Removing seized pipe and plugs (water not spark)

Bellow is a step by step guide for pipe and hollow plug removal..

1. Remove as much of the pipe as you can but leave a little standing proud if possible to allow removal.

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2. With a hacksaw blade cut a slit down the inside of the pipe, not to deep as you want to cut the pipe and not the thread in what the pipe is stuck in.

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3. With a punch or small chisel gently tap the sides of the pipe inwards.

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4. This will break the seal of the rust/tape that is holding the pipe in, the more you tap in the easier to wind the pipe out.

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5. Pipe should unscrew with no problems.

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On smaller pipe it can be better to put 2 or 3 slits in at different places and then use the punch to collapse the pipe in that way.

Hollow Plugs.

1. With hollow plugs or any male iron fitting you need to grind the area flattish first.

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2. Then dot punch 3 places and drill 3 holes as big as you can and as close together as possible, this one is a 3/4 plug and the holes are all 3mm.

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3. Small punch or chisel to collapse the fitting inwards.

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4. Because the plug is soft they split easy and there is no need to use a hacksaw to slit them.

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5. All out.

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If the plug is a solid one then you need to drill out as much as you can first, then follow the steps for pipe removal.
It took longer to upload the photos and write this than it did to remove 2 plugs from my water pump tonight, that's how easy it is.

Thanks for taking the time to write this up rob .

useful for many out there .

matt

Thought it might be Matt, it is easy enough to do IF you know how!

Villiers wrote:Thought it might be Matt, it is easy enough to do IF you know how!

lucky enough i have never needed to do it , normally the gas axe helps  

But may have to in the future as the bast**ds at work have stopped us using workshop in our own time for bits , so im in middle of making a forge as i really do need heat when making engine trolleys steel work ...

matt

Gas axe works ok Matt but it can be over kill, for example the hollow plug really only took minuets to remove. The pipe can be a bit harder sometimes though as that doesn't fall apart like a fitting does.

Forge is a handy thing but I have managed for 35 years without one so I reckon I'll not bother to make one now.

Villiers wrote:Gas axe works ok Matt but it can be over kill, for example the hollow plug really only took minuets to remove. The pipe can be a bit harder sometimes though as that doesn't fall apart like a fitting does.

Forge is a handy thing but I have managed for 35 years without one so I reckon I'll not bother to make one now.

It's knocked together from scrap steel had lying about so haven't cost anything, all need to is get coke and have a go now.

Matt