Tightening a Threaded Flange

[JMack]

Hey Everybody

I,m new to the forum. I was hoping someone can tell me the best way to tighten a threaded flange onto a threaded piece of pipe. Maybe a 4" Threaded companion flange. Is there a special tool out there that would do this?

Having a hard time tightening flanges...JMack

[AZPlumber]

Chain vise and pipe wrench?

[Bob D.]

Stick a couple bolts in two of the flange bolt holes and use a 24" wrench to turn it onto the pipe which is clamped in a pipe vise.

[PLUMBER RICK]

Stick a couple bolts in two of the flange bolt holes and use a 24" wrench to turn it onto the pipe which is clamped in a pipe vise.

i second this, but maybe a 36'' wrench or a 24 with a cheater:eek:

rick

[AZPlumber]

Cheaters are dangerous and should be avoided.

[ToUtahNow]

I use an adjustable companion flange wrench when I have too. Mine will adjust for 4" through 8" flanges.

Mark

[plumbdog10]

I use an adjustable companion flange wrench when I have too. Mine will adjust for 4" through 8" flanges.

Mark

Yea,

The same way I use the pipe-stretcher when I cut that pipe too short.

Back to reality:

I agree with the above. Use a couple of bolts (or, if you are an old fitter like me, a couple of flange-aligners, which are beefier and hold a wrench better) and use a pipe wrench or bar to tighten.

As to using cheaters on a pipe wrench being unsafe: not if you have a quality wrench and a pipe for a cheater that is sized to fit far over the handle.

[ToUtahNow]

Yea,

The same way I use the pipe-stretcher when I cut that pipe too short.

Back to reality:

I agree with the above. Use a couple of bolts (or, if you are an old fitter like me, a couple of flange-aligners, which are beefier and hold a wrench better) and use a pipe wrench or bar to tighten.

As to using cheaters on a pipe wrench being unsafe: not if you have a quality wrench and a pipe for a cheater that is sized to fit far over the handle.

I was being serious, I have a ratching wrench for companion flanges. I've had it for about 25-years and when I got it it was brand new but had been sitting at the tool place for many many years. It was a used tool store named Rose Tools and Joe Rose told me he didn't know what it was for. When I told him what it was for (I guested right) he told me he was tired of storing it so he gave it to me.

If you can imagine it looks like a large bed warming pan with a 3-foot handle. The head is about 14" round and 4" deep. It has two sliding bars which you can thread different size dowels into depending on the bolt hole size.

To use the wrench you adjust the sliding bars to line up with two holes in the flange and you tighten the flange. With the exception of the bars, handle and cogs it is all aluminum but still it is pretty heavy.

Mark

[plumbdog10]

I was being serious, I have a ratching wrench for companion flanges. I've had it for about 25-years and when I got it it was brand new but had been sitting at the tool place for many many years. It was a used tool store named Rose Tools and Joe Rose told me he didn't know what it was for. When I told him what it was for (I guested right) he told me he was tired of storing it so he gave it to me.

If you can imagine it looks like a large bed warming pan with a 3-foot handle. The head is about 14" round and 4" deep. It has two sliding bars which you can thread different size dowels into depending on the bolt hole size.

To use the wrench you adjust the sliding bars to line up with two holes in the flange and you tighten the flange. With the exception of the bars, handle and cogs it is all aluminum but still it is pretty heavy.

Mark


Utah,

I still think you're pulling a fast one, but if you have one, that's interesting. To be honest with you, I really don't see the need, but if I was there, I would have bought it.

[ToUtahNow]

dog,

When I developed our water company up in Utah I took all of my big equipment up there and left it. I figured that's the only place where I work with 6" pipe any more. The next time I go up there I'll go by my shop and take some picturs of it. It is definitly a different type of tool.

Mark

[plumbdog10]

dog,

When I developed our water company up in Utah I took all of my big equipment up there and left it. I figured that's the only place where I work with 6" pipe any more. The next time I go up there I'll go by my shop and take some picturs of it. It is definitly a different type of tool.

Mark

Pictures are not necessary, I believe you. But I would like to see it, out of curiosity.

[PLUMBER RICK]

Cheaters are dangerous and should be avoided.
within reason is accetable. you don't put a 5' piece of pipe on a 24'' wrench. actually a 24'' wrench won't grip a 4'' pipe. i've used a piece of barstock with 2 bolts to engage it in place.

so is standing on the top 2 rungs of a ladder. we all do it, with caution.:eek:

(sorry mark)

rick.

[ToUtahNow]

so is standing on the top 2 rungs of a ladder. we all do it, with caution.:eek:

(sorry mark)

rick.

Hey I was on the bottom two rungs of the ladder and after only 21- months and two major surgeries I can almost walk normal again.

Mark

[AZPlumber]

Yea,

The same way I use the pipe-stretcher when I cut that pipe too short.

Back to reality:

I agree with the above. Use a couple of bolts (or, if you are an old fitter like me, a couple of flange-aligners, which are beefier and hold a wrench better) and use a pipe wrench or bar to tighten.

As to using cheaters on a pipe wrench being unsafe: not if you have a quality wrench and a pipe for a cheater that is sized to fit far over the handle.

There was an accident in Texas if I recall, in an oil drilling op, where it was routine and even company approved to use "cheater" bars when the drill would get stuck. They would use a 48 or 60" wrench with a cheater and several guys would torque on it. The wrench snapped and took a guy's head off, to put it bluntly. When contacted, Ridgid flatly exclaimed that they do NOT condone the use of NOR are their wrenches engineered for the use of cheaters. End of subject. Use them at your own risk. I prefer to use the RIGHT tool for the job.

[PLUMBER RICK]

There was an accident in Texas if I recall, in an oil drilling op, where it was routine and even company approved to use "cheater" bars when the drill would get stuck. They would use a 48 or 60" wrench with a cheater and several guys would torque on it. The wrench snapped and took a guy's head off, to put it bluntly. When contacted, Ridgid flatly exclaimed that they do NOT condone the use of NOR are their wrenches engineered for the use of cheaters. End of subject. Use them at your own risk. I prefer to use the RIGHT tool for the job.

az. a little common sense would tell you that what they did was alot more than fudging a wrench. if it took several guys and a cheater on a 4'-5' wrench they had a serious problem. an accident waiting to happen.:eek:

on my aluminum wrenches i have rubber bike grips on the end of the handles for comfort and to prevent a cheater on the alum. wrenches. the steel wrenches are still good to go. what i use is a piece of electrical emt tubing. this will bend much easier than the wrench. in 25+ years of doing this, i've never broken a ridgid wrench. i have broken channel locks in my hand. but then again i don't have 4 oilmen working with me:D

infact today i used a 14'' with a cheater to get 65 year old 1.25'' pipe apart. anything bigger, the jaws would have been too wide. infact my favorite wrench is a 10'' with 3/4'' emt cheater hammered on. this is my all time favorite when i had to hook up fireplaces and remove the cap ups in a 4'' high access panel. a real knuckle saver. probably is 20+ years old.

like anything else. common sense and experiance will save your butt, knuckles and even your teeth:D

rick.

[PLUMBER RICK]

Hey I was on the bottom two rungs of the ladder and after only 21- months and two major surgeries I can almost walk normal again.

Mark

marc, i once steped off the wrong end of a little 2 step, step ladder.:eek: glad i was only 2' off the ground. almost all of my ladders are double sided wood type 1a. i've installed many large 6'' d/i valves with a man on each side and the valve on top. i think you could support a man on each rung with these ladders.

i could never get used to the sprinkler fitters ladders. might be good to support pipe, but tuff on the feet and arches.

rick.

[ToUtahNow]

Rick,

All of my ladders are the heavy Little Giant ladders. My problem was I used my son-in-laws Werner fiberglass ladder. When the pipe broke loose the ladder flexed and my leg went inside the ladder. If I had been on one of my ladders I would have never fallen.

Mark

[Lorax]

I could tell you some stories that would curl your hair. Well OK, if you insist. Back when I had to work for a livin' (retired power plant mechanic/machinist) I saw some otherwise fairly intelligent people do some indredibly stupid things. Two of the safety rules we had were no standing on the top 2 steps of a step ladder (of course) and no standing on an overturned 5 gal bucket. So, I'm walkin' thru the plant one day and what do I see? A 200 lb guy standing on a 5 gal bucket which is on top of a 12' stepladder! (No safety harness either, not that that would have mitigated his stupidity) I started to say somethin' when his supervisor came from the opposite direction. It was not a pleasant conversation. He got 2 weeks off without pay. Oh yeah. He was an electrician. A licensed, qualified, experienced, professional electrician.:rolleyes:

[JMack]

Chain vise and pipe wrench?


Yeah I know about the two bolt and wedge a pipe wrench between the two and turn. I guess I was realy wondering if there realy is a tool out there. Apparently yes.

[AZPlumber]

az. a little common sense would tell you that what they did was alot more than fudging a wrench. if it took several guys and a cheater on a 4'-5' wrench they had a serious problem. an accident waiting to happen.:eek:


Rick I've seen countless wrenches get tweaked and bent with cheaters just with one guy. Trying to torque off old boiler dialectrics, whatever. It ruins the wrenches over time and I'd just rather not do it. I have pipe wrenches of all sizes going up to 60"...if I can't accomplish what I want with THAT, it's time to re-think the approach. I understand where you're coming from though, sometimes it's just too convenient in a pickle?

[plumber]

While cheaters are not a good idea I have used them a half dozen or so times in my life. the first two times were on an aluminum Ridgid pipe wrench and the wrench broke both times. (both times were in the 70s and the supplier replaced them no questions asked) Never broke a good heavy steel wrench though.

[plumber]

Utah,

it would be good to see the picture of your flange wrench.

This thread just gave me an idea for a very easy to make tool that would be so much safer than the way 90% of plumbers/fitters do it.

[JMack]

Utah,

it would be good to see the picture of your flange wrench.

This thread just gave me an idea for a very easy to make tool that would be so much safer than the way 90% of plumbers/fitters do it.


I already have a idea and it's in the works. It will eliminate slips and and knucke busters.

[JMack]

Utah,

it would be good to see the picture of your flange wrench.

This thread just gave me an idea for a very easy to make tool that would be so much safer than the way 90% of plumbers/fitters do it.


I already have a idea and it's in the works. It will eliminate slips and and knucke busters.

[plumbdog10]

I hate to burst a bubble here, but threaded flanges are not used that much any more. Having worked extensively in pipe-fitting, the only times I ever used threaded flanges was to transition off of a machine. In that case a set of flange pins (made by someone like "Flange Wizard") give a beefy set of points for a bar. I'm not sure there is a market for the tool described above.

On the other hand I am a tool fanatic, so I would probably buy one. But, hey, what the hell do I know?

[ToUtahNow]

I hate to burst a bubble here, but threaded flanges are not used that much any more. Having worked extensively in pipe-fitting, the only times I ever used threaded flanges was to transition off of a machine. In that case a set of flange pins (made by someone like "Flange Wizard") give a beefy set of points for a bar. I'm not sure there is a market for the tool described above.

On the other hand I am a tool fanatic, so I would probably buy one. But, hey, what the hell do I know?

I'm with dog in that flanges are seldom used anymore. The only time I use them now is in Utah for large tank flanges or on 6"+ assemblies for our water company.

Mark.

[plumbdog10]

Utah,

I want to make clear I said "threaded flanges". Weld flanges are used extensively, and were used by me in large high pressure air lines, etc.

I know what you meant, but I have to clarify myself so I don't have to be blasted again.

[ToUtahNow]

dog,

Thanks, I understood what you meant but you're right I did not make it clear in my post.

Mark