removing plastic pipe inside metal pipe

[Kyle]

The neck pipe for my shower was made of plastic - I say "was" because it just snapped off this past weekend. The problem is the plastic snapped right where it threaded into the brass pipe inside the wall, so there's nothing to grip to back the broken piece out of the threads. Worse yet, the pipe dope the PO (previous owner) used is so solid and dried that it's as though the two pipes have bonded to each other even though they're made of different materials.

I'm at a loss as to what to use to back this little piece out of the brass pipe. Anyone have experience with this?

[Jim]

yes...try and borrow one of these...

Jim

[hrhofmann]

If you are reasonably skilled in using a propane torch and have one, you should be able to heat things up and remove the plastic pipe. If you don't have a propane torch, then the extractor idea seems like the way to go.

[DerbyDad03]

If you have a steady hand, you could use a Dremel with an appropriate bit to cut away some of the plastic to weaken it.

Cut a "groove" (or grooves) almost all the way through the plastic, maybe at 3 o'clock and 6 o'clock, and then use a small screwdriver or awl in between the plastic and metal to crack it out.

I'd hold my shop vac hose as close to the opening as possible so that the pieces don't fall back into the pipe.

Risky, but doable.

[Frank]

I have same problem with metal and have used a rectangular piece of brass as an extractor.

[harry]

Cut a couple of slots with a hacksaw blade in the plastic pipe at

180deg to one another. Try to not cut QUITE through to avoid damaging the female threads. You should be able to break out the two halves with a hammer & a small screwdriver. It all rather depends on how long the broken bit is. Failing that, apply heat and have a large screwdriver ready to jam in the hole and unscrew it. Just make sure there's nothing nearby to damage with the heat. Electric heat gun might be the thing if you have, or can borrow one.

[Oren]

You can get a "nipple extractor" for $5.00 at the lawn and garden / plumbing section. When I have an irrigation sprinkler break off in the fitting, this is what I use. Tape it in slightly and turn it out.

pic:

[DerbyDad03]

re: "Tape it in slightly and turn it out. "

Tape it in or tap it in?

I've never used one, so that's a quasi-serious question.

I assume you meant "tap", but I won't be surprised if I'm wrong.

[Jim]

re: "Tape it in slightly and turn it out. "

Tape it in or tap it in?

I've never used one, so that's a quasi-serious question.

I assume you meant "tap", but I won't be surprised if I'm wrong.

No he was right...you tape it in... tape it in lightly with a hamr...then fist it out....ROFL

[Oren]

"tap", dang spell cheker..

Usually, just a little pressure on the tool will bite enough plastic to remove the broken piece. I have had to *tap* the extractor occasionally, to get a good grip / bite...

[aemeijers]

Wish I had known those existed several years ago when it happened to me, in a rental apartment. I did it the old fashioned way, sawing slots on the inside of the broken-off nipple with a hacksaw blade, until I could get a sliver to grasp with vise-grips to spin it back out. Luckily there were enough threads left in the elbow in the wall that the new shower arm (a real one, this time) still made a leak-proof seal. Used lots of teflon tape on that one, though.

-- aem sends...

[Kyle]

Thanks to all the suggestions, most of which I had tried or did try. The winner was the internal pipe wrench, which worked like a dream!