Is it ok to bend an old 15mm copper pipe in situ?

[Do or DIY]

I'm fitting a new kitchen and the existing 15mm cold water feed pipe that supplies the dishwasher now comes up exactly under the corner of the new unit. The pipe is about 6 inches (remember those) proud of the tiled floor with a dishwasher connector. The floorunder the tiles is concrete and the pipe is embedded in that.

Is it safe to remove the connector and bend the pipe a little bit whilst it's in situ. I reckon it needs to bend approx 20 degrees to the left then the connector will be free of the cupboard. Otherwise it means cutting the pipe and reconnecting it closer to the floor - but I'm concerned it will be a bit stubby.

I've got a pipe bending spring but I don't know which is the best thing to do. I'd like the easiest option (which I reckon is bend it) but I don't know if it's a sensible thing to do.

Any advice welcome 🙂

 

[mickie]

yeah its ok to bend, just as long as thats what you are doing, bending the pipe and not putting any stress on the fitting

 

[leelister6]

If you're not confident to do that, bend a new piece of pipe and cut the old pipe back then solder the new pipe on

 

[Do or DIY]

Thanks for replying so quickly.

I was planning to take the connector off, stick the pipe spring down it and bend it 'a bit'. Then put the connector back on.

I wondered if old pipe behaves any differently to new pipe.

 

[Do or DIY]

Hadn't considered that option. Thanks.

 

[mickie]

old imperial pipe is thicker, stronger and harder to bend, thats if it is imperial

 

[leelister6]

If the old pipe has been cut with a wheel type pipe cutter, you won't get the spring down. Just do as I say!!! :freak:

 

[Do or DIY]

Aha - won't know till I get the connector off and have look. That's tomorrow night's job I reckon. I try to bend it first but if that's not possible I'll shorten the pipe ... and no. 3 option is ... just quickly learn to solder and then solder on a pre-bent pipe 🙂

 

[leelister6]

If you try to bend it and it kinks at floor level, that will be Gods punishment for not following my instructions to the letter! THERE WILL BE TEARS!!!!

 

[Do or DIY]

Yes I know :-( that's what worries me. I might practice bending on a bit of pipe the same length and see how feasible it is first. Else it probably ought to be soldering lessons I guess. I'm pretty nifty with a blow torch on my Creme Brulees so that's a useful starting point I spose.

 

[leelister6]

There are plenty of video tips on tinternet re. soldering. Buy a few end feed straight couplers and get a bit of pipe and have a go. It only took me 23 years to get as awesome as I am so get started first thing!

 

[leelister6]

Alternatively, get a plumber out. It shouldn't cost more than £40 and it will be done properly (Probably with a new valve!)

 

[tamz]

Get a couple of 15mm speedfit elbows and make it easy for yourself.

 

[Do or DIY]

Well of course you are right again - but you know what they say about good plumbers and hens teeth. Had some duff experiences in the recent past so most small things now I consider tackling myself first. I like the idea of learning a new skill - only ever done things with connectors, loos and radiators before. So I'll have a practice and decide when I see the end results. 20 minutes ago I thought I'd decided what to do...now I'm not so sure :thinking:

 

[jase158]

Get a couple of 15mm speedfit elbows and make it easy for yourself.

I have to agree with TAMZ, to get your self started with a soldering kit, will be around £60
to get a couple push fit/ compression fittings and a bit of pipe will cost you about £20,
and you wont wreck your new floor, burn your house down or have to worry at all.

 

[leelister6]

£60?! He don't want a Superfire 2 and a kilo of La-co!

 

[Do or DIY]

So would speedfit connectors be ok on old pipe? I can clean the paint off it but it wouldn't be perfect. Re: worrying - I worry about everything.

 

[tamz]

Well normally you would heat the paint with a blowlamp and wipe it off with wire wool or a pad but you'll have to do it the hard way if you don't have a lamp.

 

[jase158]

£60?! He don't want a Superfire 2 and a kilo of La-co!

blowtorch £20-£30
gas £13
Solder £6
flux £6
Wire wool £4
(estimated price)

that isnt a super fire or a kilo of la-co,

 

[GQuigley67]

use a file to get the paint off, buy a cheap soldering kit from B&Q and make sure pipework is clean with steel wool and flux and then heat up around the fitting, get solder ring fittings and get some lead free solder aswell when the solder starts to melt and come out of the fitting add some more to be on the safe side

he said he wants to do it himself, he can keep the stuff for next time

 

[jase158]

best to scrape paint off, would need to do this if you were soldering any how, get as much as possible off and then give it a rub with a scourer.

 

[GQuigley67]

ask for the plumber in B&Q, he will show you what you need

 

[Resolute]

ask for the plumber in B&Q, he will show you what you need

They're all qualified plumbers so may as well slip him a score to come round and stuff it up for you. You can then ask one of us to sort it for you!!!

 

[mickie]

ask for the plumber in B&Q, he will show you what you need

hate them, b&q then have the cheek and ask me to get an account, i would if b&q wern't giving the work away

 

[leelister6]

blowtorch £20-£30
gas £13
Solder £6
flux £6
Wire wool £4
(estimated price)

that isnt a super fire or a kilo of la-co,

Blow torch with gas £20 - Screwfix
Solder and flux £8 - Screwfix
Wire wool £2 - Any diy shop


Neither is that!!

 

[REDSAW]

blowtorch £20-£30
gas £13
Solder £6
flux £6
Wire wool £4
(estimated price)

that isnt a super fire or a kilo of la-co,

yea! or £40 for some one to do it?.
providing you dont naff up the copper tail or preceeding elbow under the floor d.i.y other wise double it.
good luck.

 

[leelister6]

The bloke asked for advice and he has lots to choose from. If he ballses it up he may learn from his mistake and leave it to the mesters. If he sorts it, there will be an outside tap going on then a new boiler with an unvented cylinder & underfloor heating!

 

[jase158]

Blow torch with gas £20 - ScrewfixSolder and flux £8 - ScrewfixWire wool £2 - Any diy shopNeither is that!!

I hope you aint using those on your every day plumbing, very proffesional. I'm worried how you know so much about them, obviously your work is so bad you need to cut back on expenditure as your not making any money from plumbing.Good on him, if he wants to learn and give it a go, we should encourage more people to diy, then there will be less work for us plumbers, hey I got an idea, I might open a training centre, seems to be the only way to make money out of pllumbing.

 

[leelister6]

I hope you aint using those on your every day plumbing, very proffesional. I'm worried how you know so much about them, obviously your work is so bad you need to cut back on expenditure as your not making any money from plumbing.Good on him, if he wants to learn and give it a go, we should encourage more people to diy, then there will be less work for us plumbers, hey I got an idea, I might open a training centre, seems to be the only way to make money out of pllumbing.

Pllumbing? :freak: :iamwithstupid:


It took me 5 minutes to look it up on tinternet Dilbert! And don't you EVER judge me! That is Jesus's job

 

[jase158]

Pllumbing? :freak: :iamwithstupid:It took me 5 minutes to look it up on tinternet Dilbert! And don't you EVER judge me! That is Jesus's job

Really? You obviouslly have to much timme on your handds, are you actualy a pllumber or just a forrum adicct

 

[REDSAW]

stick to the thread topic, be civil to each other or go else where.
if you need help, let me know.

 

[EPH]

Don't feed the trolls

 

[kay-jay]

to the op

if you are going to try bending the pipe make sure you heat it right up with a blowtorch as this will soften the copper (annealing) and make it easier to bend and less likely to cause problems elsewhere on the pipe from the stress of bending.

otherwise just use speedfit fittings and fit a new piece of pipe.

let us know what you end up doing.......




KJ

 

[quality]

Don't forget to quench with water while the pipe is still hot for better results

 

[Resolute]

to the op

if you are going to try bending the pipe make sure you heat it right up with a blowtorch as this will soften the copper (annealing) and make it easier to bend and less likely to cause problems elsewhere on the pipe from the stress of bending.

otherwise just use speedfit fittings and fit a new piece of pipe.

let us know what you end up doing.......




KJ

Would this not melt the solder on a nearby joint under the floor and cause a leak though? (only asking as I'm relatively new to the game - will bow down to yours and others experience and knowledge).

 

[WaterTight]

You can melt solder on nearby fittings but you do have to use a lot of heat very nearby to be unlucky in my experience. Just think about how long you need to heat a joint to make solder run anyway - keep under that and you should be ok. I've risked it quite a few times and been lucky so far. The amount of heat to just soften the pipe a bit, probably not an issue.

 

[Paulus]

I wouldn't even consider bending the pipe in situ. unless I had loads of time on my hands and some spare tiles. You have no idea what's under them tiles, there could be compression joint just under the surface which you could damage. Thre could be a soldered joint which you may melt if you heat it.

Don't get me wrong it may all go hunky-dory as jobs do 50% of the time but the potential risk of having to damage tiles and floor is far too great for my liking. Cut it off and fit compression joints, play it safe.

 

[John Findlay]

I wouldn't even consider bending the pipe in situ. unless I had loads of time on my hands and some spare tiles. You have no idea what's under them tiles, there could be compression joint just under the surface which you could damage. Thre could be a soldered joint which you may melt if you heat it.

Don't get me wrong it may all go hunky-dory as jobs do 50% of the time but the potential risk of having to damage tiles and floor is far too great for my liking. Cut it off and fit compression joints, play it safe.

I totally agree with this above - I'd solder a new length on and expect most others here to do the same BUT I can solder and learning this skill on a vertical dirty pipe 6" off the floor wouldn't be a lot of joy I reckon.........

 

[SafeWithGas]

Is there room to cut the olive off, preferably with a pipeslice and still leave sufficient length to fully insert a pushfit elbow, such as "Speedfit"...............................?

 

[ononotagain]

use compression fittings---safer

 

[glenno1]

cut it down slightly and put a 90 degree elbow or 45 degree elbow and work from there

 

[markfxy]

give it a kick