I want to put a NG grill outside my house.
There is a gas pipe coming out of the wall for that purpose (well, at least I think it's a gas pipe).
Potential problem: the pipe and cap are rusted (20 years in the elements) and it could well be that the cap will be difficult to remove if rusted in place. The issue is that I don't want to take any chance to have the pipe itself turn with the cap as it could then become loose someplace inside the wall and if the sealant is broken there I could have a leak and have to dig a big hole in my wall.
So I need to remove this cap without taking any chance of having the pipe spin. There is not a lot of room between the wall and the cap, maybe an inch and a quarter.
I also don't want to risk crushing or damaging the pipe by putting a huge pipe wrench or similar on it.
Of course I can put on plenty of penetrating oil over days to help. But looks like some sort of goop compound that may well have hardened and sealed things up.
My question is:
how do I loosen the cap without risking issues with the pipe?
Or should I perhaps forget that approach as too risky and drill and tap a hole in the cap or grind the cap down or wheel cut or something like that without doing any twisting?
Of course it's gas (I think) so drilling and grinding and all that might be iffy too. I'd rather not have the house blow up, everything else the same... If it comes to that maybe I could turn off the gas, burn as much as possible in the kitchen, drill a small hole at low speed, and fill up with water or blow plenty of air to dissipate the remaining gas before grinding?
Or maybe a giant nut splitter if there is such a thing?
And no, I'd rather not put a torch to the thing...
Advice?
There is a gas pipe coming out of the wall for that purpose (well, at least I think it's a gas pipe).
Potential problem: the pipe and cap are rusted (20 years in the elements) and it could well be that the cap will be difficult to remove if rusted in place. The issue is that I don't want to take any chance to have the pipe itself turn with the cap as it could then become loose someplace inside the wall and if the sealant is broken there I could have a leak and have to dig a big hole in my wall.
So I need to remove this cap without taking any chance of having the pipe spin. There is not a lot of room between the wall and the cap, maybe an inch and a quarter.
I also don't want to risk crushing or damaging the pipe by putting a huge pipe wrench or similar on it.
Of course I can put on plenty of penetrating oil over days to help. But looks like some sort of goop compound that may well have hardened and sealed things up.
My question is:
how do I loosen the cap without risking issues with the pipe?
Or should I perhaps forget that approach as too risky and drill and tap a hole in the cap or grind the cap down or wheel cut or something like that without doing any twisting?
Of course it's gas (I think) so drilling and grinding and all that might be iffy too. I'd rather not have the house blow up, everything else the same... If it comes to that maybe I could turn off the gas, burn as much as possible in the kitchen, drill a small hole at low speed, and fill up with water or blow plenty of air to dissipate the remaining gas before grinding?
Or maybe a giant nut splitter if there is such a thing?
And no, I'd rather not put a torch to the thing...
Advice?
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