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Author:
Jonny (WA)
I'm in the final stages of my shower remodel and ready to install final plumbing fixtures. I had a plumber out to do rough-in work a month ago but figured I could handle the 'easy' job of putting a few fixtures up myself. The shower set up has both a fixed shower head and a wand on a hose, problem is with this wand/hose connection. There are 3 parts to connect here; roughed in connection behind wall, fixture that sits flush on the shower wall and a short piece of 1/2" threaded pipe between those 2 things. I have two sections of pipe, 2" and 2 1/2", unfortunately neither really work. The 2 1/2" is a good 1/8" too long and the 2" is obviously too short. I've called around to several plumbing suppy places to see if by any chance anyone carries a 2 1/4" piece or can thread a piece that short, no to both.
I'm thinking my only option is to apply quite a bit of (Teflon) pipe tape to the threads of the 2" section and cross my fingers but is there a better choice for this? I'm a little leary on having that much tape on there and having it leak. The pipe tape is actually what the plumber said to do if I needed to use the 2" section of pipe. Would using either pipe tape or pipe dope be "better" in this situation?
I know the threads are tapered on the pipe so I'm guessing cutting an 1/8" or so off the longer piece wouldn't really do anything for me.
Any help here would be greatly appreciated as I'm hoping to finish this job ASAP. And pulling some tile and opening the wall isn't really an option I want to do.
Edited 1 times.
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Author:
Paul48 (CT)
Maybe an escutcheon from Plumbing Supply. com?
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Author:
Plumberpalmer (MA)
More muscle on the fitting you should be able to get that 1/8" more you need.
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Author:
m & m (MD)
Can you "make" a nipple by soldering a 1/2" copper male adapter on either end of copper pipe to the exact measurement you need?
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Author:
packy (MA)
as my friend from MD says, two 1/2 copper by male adapters with a short piece of copper inbetween to give you the 2 1/4 inch piece you need.
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Author:
KCRoto (MO)
I think I would add silicone underneath and muscle it on. Any remaining void will be filled and water won't get behind it. I would use a brass nipple, and not chance a leak with copper fittings and a sweated connection in a location that you can't see. My vote is for more muscle, it should get you what you need, just add a little bit of silicone grease to the female threads.
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Author:
srloren (CA)
I vote for the short copper piece between two 1/2" mips adaptors. BTW, I like the soft silver solder. It melts at a lower temperature and flows like it should when heated to the proper temp.
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Author:
packy (MA)
srloren , i don't think you mean silver solder, i think you mean lead free, silver bearing solder.
silver soldering the adapters would require so much heat that the copper would be annealed and turn into soft copper.
so we have 2 votes for soldered adapters and 2 votes for cranking in brass nipples.
one more vote for each side and we will have a tie.
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Author:
North Carolina Plumber (NC)
In that situation I always sweat 2 male adapters back to back.
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Author:
srloren (CA)
You are correct. I misnamed it. It is silver bearing solder....good stuff for low temp applications. I learned to Silver Solder while working at San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant. It is not near as simple as soft soldering. We would Silver Solder 2"x6" pieces of copper Type L together with a 2" Coupling. We would then cut the pieces of pipe off about 1/4" from the coupling and then turn it vertical and cut the circle into quarters. We would then flatten these quarters with a 3 lb sledge hammer and split the coupling from the pipe to see that we had 100% coverage with the silver. As I recall we took a day to practice and the next day we soldered for the test and certification. I enjoyed that work in the Welder's Lab. If you didn't silver solder for a period of a year, you had to retest in order to make those joints...
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Author:
bernabeu (SC)
or
make a nipple of the exact required length
without a 'nipple chuck'
yep, you heard me, ANY length of actual NPT nipple using ANY proper die/machine + a hacksaw
(albeit it will waste 4-6" of pipe)
It cost me a $20 bet to find out how !
free answer:
cut a 4-6" 'running' thread
(for 1/2 or 3/4) measure and mark 3/4" from ending shoulder back along running thread (you will be keeping this tapered thread section)
mark and cut other end for required nipple length
chuck the running thread end
cut thread
hacksaw off the (now) extraneous running thread section (leaving the NPT intact)
VOILA: any length actual tapered thread nipple of any length desired
not for production work, but works well for the one 'oddball' needed
==============================================
"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638
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Author:
ravi102769 (VA)
Just use two copper male adapters as stated above and use type K copper for strength.
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Author:
packy (MA)
type 'K' for strength is a good idea but I don't think I would buy a 10 foot length so I could cut a 1 1/2 inch nipple.
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Author:
Jonny (WA)
Thanks all for your suggestions. When I originally tried test fitting the 2 1/2" nipple I had 2 or 3 wraps of Teflon tape tightly wrapped on one end of it and thus had the issues I originally posted about (figuring with tape on both ends it would never make it). After posting this yesterday I took the tape off and tried again and it fit fine. I ended up putting pipe dope on both ends (instead of Teflon tape) and installing it and it actually went on even easier. So it looks like problem averted, this time.
Thanks again for all the input on this!
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Author:
hj (AZ)
And you had to pay someone $20.00 to figure this out? REversing the dies and threading the nipple backwards will do the same thing.
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Author:
bernabeu (SC)
no, it will NOT 'do the same thing
the bet was:
I can make a close (or any length you say) nipple using a '300' without any type of nipple chuck .. wanna bet?
You are partially correct about reversing the dies on a ratchet stock to thread a 'gas stubout' close to the wall.
==============================================
"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638
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