Better Late Than Never

Hello ‘Pipers’,

Well, again, Pete the Plumber has something to share with you that he thinks merits your attention.  (When he realized all of the time and energy his new discovery would have saved him (had it been invented in time) he is confident it’s a worthy subject). The author wishes there had been one of these devices he’s about to discuss a ‘lotta’ years ago.
​
‘Rough’ plumbers (when cutting and threading new pipe for gas lines or other threaded pipe needed in new construction) (and in some cases remodel), prefer to set up a pipe vice (Photos 1, 2, & 3) on a tripod at a convenient location to where they are working.  Plenty of working room is highly desirable.  

Photo 1: Tripod with ‘Chain’ (type) Pipe vice

Photo 2: A “Yoke” Type pipe vice often mounted on a Tri-pod long before the ‘Chain’ type came along but to this day can still perform well.

Photo 3: The premium Ridgid brand yoke vice for bench top or tripod.

If there happens to be a really sturdy bench with plenty of room around it, (Photos 3a & 3b) that can be the second best option.

Photo 3a: Life-saving Screw-Mount Ridgid Yoke ‘bench top’/tripod vice

Photo 3b: An earlier Ridgid bench-topper also used on tripods.

In these operations the plumber is mostly creating anew, adding fittings and cut-to-length nipples (pieces of pipe) as they move along on their decided pathway.  Once beginning their runs (in stud or hung from joist or rafter) the piping is secured to the structure as they move along.  (See photo on page 37 of his book, ‘Plumbing A House.)  This incremental securing of the pipe-run (in the majority of cases) allows plumbers to ‘comfortably’ use 2 pipe wrenches (one in each hand) one ‘backing’ (holding the pipe/nipple still) and the other to rotate the fitting.  Or vice versa.

For repair plumbers it is most often a ‘different ballgame’, requiring them to take apart and modify a section of a previously installed pipe-run, often making new threads inside the wall, in developed ‘living’ space, often kitchen or laundry room for example. Here there is usually no room to use a tripod to hold a cut section of existing pipe to remove an existing fitting or to splice in a new fitting on an already installed threaded section of pipe. 
​ 
*Threading pipe is also a messy proposition due to the required lubricating oil for the tooling and the waste metal chips formed as a result are very sharp and can ruin floors.  Plumbers can find themselves walking inconvenient distances from where they are working (needed) to where a tripod has the room to be set up.  When cutting new threads on removed, previously installed piping, or new pipe, a tripod mounted or bench mounted pipe vice is a must.  So inconvenient or not, the plumber walks (somewhere).

Photo 4: Kitchen Call

However, when the author is performing a repair, either working through a hole in a wall he made (under a kitchen sink?) (Photo 4) or maybe an exposed pipe in a furnace room (with no space for a tripod to hold pipe as he removes or adds fittings) he has countless times sat on an inverted 5-gallon bucket, new, factory made nipple/s or pieces of pre-threaded pipe and fitting/s in his lap. Trying (like this) to manipulate 2 pipe wrenches, (sans vice) to accomplish his needed ‘assemblage’ can be (usually is) a very frustrating exercise.  In this case there aren’t the proverbial “extra two hands” a pipe vice provides.  When ‘things’ become/became very frustrating the author usually surrenders/ed and walks/ed out of the room or building to his standing tripod/vice (in the garage or on patio?) to accomplish his intent.  Depending upon the size and lay out of the site, this can ‘waste’ a lot of time.

Lo and behold, yours truly just recently discovered a late design of a convenient highly portable pipe tool that would have been a huge blessing for all those previous occasions that he had sat on a bucket and then ‘had to walk’.  This new tool (Photo 5) is basically a new design of pipe wrench, which allows the plumber to assemble or disassemble a short length of pipe and fittings by NOT leaving the work space.  It suffices quite well as those proverbial “two hands” previously ‘not on the job’.

Photo 5: Vevor’s version. Looking down the barrel

The Vevor pipe tool shown, though advertised as a pipe vice, functions best, in Pete’s view, as a stationery pipe wrench for assembly and disassembly of pre-threaded pipe and fittings.

*(The author personally would not attempt to use this ‘wrench’ to cut new threads.)  It is an ingenious little addition to the world of pipe wrenches which is used in a resting, stationary manner, held to a flat surface by leaning (pressing down) on its light, cast aluminum body.  (Photos 6, 7, 8 & 8a)

Photo 6: Firm Pressure. Photo Credit: P.T.P.

Photo 7: Stay Steady

Photo 8: Nice height to work

Photo 8a: Not restricted to hands…

In essence, when held (pressed firmly) to a flat (floor or table or countertop) (Photos 9 & 10) surface, it becomes the ‘two extra hands’ longed wished for when ‘bucket sitting’. 

Photo 9: Will add to my morning yoga

Photo 10: It’s Working

Rubber feet on its underside (Photos 11, & 12) resists any sliding motion and prevents marring of your work surface.  The spring-loaded jaws are of quality, well forged steel.  (The teeth are very well-cut, and grip most efficiently small diameter ½ and ¾ inch pipe and fittings (Photos 13, 14).  Though the author found the wrench gripped galvanized better.

Photo 11: Gingerbread Man?

Photo 12: Nice and ‘grippy’

Photo 13: Grips 1/2-in. well

Photo 14: 3/4-in. nipple/galv

Depending whether you are right or left handed, you can either hold the new ‘vice’ (stationary wrench) in either of two positions: handle in front of jaws or handle behind the jaws (reaching over) (Photos 15 & 16).  Those readers who (like the author) have developed a modicum degree of ambidextrous ability over the years, the above right/left handed question mentioned is often a moot one and the ‘wrench’ can be left in one position.

Photo 15: Handle ‘front’

Photo 16: Reaching over (behind) jaws

​Though this particular pipe “wrench” was designed as a plumbing aid, you might find its type (others make them too) handy for ‘hardware’ (less specialized) jobs, one such as fastening pipe flanges to Schedule #40 ‘black’ steel pipe, like the author is doing in Photo 17.  (Pete is building a heavy duty, heavy tool shelf using 4 black-steel ½-in. threaded pipes, 4 one-half-inch black iron pipe flanges and ¾-in. dense hardwood plywood.

Photo 17: Not just for plumbing (water)…

If the author were to find himself doing many more tasks involving ½-in. and ¾-in. steel pipe pieces longer than 12-inches, he’d have two of his new, red friend, the second for a pipe rest.

O.K., that’s it!  Now it’s back to work.  Had a great sandwich.
 
Until Next Time,
Pete