[clm55]

Hi all. Recently purchased a new kitchen faucet to replace the ~20 year old one that had leaked for a long time and was in desperate need of being replaced. After doing some research and learning that a faucet install was fairly easy, I was excited for my first real plumbing project. Then it turned into a nightmare. The bolts securing the faucet to the sink were ridiculously rusted and covered in minerals (PB Blaster didn't do a thing) and I ended using a Dremel from above to cut away the faucet fixture and expose the top of the bolt, which I Dremel-ed away at until it dropped through the hole. Phase 1 complete. Now both the supply lines from the faucet are stuck inside the copper pipes and I can't get them out. The nuts are completely loose but the lines are still stuck. I used the Dremel to cut the supply line (from the old faucet) thinking I could get a better grip without the faucet putting weight on it. I also wanted to finally be able to remove the faucet for the nice illusion of progress. Any thoughts on what I can do to remove them? I really would like to avoid a plumber for such a small thing since this was supposed to be a low-budget project. I included a picture but I took it with my crappy phone. If more or better pictures would be helpful, please let me know.

 

[SeniorSitizen]

The reason they won't come out is someone that thought he was a plumber tightened the nut more than 1 round when it was installed. What that does is bell the tubing end, and in severe cases like you have, prevents removal in the normal way.

So to get them out abnormal measures must be taken.

Try this.
Run the nuts back down as you found them and clamp a tubing flaring tool clamp the appropriate size on the tubing so it rests on the nut. Now begin unscrewing the nut and the power of the threads ( inclined plane ) and the nut pushing against the flare tool clamp might just slip that little feller outta there. Thread jacking. If the nut backs completely off before the tubing comes out go back to step 1 and repeat.

Use a back up wrench on the soldered fitting. If this fails you may be looking at soldering on new fittings.

 

[joeplumber85]

If they are truly that stuck, just nicely cut the 1/2" copper supply lines and place a pair of 3/8" x 1/2" chrome compression shut-offs on them. The way you have a connection for your supply tubes, a shut-off and you can avoid using a torch.