SpudFiles

ATENTION!!! YOU CAN SAVE YOUR FITTINGS/PIPE!!!!!
I've gotten tired of posting this all over so I have decided to make a post on it myself. I learned this from someone else on this sight, but I can't remember their name. Please forgive me for disclosing your information. Lol. Supossedly this is an old plumbers trick. I hope that you moderators out there sticky this 'cause it works and it works really good. If you have any questions on this just post or PM me. Hope it makes sense and good luck saving your pipe/fittings.

All you need to do is cut about 4 vertical slices in the pipe/fitting attached to the pipe/fitting you want to save. Then with a hammer and a screwdriver(a small chisel works best but a flathead screwdriver works), you work the screwdriver between the two parts and pry. I suggest that you work the screwdriver in on several spots for each slice before prying. If you do this correctly the solvent weld will break like a hot knife cutting through butter............well, not exactly like a hot knife but you get the idea.

OMGOGMGOSMGHOGM~

No really, pretty sweet.

-Butt

I doubt that works. In PVC solvent welding the two pieces are actually melted together, when the solvent dries they remain fused. For that to work there needs to be an gap bewteen the pipe and fitting that is filled with glue, which in this case there isn't.

I'm editing this post as we speak. I'm adding a series of pictures that guide you through this. It's done on an ANCIENT half inch pvc tee. The tee breaks slightly in the process because it's so old, slightly burnt, and so small. On larger fittings/pipe this works better. I was able to remove a sch 80 3x2 bushing with this process. That's a whole 1/2" thick of pvc fitting that I removed!

Sounds good in theory, but pot luck really.

Yeah if you solevent weld correctly then it wouldn't really work. Not to mention if that actually works you could weaken the pipe when you are taking off the fitting so it wouldn't be as strong.

It works, but it is REALLY bad practice. I've done it and it can be dangerous because when you remove the part, you either have residue of cement, or you have sanded and thinner PVC. Both of those are bad. I've had blow-outs this way.

Just go to the stoe and spend the damn $3 for a nice new fitting that you can trust.

By the way, NEVER let me catch you doing this for a pneumatic launcher. EVER.

I disagree with gort. The fitting/pipe is left completely undamaged. As to the small residue of pvc cement, a quick run with some FINE sandpaper romoves this and leaves it in it's original state. NO DAMAGE IS MADE TO THE PIPE/FITTING IN THIS PROCESS IF IT IS DONE CORRECTLY

As to using these in a pneumatic launcher, I have a pneumatic gun with salvaged fittings in it and it has not broke yet. If it were to brake I would personally condemn this practice and hide in a very very small dark corner like the retard I was. Until then, which I seriously doubt will ever happen, I'll continue to encourage this, especially when you have a very expensive fitting or you absolutely have to save the pipe or scrap the launcher.

No its not. Your prying on it with a screwdriver even if you don't break it it will weakin it.

You don't pry extremely hard. All you do is tap the screwdriver between it all around, perhaps even do this twice, then you give it a SLIGHT pry and it pops off like it was glued with a glue stick.

If you guys don't beleive me, spend $2 on s 1 inch coupler and some pipe, glue 'em together and try this.

I agree with gort. I wouldn't want to use a fitting that may have been weakened.

What if you just chucked a sanding drum into a drill press and reamed the pipe out of the fitting?

Might I state this one last time bluetooth. This process does not damage the fitting/pipe if it is done correctly. The only reason it did here was because the pipe has sat outside for 2-3 years, been a little too close to a propane torch, and is so small it was difficult to work with. It's only 1/2 or 3/4. Considering all that it's a surprise to me that I didn't break more than a small corner.

You think the process doesn't damage the pipe.

I'm certain. Is that better. If it means anything, I'd stand right next to the pipe fitting when it was pressurised up to 150psi.