How to get this broke pipe out (w pic)

[brad hays]

So my ladder falls and hits the (cheap) aftermarket regulator I have attached to my compressor and breaks the (accompanying cheap) connection pipe off flush with the compressor component leaving about 1/3" of threaded pipe inside the compressor component itself. If it would've broken on the regulator side I could just remove the rest of the pipe and replace the whole thing. But as it stands I'm gonna have to work the last bit of this male pipe out of the female threads. The pipe is copper so maybe that'll end up being to my advantage. How would you go about removing something like this? My camera takes bad close ups but to give some perspective the I.D. of the pipe is .40 in. Drew that line in there to show the end of the pipe.

I've got easy outs for rounded nuts but I'm not sure if there's anything like that for this situation. Can't be the first time it's happened to someone.

I'm afraid the pipe is in there fairly snug so I don't think prying one side up with a pic and then trying to work it around with some needle nose pliers is gonna get any kind of result.

I'm all ears. Thanks.





481527

[Bill Dufour]

"Nipple extractor" that is what they are designed for. Copper may be a problem as it will tend to creep and flow under load. For such a short section I would think the kind with a moving cam would work better then the one piece kind. You need to know the pipe size so you use the correct size xtractor. I would guess 1/4 or 3/8". maybe 1/2. They may be rent able?
Bill D

https://www.amazon.com/LASCO-13-2301-Offset-Extractor-Nipples/dp/B00HYWF1O2

https://www.amazon.com/Cobra-Products-PST167-Nipple-Extractors/dp/B00H2CMNJU

[Rich Engelhardt]

An EZ Out will get that broken stub out.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

If an easy out won't do it, you can carefully use a small punch to deform the copper and get it out. I doubt an easy out will work on the copper because it is so malleable. Could be wrong on that though.

[Tom M King]

What metal are the female threads in?

[Jack Frederick]

If the easy out of whatever type fails you can take a hack saw blade and make a series of cuts in the copper. Try to get close but not into the female threads. Once the cuts are made, you can take a punch and break the individual sections into the center. Once this is done, chase the threads and repair. You might try heat on the area, but the copper will likely expand more quickly than the apparent metal, but it would at least break the adhesion.

[Gordon Stump]

My potbelly pig fell in love with my horizontal compressor when she was in heat!. Broke off the black iron pipe flush. Like Jack said, cut some reliefs and punch it out.

[andrew whicker]

I think careful punch work and needle nose pliers would eventually get it out. You can buy a NPT tap to clean up the female threads afterward.

ah life and it's comedy of errors. : )

[Josh Zubricki]

I’ve used these type of extractors on brass NPT pipes that broke off in injection molds with good results at work. These usually broke off when someone over torqued the water fitting so the stuck piece was good and tight. Just have to take it slow.

https://www.irwin.com/tools/screw-bolt-extractors/straight-flute-screw-extractors-536526-series

[Bill Dufour]

The advantage of the square kind is the taper is the same angle as NPT threads. so less likey to deform compared to easy out angle. The cam type has no taper since then inside of pipe is not tapered. AFAIK the cam type are the only kind designed for pipe.
Bill D

[johnny means]

We've got an air clamp in the shop that does this a half dozen times a year. Nipple extractor makes it real quick and easy.

[Charles P. Wright]

Maybe try one of these internal pipe wrenches?

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-Internal-Pipe-Wrench-Set-16PL0140/304217608?g_store=&source=shoppingads&locale=en-US&&mtc=SHOPPING-CM-CML-GGL-D26P-026_007_PLUMB_REPAIR-NA-MULTI-NA-SMART-2998850-NA-NA-NA-NBR-NA-NA-NEW-PL3_Live&cm_mmc=SHOPPING-CM-CML-GGL-D26P-026_007_PLUMB_REPAIR-NA-MULTI-NA-SMART-2998850-NA-NA-NA-NBR-NA-NA-NEW-PL3_Live-71700000094213688-58700007814434194-92700071019453814&gclid=Cj0KCQjwntCVBhDdARIsAMEwAClu54IyCDCwauWbhHqM RZn9D5MNF0D-cMKLxV3LyQIZZs__lRL1kQgaAmuKEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

[Bill Dufour]

Maybe try one of these internal pipe wrenches?

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-Internal-Pipe-Wrench-Set-16PL0140/304217608?g_store=&source=shoppingads&locale=en-US&&mtc=SHOPPING-CM-CML-GGL-D26P-026_007_PLUMB_REPAIR-NA-MULTI-NA-SMART-2998850-NA-NA-NA-NBR-NA-NA-NEW-PL3_Live&cm_mmc=SHOPPING-CM-CML-GGL-D26P-026_007_PLUMB_REPAIR-NA-MULTI-NA-SMART-2998850-NA-NA-NA-NBR-NA-NA-NEW-PL3_Live-71700000094213688-58700007814434194-92700071019453814&gclid=Cj0KCQjwntCVBhDdARIsAMEwAClu54IyCDCwauWbhHqM RZn9D5MNF0D-cMKLxV3LyQIZZs__lRL1kQgaAmuKEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Politically correct term for Nipple Extractor.
Bill D

[Darrell Bade]

Had a boss that told me once not to use the term Pipe Nipple. Ask him if Short Stubby Piece of Pipe was acceptable.

[brad hays]

Thanks for all the input. I went at it carefully given the copper might be weak but to my grateful surprise as soon as it cracked it came right out. I guess since it was a NPT joint it was all downhill after it started moving. Pipe sizes are messed up though. I bought two different types of extraction kits because I was in a hurry and the pipe sizes one of them was said to accommodate didn't even come close to fitting correctly. Guess I've got something to learn about pipe sizes.

[Wes Grass]

Quite a few nipples broken off in T's and elbows for the lawn sprinklers. Dummies ... me included ... *ONCE* ... hit them with the lawn mower. Cast iron of course. Never had any luck with anything but a cold chisel and hammer to collapse them. An 'EZ-Out' would just wedge them in tighter.