Hi,
I was browsing screwfix's plumbing tools for a tap seat grinder / reseater and came across an olive puller - um, what is that for? Is it, as I think, for removing oval shape cuts from copper pipes?
Thanks,
John.
?? Oval shape cuts??
It's for removing olives from copper pipe, the clue is in the name.
It's for when you put too many in your cocktail
Removing olives from pipes of course.
An olive in plumbing jargon is the copper/brass ring that fits inside a compression joint to make the seal. They just slip on when new but once a joint has been done up they are virtually impossible to slide back off.
A DIY method involves cutting through the olive with a junior hacksaw being *very* carefull not to mark the pipe, then using a flat bladed screwdriver in the slot to break and open up the olive.
I've not seen how these tools work but I should imagine they are similar and for a pro plumber no doubt much quicker and safer to use than the above method.
Such a tool is on the "It would be nice to have but not essential" list.
Thanks Andrew.
I asume it's to remove an old olive from a pipe or fitting, to enable that bit of pipe or fitting to be re-used after a new olive has been fitted.
In message , Andrew Mawson writes
rotation with a pair of pliers seems to work fine for me - can't quite see how would do it (?) - expensive too.
Can't quite see how it works either - I epxected it to look like the gadget they used to get a ring off my swollen finger down at the local A&E...!
Seccateurs?
Not quite...cutter a bit like that on a pipe cutter. A small flat 'anvil' that slid between ring and finger, then a 'handle' to rotate the cutter against the ring. Forceps to hold the ends apart while pulling ring off.
OTOH, secateurs would work if they could be got under the ring...and would have dual use for removing finger if the operation failed. Or was that your point? :-)
Ah we've all been barking up the wrong tree. The description is "For removing olives from most 15mm and 22mm compression fittings."
Note fittings not pipes. Can't say I've ever had an olive stuck in a fitting... but not sure that description is truely accurate.
Looking at it I *think* it works like this. You screw it into the nut, then as you tighten the handle the flat plate bears on the end of the tube, as you continue to tighten the handle the nut is used to pull the olive off.
Not sure I like this, OK for fittings that have just been nipped but anything that has been over nipped I can see longitudinal marks being left on the tube. Not good for easy resealing with a new olive I'd have thought.
If a joint has been murdered up and the pipe deformed even slightly I can't see this device working at all. Think I'll be keeping the cutting type olive removal tool on my list.
On Mon, 30 Aug 2004 22:48:30 +0100 (BST), "Dave Liquorice" strung together this:
Oh yes, it all makes sense now.
Now you come to mention it.....
....that looks more like it.
Yep, total waste of money tool I think. If the olive is that tight on the pipe that it can't be pulled off with a pair of gordons round the nut then chances are the pipe will be no good for any other fitting to go on it so it'll have to be cut anyway.
The one I've seen was over 30 quid, so I'd agree with you.
Err... "gordons" ????
Gordon
ISMYM. I guess, this tool makes use of the back nut to try and remove the olive. Obviously the back nut has to conform to be compatible (so won't work on some fittings).
IMHO this is not going to acheive anything if the olive is so stuck that the usually tactics dont give immediate results, then this tool will likely just end upscrunching the pipe in front of the olive.
I find that rotating the olive a little with pump pliers (not too hard or the pipe wil go out of round). Then knock the back-nut to move the olive off the pipe. This works most of the time when that fails: Cut the pipe to recover the nut and write off the pipe and olive. Or if the pipe is precious then diagonal sawing with junior hacksaw followed by a twist with a flat screwdriver to break the olive. However, often the old pipe +olive will fit well into a new fitting.
Yeah, you know, like Stillsons.
.... unless he meant the distillate of course.
.andy
To email, substitute .nospam with .gl
Ah, never heard them called that before!
You live & learn...
Not a good lubricant... Hang on ...
Gordon
On Tue, 31 Aug 2004 07:00:00 +0000 (UTC), snipped-for-privacy@lion.drogon.net (Gordon Henderson) strung together this:
Probably called grips or water pump pliers round your way!
The head of an open ended spanner behind the nut and hit gently with a tack hammer does exactly the same as this tool and a bit more cheaply as well.
As someone stated, if the pipe is badly necked, it is a waste of time anyway.
Piece of string is better.
Mark Atherton
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