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NPT Dies

Roc Doc

2A SNBI
Joined
May 20, 2020
Member Number
580
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2,947
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Way out West.
Uh, there was an incident at my house while I was on an overnight trip to Yuma, my nephew backed into our Propane tank and hit the riser where it connects to the regulator assembly via a union. The simple fix is to rethread the riser, but there's not enough of the nipple left to use the standard style like this;


519s5RA+WPL._AC_SL1005_.jpg


I have some dies but the biggest I have is 5/8 and the pipe is 3/4. I realize NPT is a tapered thread, so can I use this style to cut some new threads and clean up what's left of the old threads? With the much lower profile, and the existing threads to use as a guide, any reason this type won't work?

91VLClEUo1L._SL1500_.jpg

The good news is that that water heater is in an outside closet, to with the ambient temps in the 110+ range, we still have hotish water, and I can cook on the Weber Genesis outside.:laughing:
 
I've done it before with those, just try to get as many of the old fucked up threads removed or filed back into shape first. The die will have no problem making it's own new cross threads if it doesn't start on easy and in line with the old threads. :laughing: Use some cutting oil.
 
I've done it before with those, just try to get as many of the old fucked up threads removed or filed back into shape first. The die will have no problem making it's own new cross threads if it doesn't start on easy and in line with the old threads. :laughing: Use some cutting oil.
I plan on cleaning it up as best I can, wire brush followed up with a thread file, and going slow with lots of cutting oil. It should work. Digging the riser up and making a trench to where it goes poly, sounds like a lot less fun.
 
Uh, just remove the nipple and get a new one? They're about a dollar. Unless I'm misunderstanding what's going on.
 
The non-pipe style dies will work fine for clean up work as long as you have some hint of a thread to get you started.
 
Yes, you should be able to "re-use" half of the old threads and cut new threads to the proper length.

I bought the set in the picture above, now I have a full set of NPT dies that I might someday use again.
 
pull the chasers outta your pipe die and flip them inside out so you can thread the short pipe that won't reach through the alignment part of the die
 
pull the chasers outta your pipe die and flip them inside out so you can thread the short pipe that won't reach through the alignment part of the die
Most of them have a notch in them that prevents that.
 
Most of them have a notch in them that prevents that.
not the crappy chinese ones

the rigid ones I wanna say they've got the notch on the inside and the outside of the chasers on the fixed heads, where the adjustable ones do only got the angled cam track on one side
 
not the crappy chinese ones

the rigid ones I wanna say they've got the notch on the inside and the outside of the chasers on the fixed heads, where the adjustable ones do only got the angled cam track on one side
I haven't had a Chinese one apart. Our ridgid adjustable fixtures for ½-2 also has notches.
 
sure enough they only got the notch on one side of the fixed size ones too
the chinese ones where the stamped sheetmetal dingus wraps around the outside of the chasers don't got a notch, it just has that cap setting the depth of the chasers in the die head
 
pull the chasers outta your pipe die and flip them inside out so you can thread the short pipe that won't reach through the alignment part of the die

Most of them have a notch in them that prevents that.

not the crappy chinese ones

the rigid ones I wanna say they've got the notch on the inside and the outside of the chasers on the fixed heads, where the adjustable ones do only got the angled cam track on one side

The pipe dies came and went with the Propane dootdadoot. He'll be back Monday to see 3/4" of brandy new threads. I wish I owned the tank, but I got the Friends and Family discount on refills from someone on PBB 6 or so years ago, I don't think he even works for them anymore, but I still get a discount on overpriced 'pane that they'll only put in their tanks.
 
pull the chasers outta your pipe die and flip them inside out so you can thread the short pipe that won't reach through the alignment part of the die
I feel like ive tried that before and it doesnt work, at least not with rigid brand.
 
It's post regulator. Low pressure. Get some petroleum-rated hose, slip over it, and double hose clamp it. Go out and give it a sniff test once in a while. A lighter if your brave:laughing:

ETA: get the petroleum-rated hose with the wire reinforcement.

Also, you don't have to cut NPT. Cut it for o-ring -10 or -12 (whichever fits the pipe better, probably -12) then use an o-ring female fitting glued on with this stuff:
https://www.grainger.com/product/41...ExYQvcmHZE9O8jyhj70aAkmHEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Shit has shellac in it and sets up like adhesive. It will hold 65psi water (over what you are likely to see) on a pipe thread that has a perpendicular cut to the threads (if you know how pipe thread seals you'll know how impossible this is to seal with just tightening it, even with "normal" pipe compound.
 
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Pic of the destruction?
Not really worth a pic. Just kissed the riser with the bumper as he was backing up, and it cracked the nipple where it went into the union.

Got it threaded yesterday, and that was a party in itself. Using a 44mm 2' long wrench, it still kicked my ass, with me holding the riser with a pipe wrench and Ryan (Ryan) pulling on the wrench in 100*+ heat in full sun. Used Kroil for lube, and backed the die off several times to clean the threads. I now have a little less than 1" of new threads.
 
Well I have 'Pane again. Paid the landscapers from across the street $40 to dig a trench in case he couldn't get the re-threaded nipple to work, and it was money well spent, we're currently at 113* heat index, so I just made money in my office while they sweated their balls off. The thread job did work, so it was just a matter of a new union and testing for leaks. Tank is at 30%, and was 50'ish so lost a hundred bucks worth of greenhouse gasses, but it's done. Hope I never have to do a thread job on galv pipe again.
 
Paid the landscapers from across the street $40 to dig a trench in case he couldn't get the re-threaded nipple to work, and it was money well spent, we're currently at 113* heat index, so I just made money in my office while they sweated their balls off.
wtf

send me your neighbor's landscapers
I need them in my life for a few years
 
wtf

send me your neighbor's landscapers
I need them in my life for a few years
$40 trench.

Not having to bolt down and lock literally everything so it doesn't grow legs and hop the border to Mexico

Pick one.
 
$40 trench.

Not having to bolt down and lock literally everything so it doesn't grow legs and hop the border to Mexico

Pick one.
$1500 foundation in a house that already doesn't have anything of value in it because of how insecure everything about it is

spending three goddamn years toiling away to make some shit happen

pick one
 
$1500 foundation in a house that already doesn't have anything of value in it because of how insecure everything about it is

spending three goddamn years toiling away to make some shit happen

pick one
I wasn't talking about the concrete crew. That's a given.

I was talking about the daily reality of existing in the southwest quarter of the country.

It's like detroit but with lower population density and fairer skin.

Pay attention to who's doing most of the talking whenever the topic of property crime and low level violent crime (robbery and whatnot) comes up. There's a pattern to where they're all from. And pay attention to who's saying they don't need to lock their doors because they live in BFE and where those people are from.
 
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