Looking for Handy People's Help!

[Brazoo]

Hey guys, I know there are a lot of smart do-it-yourself people on here, and I was hoping one of you could give me some advice.

My apartment's very old and there is a 3.25" pipe coming down through the ceiling that I need to remove - I'm guessing it's from an old lighting fixture. One side is threaded, so I hoped the side holding it in would be too. I've been cranking it with a pipe wrench for a while now and it hasn't budged.

There are two joists on either side with very little room to maneuver, so sawing it off would be very difficult.

Any advice?

Here's a pic:

[megocrazy]

There is really not a lot of options. I'm guessing it's not a water pipe and had something to do with possibly a ceiling fan or very heavy light fixture. What are you doing with the space? Are you replacing a fixture? Just covering it? The cloth covered romex wiring is way out of code, just an FYI. A reciprocating saw could make that cut. In theory I guess you could do it with the cheap metal hacksaws they sell at the $1 stores. It's not a traditional style hacksaw but one that simply holds the blade like a plasterers hole saw is. Be a pain but it would work. Also looks like there is some water damage around the hole so if you're replacing an electrical fixture you should check that out before doing so. If you give me some specifics on what you're looking to accomplish I can give you better suggestions.

[starhunter]

yep seen this many times as i am a contractor....its from an old chanalier...what you need to do is heat the end of the pipe thats on the outside the heat will travel up the pipe then use a pipe wrench not the little ones most home owners have yo need atleat a 14 inch....now another thing 90% of these pipes are left right thread which means it tightens counter clock wise..."rights loosy,lefty tighty"...lol....if the insulation it touching the pipe inside do not heat it!......just use a bigger pipe wrench like 18-24 inch...a real man wrench!...haha

[megoapesnut]

I was thinking a small metal cutting circular bit for a drill to cut it off.

[Zemo]

yep seen this many times as i am a contractor....its from an old chanalier...what you need to do is heat the end of the pipe thats on the outside the heat will travel up the pipe then use a pipe wrench not the little ones most home owners have yo need atleat a 14 inch....now another thing 90% of these pipes are left right thread which means it tightens counter clock wise..."rights loosy,lefty tighty"...lol....if the insulation it touching the pipe inside do not heat it!......just use a bigger pipe wrench like 18-24 inch...a real man wrench!...haha

I agree, you may have been torquing the wrong way. Also a sawzall with a metal blade would make pretty quick work of that.

[Brazoo]

I was TOTALLY trying to turn it the wrong way! Thank you so much!

I'm replacing an old fixture with a new one. It looks like the ceiling is water damaged in the picture, but it's just stained with different kinds of paint from years of painting around other fixtures that have been mounted onto boxes that were just screwed into the plaster around this pipe (not by me!) I know the wiring isn't up to code in this place, but I'm renting, so there's not much I can do!

I'm going to try turning it the other way, heating it and turning it, and if worse comes to worse I'll try hacking the end off. Thanks again guys!

[Brazoo]

Oh - and the insulation isn't touching the pipe. Cheers!

[starhunter]

and remember its all in the wrench......leverage is king!

[jimbutsu]

I'm more handsy than handy...

[toys2cool]

Next time just call this guy

[lepage]

copper cutters.

[Bill]

Handi-man suggests using a little Kroil penetrating oil on that pipe joint.

[SlipperyLilSuckers]

Wow, who would have thought just turning it the other way would have solved most of the problem?

[Gorn Captain]

Wow, who would have thought just turning it the other way would have solved most of the problem?

So that is why I couldn't never get my front door to open.
Yay. No more crawling through the window.....

[Brazoo]

Wow, who would have thought just turning it the other way would have solved most of the problem?

Heh - No such luck actually.

I can't tell if it's seized or welded or I just can't crank it. Either way I ended up hacking through enough of it so that I could fit the exposed end into the box. Quite a battle.

Anyway, thanks again guys!