever was necessary. By doing it this way, in 20 years when she or the next ho has to replace the stop again, the handyman, neighbor, brother in law, or inexperienced plumber for that matter, won't twist the thing off inside the wall out of ignorance and flood every floor below.

Btw, great catch with respect to realizing something was not right and investigating rather than just charging ahead :thumbsup:.


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## pauliplumber (Feb 9, 2009)

smellslike$tome said:


> Although I'm glad it worked out for you, I'm not about to start cutting up my tools "to make it work". I'm all for ingenuity and thinking outside the box but there is a line not to be crossed. In this case, I would have had to inform the ho that we would have to go inside the wall because whoever originally installed the piping didn't do it properly and why it was not proper. Then I would open the wall, install the blocking, cut the offending fitting out and repipe using a drop eared ell, new nipple and new stop. I would then have handed her a card for either a drywall man or a tile man whichever was necessary. By doing it this way, in 20 years when she or the next ho has to replace the stop again, the handyman, neighbor, brother in law, or inexperienced plumber for that matter, won't twist the thing off inside the wall out of ignorance and flood every floor below.
> 
> Btw, great catch with respect to realizing something was not right and investigating rather than just charging ahead :thumbsup:.


I would have found a way to make it work as Bill did. Some of my customers won't even be around in 20 years, besides a solid brass nipple might last triple that or more.

IMO you would be making a project out of something that doesn't have to be.


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

Quick thinking Bill.:thumbsup: Tub socket is a cheap sacrifice for a solid repair.


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## RealLivePlumber (Jun 22, 2008)

If I have to custom modify a tool for a specific job, the customer pays for it, at list, and I replace it on the truck. I then have the new tool , as well as the custom tool. 


Open up the wall?:no:


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

Tommy plumber said:


> How do you guys remove remaining threads from wing-ell inside wall when the shower arm breaks? I have found that a scratch-awl will work perfect. You insert point of awl between threads of wing-ell and threads of what's left of shw. arm and pry it out.


I do that many times. But if it's difficult to get it started I have an easy out that I cut about 1/2 an inch off the end of that does the job...

I'd have to go out to the truck and check the size to be sure but I think it is a #7...

It takes them right out easy peasy...


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