In my apprenticeship we never used calculators, the first two classes were math and the instructor said on the first day we should throw the calculator through the window.
We've gotten spoiled now a days.When I used to do plumbing I had a notebook that I carried with me that I wrote up as I went along so that I would always know what I needed when doing the pipe fitting.Now with the copper pipe press fittings it has become so much simpler because there is no theading allowance that needs to be calculated and taken into account.It's a real shame that more people don't appreciate your videos Mr.sessa because you are truly a master plumber,I know that for a fact because I had the honor and the priviledge of working with and learning from licensed plumbers when I was young and wanted to learn.May God always bless you and your family Mr.Sessa and thank you again for another indispensable video.
@@BobsPlumbingVideos we are currently doing this in school right now and it’s tough for me man we’re doing NPT 1/2” pipe and fittings. Our thread engagement is 1/2” our face to center on a 90 is 1 1/4”
Thanks Bob! This is a very useful video for homeowners (i.e., rank amateurs ;) doing some of their own piping. I personally only do my own "outside" piping and would probably call in a licensed Plumber for inside work because of the risk of major damage if I screwed something up. Outside, any leaks just water the yard!
Nice job explaining it Bob, that’s how I been doing it 40 yrs. We ain’t building a rocket. New construction a lot of the measurements are calculated on the print. I also learned from a book but you know this isn’t real world service. Great video👍👍
Very practical approach. But, I want to find that paperback, or its modern equivalent, buy, and read it. I'm 78. I was helping my Dad do plumbing on his rental houses about 65 years ago. Now, I do a job once in a blue moon. I can't afford to pay plumbers the cost of a shady lawyer. THANK YOU, Sir!
When i do threaded pipe i take my desired over all length take off my fitting throw times two than add my thread engagement. I make sure to write down each step over all fittings then c2c then next c2c >f2f add in my f2f +engagement = cut
Thanks. Since my stroke I forgot how too add it up in my head on the fly and via calculator. More so, I don't have a threader any more and must hit the box store overpriced fittings. Either way its up too me but limited too entrusting and calculating the box store sizes/lengths, etc.... Anyway.... Good Job, kudos, and thanks again!
Take the pipe size multiply by 2 and add one thread size take this number subtract from center to center measurement 3/4x2 =1.5 plus’s 1/2 thread =2 inches now subtract 2 from 18 get 16 boom simple
Steel pipe, I would use centre to centre measurements except where I am I would measure in millimetres or metres and pipe threads are all BSP not NPT. Their are tables for fitting allowances but one tends to get to know the more common ones
I'm wanting to replace two small sections of steam pipe. One section is about 3' and the other section approximately 2'. The first is in between a coupling and a 90° and the second between the 90° and a 2" Tee. After sizing and whatnot, I'm thinking it through and can't figure out how I'm going to make the connection to the Tee fitting because of "right tighty, lefty loosey"...
@BobsPlumbingVideos ...so grateful to you for your timely response. I subscribed to your channel because you seem really cool and I resonate with guy's like you. I ended up figuring it out on my own, about the union,and took most of the day figuring out how to accurately calculate the right threaded length. Do you have a handy fool-proof method for figuring out the calculations without going through all the stress(and numerous trips to home depot to get it re-cut and re-threaded) that my girlfriend and I went through???
I have a question, if you’re removing a section of pipe or a flex pipe and one of the pipes you don’t want to remove loosens a little. Can you just tighten up the one that moved a little and just tighten it? Or do you have to remove the pipe that moved a little and re-tape and dope it to reinstall!
Example: Imagine a fitting with a face-to-center measurement of 2 inches and a thread engagement of 0.75 inches. To calculate the fitting allowance, subtract the thread engagement from the face-to-center: 2 inches - 0.75 inches = 1.25 inches. This means you would need to cut your pipe to be 1.25 inches long to fit properly into the fitting.
Are dresser style/compression fittings acceptable to use to transition between galvanized to pex? Trying to replace a section of 1/2" supply line to a hose bib. Everything is of course badly corroded. Is that recommended if you cant cleanly get a fitting uncoupled?
New to the channel. Do you have a video on cutting around the shower stems. I saw your video on using a Gerber rebuild kit. Can that replace any 3 handle shower?
Regardless of brand, I use an old screwdriver / small cold chisel to chip away at the tile in order to remove the chrome sleeves going into the wall. I work on Gerber, Price Pfister, Sterling, Central three valve shower body’s in my service area.
If you want to covert decimal inches to a fraction, multiply by 8 and if you want to convert decimal feet, multiply by 12 then by 8. I was not good in math but in order to complete the apprenticeship I became proficient. When you get into science that is a different story with all the gas laws?
When I first started I use to bury the threads.😂 You forgot to mention the pipe stretcher .🤣 🍺🍺🍺🥃🍿🥃🏌🏻♀️ Stay safe. Retired (werk'n)keyboard super tech. Wear your safety glasses.
This topic does not get sufficient recognition in the trades wether it is the books classes or in the field. Great video, I am getting that book! Do you happen to know why steam fittings are so beefier and shorter than regular plumbing & gas fittings. Steam pressure for heating systems is far less than the pressure on water lines no?
That's a great question and one I never gave much thought about. I'm going to do a little research and try to answer that for you! Thanks for the question. Bob.
I have seen thread protectors used as couplings and you can tighten them until there are no threads left. I am surprised A lot of them dont leak because 2" and smaller are not npt pipe threads.🤔
I think the only time I’ve ever used the book on allowances was during my exam. If I remember correctly I think they taught us with iron pipe on a 45 offset the allowance is the pipe size. So on 3/4 you’d take off 1 1/2 total, 3/4 per fitting. Or maybe it’s 3/4 total, I can’t remember but that doesn’t sound like enough. In the field i just put a tape to it and eyeball. It seems like with dwv most of the measurements are pretty round. It’s been a few years since I’ve done a threaded pipe job and I’ve probably done 3 in the last 6 years. We use mega press mostly. But even when I did it I’d just eyeball the tape and it never caused me any issues. The only time I use any of these numbers is on an offset formula. Even then I just measure the allowances. I do find it interesting that the two pipe systems that are going away are the ones that look the best and neatest. I think soldered copper, if done correctly, looks so much nicer than pro press. Funny enough on the video topic copper is easier to measure with solder because there aren’t many take offs. On 90s and tees you jest measure pipe to pipe. With pro press though there’s a small allowance on fittings in order to fit the press head on so you have to account for that. Threaded gas pipe looks so much cleaner than mega press. With mega press you can easily press a pipe in slightly crooked. It won’t leak but it looks terrible.
Hi Bob, I congratulate you for your channel and your videos, very well explained and illustrative. I would like to ask you a question since I have seen in the work of Pipefitters and plumbers most of the time that this type of threaded joints is made by some people empirically and without technical basis. Please can you help me solve or know how to solve problems or real situations of take off in threaded joints. For this examples: 1) A piece of NPS ∅2" pipe is being cut to run between two 90° degree threaded fittings. The center-to-center measurement of the fittings is 7'-2¼". What is the cut length of the pipe? 2) A length of NPS ∅1½ inch pipe is to be cut run between two 90° degree 6.000# threaded fittings. The fittings measure 7 ft 2¼ inches center to center. What is the cut length of the pipe? What fittings tables do you use to obtain the dimensions required for the calculations. Regards... Thanks
I usually measure the distance between the faces of the fittings and then add the thread gain for each fitting to get the pipe length because I can butt my ruler against the face of the fitting to steady the ruler while I take the reading from the other face. Great video Bob! A Pipe threading video would be good follow up video. I remember my father reminding me not to cut the threads too long which he called a steamfitters thread. Are there special dies for electrical conduit or can standard dies be adjusted to reduce the thread taper. I'd love to hear your views about it and how to adjusting pipe threading dies.
In my apprenticeship we never used calculators, the first two classes were math and the instructor said on the first day we should throw the calculator through the window.
We've gotten spoiled now a days.When I used to do plumbing I had a notebook that I carried with me that I wrote up as I went along so that I would always know what I needed when doing the pipe fitting.Now with the copper pipe press fittings it has become so much simpler because there is no theading allowance that needs to be calculated and taken into account.It's a real shame that more people don't appreciate your videos Mr.sessa because you are truly a master plumber,I know that for a fact because I had the honor and the priviledge of working with and learning from licensed plumbers when I was young and wanted to learn.May God always bless you and your family Mr.Sessa and thank you again for another indispensable video.
The "Skill" is gone Nelson, just the world we live in. Regards, Bob.
@@BobsPlumbingVideos we are currently doing this in school right now and it’s tough for me man we’re doing NPT 1/2” pipe and fittings. Our thread engagement is 1/2” our face to center on a 90 is 1 1/4”
I’m having issues figuring out my end to end pipe length calculations
Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us Bob.
Good morning Bob and have a happy Labor Day weekend. Thank you for the video.🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸❤
Same to you! Regards, Bob.
Excellent video & super helpful!
Thanks for checking it out!
Thanks Bob! This is a very useful video for homeowners (i.e., rank amateurs ;) doing some of their own piping. I personally only do my own "outside" piping and would probably call in a licensed Plumber for inside work because of the risk of major damage if I screwed something up. Outside, any leaks just water the yard!
I want need firefighting water pipeline( sprinkler)installation videos sir
Nice job explaining it Bob, that’s how I been doing it 40 yrs. We ain’t building a rocket. New construction a lot of the measurements are calculated on the print. I also learned from a book but you know this isn’t real world service. Great video👍👍
Thanks 👍, Bob.
Super video, so much to learn, thank you
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for your visit!
Great Video!
Thank you! Glad you found it helpful.
Really enjoy your videos. Great day to day real world work. Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it
Very practical approach. But, I want to find that paperback, or its modern equivalent, buy, and read it. I'm 78. I was helping my Dad do plumbing on his rental houses about 65 years ago. Now, I do a job once in a blue moon. I can't afford to pay plumbers the cost of a shady lawyer. THANK YOU, Sir!
When i do threaded pipe i take my desired over all length take off my fitting throw times two than add my thread engagement. I make sure to write down each step over all fittings then c2c then next c2c >f2f add in my f2f +engagement = cut
Thanks. Since my stroke I forgot how too add it up in my head on the fly and via calculator. More so, I don't have a threader any more and must hit the box store overpriced fittings. Either way its up too me but limited too entrusting and calculating the box store sizes/lengths, etc....
Anyway.... Good Job, kudos, and thanks again!
Glad it helped! You're welcome and thanks for the visit! Bob.
very good maestro
Many thanks
Thank you sir 🙏
Most welcome, all the best! Bob
Nice video bob. Very informative. Hope you did ok after the storm. I took a trip last night to ave J to get some pizza 😎
I did OK no water, my daughters house not so much. Which Pizza Store? Difara's?
@@BobsPlumbingVideos oh yes my friend good guess… domenico “the pizza guy” demarco is a friend of ours 😎
Take the pipe size multiply by 2 and add one thread size take this number subtract from center to center measurement 3/4x2 =1.5 plus’s 1/2 thread =2 inches now subtract 2 from 18 get 16 boom simple
This is the way.
Where are you getting the 1/2 thread size if it’s 3/4” pipe a little confused about what you mean for one thread size would really appreciate the help
@@chrisskidmore7651 1/2 of thread goes into the fitting.
I just search McMaster-Carr for the fitting. Has the offsets and thread engagement right there. Easy!
Steel pipe, I would use centre to centre measurements except where I am I would measure in millimetres or metres and pipe threads are all BSP not NPT. Their are tables for fitting allowances but one tends to get to know the more common ones
I agree.
Your videos don’t suck
I'm wanting to replace two small sections of steam pipe. One section is about 3' and the other section approximately 2'. The first is in between a coupling and a 90° and the second between the 90° and a 2" Tee.
After sizing and whatnot, I'm thinking it through and can't figure out how I'm going to make the connection to the Tee fitting because of "right tighty, lefty loosey"...
You'll have to place a union fitting in between the coupling and 90 or the 90 and tee or both.amzn.to/48EG0dB
@BobsPlumbingVideos ...so grateful to you for your timely response. I subscribed to your channel because you seem really cool and I resonate with guy's like you. I ended up figuring it out on my own, about the union,and took most of the day figuring out how to accurately calculate the right threaded length. Do you have a handy fool-proof method for figuring out the calculations without going through all the stress(and numerous trips to home depot to get it re-cut and re-threaded) that my girlfriend and I went through???
I have a question, if you’re removing a section of pipe or a flex pipe and one of the pipes you don’t want to remove loosens a little. Can you just tighten up the one that moved a little and just tighten it? Or do you have to remove the pipe that moved a little and re-tape and dope it to reinstall!
Remove, re-tape and re-install.
How come you do the fitting allowance by the centre to face of the fitting? Why not the centre to the hub ?
Thats how I was taught as an apprentice.
@@BobsPlumbingVideos yea but that requires 2 steps
I'm A PF apprentice and I cried about 4x today!!!! I have never felt so useless and dumb. Why can't I get this?
Example:
Imagine a fitting with a face-to-center measurement of 2 inches and a thread engagement of 0.75 inches.
To calculate the fitting allowance, subtract the thread engagement from the face-to-center: 2 inches - 0.75 inches = 1.25 inches.
This means you would need to cut your pipe to be 1.25 inches long to fit properly into the fitting.
You should use a board to demonstrate your measurements. It woul really help.
Are dresser style/compression fittings acceptable to use to transition between galvanized to pex? Trying to replace a section of 1/2" supply line to a hose bib. Everything is of course badly corroded. Is that recommended if you cant cleanly get a fitting uncoupled?
I would just use a Shark-bite fitting - ua-cam.com/video/CuqEibmPVRE/v-deo.htmlsi=WoS6sIFRmtWhxel9
Thank you for responding Bob. I can use a shark bite on galvanized pipe without having to cut threads?
Does this work for electrical rigid pipe?
Ridgid pipe yes, EMT (tubing) no!
New to the channel. Do you have a video on cutting around the shower stems. I saw your video on using a Gerber rebuild kit. Can that replace any 3 handle shower?
Regardless of brand, I use an old screwdriver / small cold chisel to chip away at the tile in order to remove the chrome sleeves going into the wall. I work on Gerber, Price Pfister, Sterling, Central three valve shower body’s in my service area.
If you want to covert decimal inches to a fraction, multiply by 8 and if you want to convert decimal feet, multiply by 12 then by 8. I was not good in math but in order to complete the apprenticeship I became proficient. When you get into science that is a different story with all the gas laws?
You could speak up louder but great video keep up the great work!!
Thanks, will do!
When I first started I use to bury the threads.😂
You forgot to mention the pipe stretcher .🤣
🍺🍺🍺🥃🍿🥃🏌🏻♀️
Stay safe.
Retired (werk'n)keyboard super tech. Wear your safety glasses.
I once heard a carpenter ask his helper to go and get the sheet rock stretcher out of the van! 😂😂😂
This topic does not get sufficient recognition in the trades wether it is the books classes or in the field. Great video, I am getting that book! Do you happen to know why steam fittings are so beefier and shorter than regular plumbing & gas fittings. Steam pressure for heating systems is far less than the pressure on water lines no?
That's a great question and one I never gave much thought about. I'm going to do a little research and try to answer that for you! Thanks for the question. Bob.
I have seen thread protectors used as couplings and you can tighten them until there are no threads left. I am surprised A lot of them dont leak because 2" and smaller are not npt pipe threads.🤔
That’s cause you using imported pipe
How about a video showing your truck set up
ua-cam.com/video/JiuiyUhJTnA/v-deo.html
I think the only time I’ve ever used the book on allowances was during my exam. If I remember correctly I think they taught us with iron pipe on a 45 offset the allowance is the pipe size. So on 3/4 you’d take off 1 1/2 total, 3/4 per fitting. Or maybe it’s 3/4 total, I can’t remember but that doesn’t sound like enough. In the field i just put a tape to it and eyeball. It seems like with dwv most of the measurements are pretty round. It’s been a few years since I’ve done a threaded pipe job and I’ve probably done 3 in the last 6 years. We use mega press mostly. But even when I did it I’d just eyeball the tape and it never caused me any issues. The only time I use any of these numbers is on an offset formula. Even then I just measure the allowances. I do find it interesting that the two pipe systems that are going away are the ones that look the best and neatest. I think soldered copper, if done correctly, looks so much nicer than pro press. Funny enough on the video topic copper is easier to measure with solder because there aren’t many take offs. On 90s and tees you jest measure pipe to pipe. With pro press though there’s a small allowance on fittings in order to fit the press head on so you have to account for that. Threaded gas pipe looks so much cleaner than mega press. With mega press you can easily press a pipe in slightly crooked. It won’t leak but it looks terrible.
Agreed!
Hi Bob, I congratulate you for your channel and your videos, very well explained and illustrative. I would like to ask you a question since I have seen in the work of Pipefitters and plumbers most of the time that this type of threaded joints is made by some people empirically and without technical basis.
Please can you help me solve or know how to solve problems or real situations of take off in threaded joints.
For this examples:
1) A piece of NPS ∅2" pipe is being cut to run between two 90° degree threaded fittings. The center-to-center measurement of the fittings is 7'-2¼". What is the cut length of the pipe?
2) A length of NPS ∅1½ inch pipe is to be cut run between two 90° degree 6.000# threaded fittings. The fittings measure 7 ft 2¼ inches center to center. What is the cut length of the pipe?
What fittings tables do you use to obtain the dimensions required for the calculations.
Regards... Thanks
What type of fittings are you using? Black malleable, black steam, brass, galvanized, galvanized drainage? Need that info!
Hi Bob, so sorry for not answering you on time, these fittings are for fixes and spools in AHU's connections for HVAC and Chillers.... #3000
CWR (Chiller Water Return)
CWS (Chiller Water Supply)
HWR (Hot Water Return)
HWS (Hot Water Supply)
Mr. Bob, the book you mention and show in the video is this one:
Lee Smith
Mathematics for Plumbers and Pipefitters
8th Ed.??
@@BobsPlumbingVideos hey bud just hire a real plumber
In addition carry your black Franklin book in your back pocket
👍
Is there ever a point at which you have wrenched a pipe too much? Great video, btw!!
Yup! On purpose I might add...LOL!
I usually measure the distance between the faces of the fittings and then add the thread gain for each fitting to get the pipe length because I can butt my ruler against the face of the fitting to steady the ruler while I take the reading from the other face. Great video Bob! A Pipe threading video would be good follow up video. I remember my father reminding me not to cut the threads too long which he called a steamfitters thread. Are there special dies for electrical conduit or can standard dies be adjusted to reduce the thread taper. I'd love to hear your views about it and how to adjusting pipe threading dies.
I think it’s completely different dies because EMT has a different OD. The ones I’ve seen were almost exclusively hand crank dies.
@@joshcowart2446Only Ridged conduit is threaded. EMT is not meant to be threaded and is not legal for exterior work.
how much can a self employed plumber make a year
shorturl.at/JeXmq
@BobsPlumbingVideos wow I thought it would be more u maybe make more working for a company
Architects give their measurements in feet and inches but Engineers do decimal feet so you have to know how to covert.
Making it more complicated than it needs to be. Just measure face to face of the fittings and add one inch.