Cracked Nut!

[Porkchop]

I have just replaced a mixer basin tap, however there is a slow drip from the connection between the water pipe and the copper tail. I have connected both pipes using a straight compression coupling. On closer inspection the old nut on the original pipe has a crack(probably through my overtightening)which is where i think the leak is. I am looking to replace this nut, however it is not able to just slide off the pipe. The obvious answer is to cut the end of the pipe off and remove the nut, however this will mean the water pipe will be that much shorter - from here how to I go about reconnecting the two pipes??

 

[ArtfulBodger]

Undo the joint, get a junior hacksaw and gently cut through the olive almost but not quite all the way through then insert a flat bladed screwdriver into the slot you have just cut. Turn the screwdriver and ping the olive breaks off. Slide off the old nut, get a new nut & olive and reassemble.

 

[ChrisR]

Lost for a thin enough screwdriver I tried a penknife, and found that you can "saw" the last bit of brass away with it. Then a slight twist is all it takes. Use some jointing compound - old and new never go together that well.

Alternatively, cut the pipe further back, slide old nut off and new one on, use original olive, and rejoin pipe.

 

[Porkchop]

sounds like good advice. If I do have to cut the pipe further back how do I rejoin??

 

[MANDATE]

I don't know how effective they are, but I came across a 'olive' remover a few weeks ago in a builders merchants for about £10

 

[brown-nought]

I don't know how effective they are, but I came across a 'olive' remover a few weeks ago in a builders merchants for about £10

I bought olive cutters to speed up installing TRV's. Cannot recommend them enough - beats hacksaws any day of the week, especially in confined spaces.

 

[Porkchop]

Just to going back to my query. If I have to cut the pipe further back what is the best method of rejoining??

 

[ArtfulBodger]

Just use a compression connector, but how were you planning on cutting the pipe exactly?

 

[PEDANTICVINDICTIVEMAN]

Brown-nought I like the sound of these olive cutters, which merchants was it ?

 

[kevplumb]

ditto last one i bought cost me 30 quid

 

[brumylad]

whats wrong with sliding your bahco up and down the pipe to knock it off.

OK its slow and doesn't always work, but yet another tool to lose / carry ?

 

[kevplumb]

dont think he would appriciate that (bit sensitive is bahco)

 

[ChrisR]

There are three sorts of olive remover. One looks like a pair of pliers with a loop where the jaws are. Put loop over olive and squeezing cuts the olive - usually.
The second sort is a plug and puller thing, which goes in the end of the
pipe and pulls the olive off. Also works, usually.
The third looks like a pair of adjustable grips, sometimes called water-pump pliers. What you do is grip the olive, rotate and wiggle it, and slide it off the end. It IS a pair of adjustable grips and it works, usually

 

[PEDANTICVINDICTIVEMAN]

I have allways used the hacksaw on the angle up till now, unless a wimp had previously tightened the fitting on and it pulled off.

 

[Porkchop]

I already am using a compression connector for the original join, therefore I can't surely use another one to rejoin the pipe further back. Can i?

I was just thinking of cutting the pipe further back using a junior hacksaw