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I’m about to replace some of the brass water pipes to PEX in my basement. I bought an adapter fitting at a plumbing supply store(picture 1) and cut the cold water pipe(picture 2). I tried to remove the pipe from the old fitting in order to install the adapter (picture 3). The problem is the pipe stuck in the fitting. I used heat gun to melt the glue down but it doesn’t work. I don’t know what kind of glue the plumbers used in 1947. It’s very strong. Please give me some advice.

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sol1000
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You need two pipe wrenches - one for the pipe and one for the fitting so you don’t damage the other pipes.

However, I would likely go with a solder fitting to get to what you want if that is so tight.

Solar Mike
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  • A little heat would probably soften the thread compound. – isherwood Dec 03 '21 at 15:35
  • @isherwood OP mentions heat in the original post, but a louisiana spanner would probably provide more... – Solar Mike Dec 03 '21 at 15:43
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    Thanks. Missed that. To clarify, a _lot_ of heat, like what a plumber's torch would provide. The pipe itself need to be quite warm to the touch. I suspect that the heat gun wasn't adequately implemented. – isherwood Dec 03 '21 at 15:46
  • @isherwood Couldn't ***a lot*** of heat affect adjacent joints and cause those joints to start leaking unless you could re-tighten them as well? – MonkeyZeus Dec 03 '21 at 18:44
  • I wouldn't think so unless they were rotated, breaking the bond. I have limited thread compound experience, though. – isherwood Dec 03 '21 at 19:14
  • It's brass pipe you can solder onto, +1. Turn *nothing* with a pipe wrench or you might not get to stop. – Mazura Dec 03 '21 at 23:01
  • @SolarMike A "Louisiana Spanner"? Not from Louisiana... no idea what you're referring to.... – gnicko Dec 04 '21 at 00:08
  • Googled Louisiana Spanner and got thie - https://mechanics.stackexchange.com/questions/80021/how-would-you-prevent-theft-in-a-simple-way-other-than-a-kill-switch#comment135502_80025 - the comment suggests "an oxy-actylene torch." – Journeyman Geek Dec 04 '21 at 01:14
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This looks like a crack in the T fitting:

Image of Fitting

If so you should replace it.

jwh20
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    True (though I think it's just a stain), but not an answer. Should've been a comment. – isherwood Dec 03 '21 at 15:15
  • True, @isherwood, but it's hard to include an image in a comment. Though a link would do the trick. – FreeMan Dec 03 '21 at 15:32
  • No it's not (you can upload in an answer box if you like and copy the URL). And that's not an excuse to violate site rules. – isherwood Dec 03 '21 at 15:33
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    I believe it is an answer. If the fitting it cracked, then it should be replaced. That overrides the original problem of how to remove the fitting. – jwh20 Dec 03 '21 at 15:48
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    A person would still need to know _how_ to replace it, which was the question. I don't think I'm being overly pedantic here. – isherwood Dec 03 '21 at 15:54
  • Whatever the semantics; replace the cracked fitting. It could be cast iron at that age. – blacksmith37 Dec 03 '21 at 16:18
  • Agree with @isherwood. While this is useful information, and it tells _why_ it should be replaced, it doesn't go into any detail at all about _how_ to replace the fitting therefore it is not an "answer" _per se._ If the OP is asking how to replace it, it doesn't do much good to tell him that it needs replaced. – gnicko Dec 03 '21 at 20:32
  • That's just the parting line of the casting. OP has *several thousand dollars* of brass in their house.... If it wasn't *all* brass it would've failed 60y ago. – Mazura Dec 03 '21 at 22:56
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I'm a plumber in Texas and we see that slot The old timers used linseed oil and cement to seal those joints. I won't even waste my time with pipe wrenches because you won't unscrew the pipe. Cut the pipe close to the fitting. With a sawzall and a small cutting blade. Notch the inside of the pipe in four places and chisel it out with a small screwdriver.

Robert W Gibbs
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