[jkk]

In order to replace drywall behind sink, I'll need to get the nuts and ferrules off the 1/2" copper pipe. How do you get these compression ferrules off?

 

[TheEplumber]

Grab the nut with pliers and wriggle it as you pull. If the ferrule is not embedded too deep- should work.
Or you go out and buy a ferrule puller

 

[joecaption]

I've never been able to get one off and still have a useable surface.
I just cut it off behind the farrel with my ossilating saw and clean it up with a file.

 

[Kapriel]

Joecaption has got it right.

Once the ferrule is tightened if it is done correctly it will become part of the tube or pipe that it is secured to. Even if you were to somehow cut the ferrule off you would find that the tube where it was is deformed and will not accept another ferrule without leaking.

 

[oh'mike]

You are going to hide the hole with an escutcheon---so leave the nut and use a split plastic escutcheon.

I don't like spelling escutcheon---so I'll leave now --I can spell and the spell check wants things close or it won't correct me----

 

[jagans]

Cut the pipe 3 inches away and add a coupling.

 

[jkk]

Are the "press-on" fittings reliable?

 

[paintdrying]

sharkbite are good

 

[jkk]

Lowes does not carry those, they carry another brand. I'm thinking about using them to cap a water hammer arrestor that I'm shortening- they work on air filled pipes, right?

 

[COLDIRON]

You have to cut it off.

 

[jkk]

You have to cut it off.

Cut what off?

 

[TheEplumber]

Lowes does not carry those, they carry another brand. I'm thinking about using them to cap a water hammer arrestor that I'm shortening- they work on air filled pipes, right?

Is this the ped sink? If the drywall is cut below the tee- why not unsweat the tee and replace it with a 90 and new stub out? Now you don't have to worry about the nuts or lowering the chamber. Plus, you could move the stubs closer together and be hidden behind the pedestal?

 

[handyman21]

Grab the nut with pliers and wriggle it as you pull. If the ferrule is not embedded too deep- should work.
Or you go out and buy a ferrule puller

Where do you buy a ferrule pulled at?
You a plumber?
Never seen someone pull one off. If it was install right the only way is to cut it off.

 

[TheEplumber]

Where do you buy a ferrule pulled at?
You a plumber?
Never seen someone pull one off. If it was install right the only way is to cut it off.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_332073-943-37701.STC6_0__?productId=3329486
Plumbing since the mid 80's- learned to crawl on an 18 story motel project.
I have used pullers several times- almost always been able to reuse the stub out.
First time I bought the tool was about 10 years ago- remodeled a Motel 6 and had only a handful of stops that we couldn't get off with pliers and they were too close to cut.

 

[oh'mike]

Yes, he's a plumber---and Yes there is a puller designed to remove the ferrule --and Yes--the pipe is often dimpled by the old ferrule--making that unusable for installing a new one in the same spot

Welcome to the site!

 

[paintdrying]

I have had to sweat a coupling on, only I would do it from the inside of the coupling. How well do those pullers work?

 

[COLDIRON]

Cut what off?

Disregard no answer.

 

[ctdahle]

How to Remove a compression ferrule without the proper tool

I woke up to a near disaster this morning that I had to solve without access to the proper tools. The hot water shutoff to my washer had failed because of a crack in the compression nut. I needed to remove the nut and the ferrule, preferably without opening the wall or cutting the pipe.

This thread gave me guidance in that E-Plumber said it could be done and that there was a tool to do it. But I don't have an official "ferrule removal tool" nor any way to get one at 5:00 on Sunday morning.

I tried and failed to gently twist the ferrule off with a pair of water pump pliers.

Next I used a grinding wheel on a dremel tool to grind a slot in the failed compression nut on the opposite side of the crack. It came off the pipe in two neat halves and I was able to see that the compression nut had been over tightened, resulting in a stress crack that had gradually grown until it failed early this morning.

Then I used the dremel to grind a groove in the ferrule in the axial direction, taking care to NOT grind all the way through to the copper pipe. When I had a good groove, I put a screwdriver in the groove and gently twisted. THis caused the remaining thin layer of brass to stretch enough that I was able to gently and carefully push my awl into the space between the pipe and the ferrule. From that point a bit of twisting and prying broke the ferrule and I was able to then cap off the pipe with a shark bite fitting from my junk box.

Now I have it mostly back together and am able to do laundry, using cold water only. Tomorrow, I can go to town and buy a new hot shut off and I will be back in business.

 

[SeniorSitizen]

I woke up to a near disaster this morning that I had to solve without access to the proper tools. The hot water shutoff to my washer had failed because of a crack in the compression nut. I needed to remove the nut and the ferrule, preferably without opening the wall or cutting the pipe.

This thread gave me guidance in that E-Plumber said it could be done and that there was a tool to do it. But I don't have an official "ferrule removal tool" nor any way to get one at 5:00 on Sunday morning.

I tried and failed to gently twist the ferrule off with a pair of water pump pliers.

Next I used a grinding wheel on a dremel tool to grind a slot in the failed compression nut on the opposite side of the crack. It came off the pipe in two neat halves and I was able to see that the compression nut had been over tightened, resulting in a stress crack that had gradually grown until it failed early this morning.

Then I used the dremel to grind a groove in the ferrule in the axial direction, taking care to NOT grind all the way through to the copper pipe. When I had a good groove, I put a screwdriver in the groove and gently twisted. THis caused the remaining thin layer of brass to stretch enough that I was able to gently and carefully push my awl into the space between the pipe and the ferrule. From that point a bit of twisting and prying broke the ferrule and I was able to then cap off the pipe with a shark bite fitting from my junk box.

Now I have it mostly back together and am able to do laundry, using cold water only. Tomorrow, I can go to town and buy a new hot shut off and I will be back in business.

Good job. Sure hope the new ferrule works out for you on the original tubing surface if you go that route.


Who ever installed that didn't follow the one round after all slack is removed instructions for the initial make up or the nut was a defective. I keep plumber's grease for those jobs too. Grease, isn't a requirement but things slide a little better with lube.

 

[ctdahle]

Good job. Sure hope the new ferrule works out for you on the original tubing surface if you go that route.


Who ever installed that didn't follow the one round after all slack is removed instructions for the initial make up or the nut was a defective. I keep plumber's grease for those jobs too. Grease, isn't a requirement but things slide a little better with lube.

Thank you Senior for the vote of affirmation. I drove (30 miles) into town with the hope that the one hardware store in the area that might be open on Sunday might have the right part.

They had a 1/2" boiler drain valve that would fit the pipe, in a sweat solder version. I could have waited until tomorrow and driven into the bigger town where there is a plumbing supply house, but I had the same thought as you about trying to make a compression fitting work on the old pipe. Sweat solder is more reliable anyway I figure.

I didn't have the official shark bite clip to pull off the shark bite cap...neither did the little hardware store, so I milled one on the drill press from a scrap of rock maple, using a 1/2" forstner bit and a coping saw to make a facsimile of the c shaped "demounting clip". Worked a treat. Off came the cap.

I growled a bit when I discovered that the previous monkey hadn't bothered to de-burr the inside of the pipe. Should have noticed that this morning but gimme a break, I made the temporary repair in the dark with a flashlight. Toyed with the idea of tearing down the cold side just to check, but the cold side just has a nice patina whereas the hotside was dripping with stalagtites, indicating an oozing leak that has been worsening for a while. I elected to leave sleeping dogs alone.

Anyway, I deburred the pipe, shined it up nice and anointed it with flux. Then I fired up the torch and sweated on the new fitting. Used up a bit of my remaining stash of Dutch Boy solder, vintage 1972. Yeah, it's got some lead in it, but nobody is drinking out of the washing machine, and I just can't get the hang of sweat soldering with the lead free stuff when the solder has to wick "uphill".

Now I am washing up the towels I had used to dam up the water to keep it out of the rest of the house.