Replacing PVC closet collars

Reshaping copper

Stubborn galvanized nipples

Time And Money

To save time, money and damage to the customer’s home when replacing PVC closet collars with broken flanges in concealed concrete floors and finished floors and ceilings: Cut the flange of a 4x3 closet collar off at the top of the spigot with an internal cutter and remove the flange. You can then glue a 4-inch PVC male closet collar over the hub of the existing 3-inch collar, screw it to the floor and reset the toilet. This saves opening floors and ceilings to access the closet bend and/or collar to replace them, saving customers hundreds of dollars.

Michael Letsinger
Pearson Plumbing, Heating
Rockford, Ill.

Easy Reshape

If you have copper with the end out of round, take your hammer flare and put in just the beginning. This will easily reshape it. For smaller diameter tubing, use your flare block to reshape it.

Ed Schradin Sr.
Ed Schradin & Sons
Greenwood Lake, N.Y.

Better Than One

When removing stubborn galvanized nipples out of water heater riser pipes, I found that using two pipe wrenches 180 degrees across from each other doubles your torque on the nipple and evens out the pressure on the fitting in the wall. Remove any rust pieces from the 90-degree fittings and install new brass nipples. This helps to prevent breaking off the 90-degree fitting in the wall.

John Kuhlmann
Kuhlmann’s Plumbing
Pacific Grove, Calif.

Send Us Your Tool Tips!

If you have an idea that has saved you time and money, Plumbing & Mechanical would like to share your tip with our readers. You can e-mail your idea directly to Editor@PMmag.com or mail it to Managing Editor Kelly Faloon c/o PM, 1050 IL Route 83, Suite 200, Bensenville, IL  60106.

Our first-place winner will receive the following RIDGID Prize Package, consisting of eight professional hand tools with a retail value of $200:

• 18-inch HD RAPIDGRIP® Self-Adjusting Wrenches for easy, one-hand operation.
• One-Stop™ Wrench, a compound tool for installing compression couplings.
• 10-inch Wide-Mouth Adjustable Wrench featuring tapered jaws for tight areas.
• 10 ½-inch Plumber’s Tongue-and-Groove Pliers with extra-wide openings.
• No. 117 Midget Tubing Cutter for use in confined areas.
• No. 151 Quick-Acting Tubing Cutter for smoother operation.
• 6-in-1 Multi-Purpose Screwdriver with two Phillips heads, two flat heads and two nut drivers.
• No. 395 Nightshade Torpedo Level for general use and work in tight and/or dark areas.

RIDGID is the sponsor of Tool Tips and does not necessarily endorse the readers' submissions.