How to cut copper pipe

[mani]

Hi,
When lifting floor boards, to get at a leaking copper pipe. How do you cut the pipe, bearing in mind that the space is very tight and unable to manouvere your hand much due to pipes being in your way.
Just what do you use to cut the pipes.

My other question is once you have cut the pipe how do you solder it, as there is water inside know matter how much you try drain it out. As i just couldnt get it to join together, after about 2 hours i managed to do it as i phoned my plumbing lecturer and he told me to put bread in and dry water that way. I didnt really like this method. Please can you share your tips.
Thanks for your help.
Mani

 

[NellyC]

Hi,
When lifting floor boards, to get at a leaking copper pipe. How do you cut the pipe, bearing in mind that the space is very tight and unable to manouvere your hand much due to pipes being in your way.
Just what do you use to cut the pipes.

My other question is once you have cut the pipe how do you solder it, as there is water inside know matter how much you try drain it out. As i just couldnt get it to join together, after about 2 hours i managed to do it as i phoned my plumbing lecturer and he told me to put bread in and dry water that way. I didnt really like this method. Please can you share your tips.
Thanks for your help.
Mani

Firstly cut with a junior hacksaw if its very tight but make sure you file edges of pipe after and tidy u[p with wire mesh

What pipe is it your trying to fix? central heating, or hot or cold?

 

[mani]

I have managed to fix the problem now, by using a junior hacksaw blade only, as i couldnt get the complete hacksaw in, i did have a lot of cuts after.
As i'm only an amateur i would be really greatful for tips in how you could have done it another way.

 

[Guy]

Rather than solder it you could have used a straight speed fit or a copper push fit fitting?

I can't really think of any other way of cutting it either apart from using a junior hacksaw like you have done.

 

[Bernie2]

Hmm!

I agree there does not seem anything on the market except a junior blade or perhaps a large hacksaw blade if you can't get a cutter in.

I don't like the idea of using bread on a modern central heating system with a plate heat exchanger. How do you get it out?

In the old days we sometimes used it if the water main was passing but then we blew it out afterwards through an open end. That is a bit hard to do in a closed system.

You could I suppose use one of those Fein, Bosche or even a Dremel tool with a cutting disc. Bit fiddly though and you still need some room.

 

[Mbear]

Junior hacksaw or pipeslice, whatever fits mate.

The way describe the space&water issues I would fit compression or plastic speedfit. Soldering is very difficult(almost impossible) with wet pipes

 

[mani]

Thanks for your replies all, all taken aboard.

 

[Blackcatgas]

Get a wet vac and suck out the water, leave it on for a good 10 mins if you have to, as Bernie2 has said dont ever put bread in a pipe, I tried it once a peice the size of a grape managed to block a rad valve then one of the gallerys in a radiator.
A wet vac will become one of your most useful tools.

 

[marcus]

i use the flexible tube from a u guage.. insert 1 end into the pipework where theres water give it a good suck then try to siphen it out.be careful tho as you could could end up wit a gob full

 

[oldplumber]

reciprocating saw to cut, and comp fittings to make aa good joint for me

 

[hiretools]

I agree with Oldplumber a recip(or a reciprocating) saw has the blade sticking out about 8 inches so no tight fit problems there, and a kopex pipe slice is circular and you can fit it in a 25mm gap.???. (or so).

 

[joe brown]

Hello, Try using a pipe slice ,

Also what work was you doing, just fixing a leak, i would slice and use a copper pushfit, 2 minute job

 

[indigo]

For tight spaces is use a 115mm dia 0.8mm thick cutting disk on a makita 18 volt lithium angle grinder. Makes light work of copper and steel. I also have a large syringe with neoprene tube about 3mm dia which I use to suck out water from pipes and a drill operated pump for empting cisterns etc.

 

[philtheflush]

Junior hak blade with insulation tape round one end always carry one and use compression fitting

 

[mani]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge with me guys.

 

[woodbine]

Surprised that no one has suggested a pad saw. Invaluable for cutting pipes and seized bolts in tight areas.

[DLMURL="http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=9284883&ecamp=trf-005&CAWELAID=266892982"]Eclipse Pad Saw, 5012095076605[/DLMURL]

 

[mani]

woodbine, thanks for that. Definitely adding that to my toolkit. Never new there was such thing out there.

 

[johnmack]

Thanks for providing information

 

[turnpin]

stanley knife fixed blade model no.199 with metal cutting hacksaw blade and also wood cutting padsaw blade from any good tool supplier