HELP! brass fitting far in........... Removing Phister shower handle

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Pmaru77

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I've got this Phister valve handle and the brass sleeve that screws in is too far in and I don't know how to unscrew it. This is new stuff and I've had it for about a month. I did a dry fit when the shower plumbing was done to check out the valve. I accidently screwed the brass fitting all the way in.

phister1.jpg


phister2.jpg


the sleeve (brass, has a few indents at the end of the fitting way inside. If I had a tool maybe it would let me turn it out. What to do!
 
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Flapper

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How tight is it? If it's not too tight then you may be able to unscrew it by using needle-nose pliers with the two sides wrapped in PVC tape or something rubbery.
 

Pmaru77

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How tight is it? If it's not too tight then you may be able to unscrew it by using needle-nose pliers with the two sides wrapped in PVC tape or something rubbery.

I like that idea. I tried needle nose by itself and hahaha!

tried it, no go. Maybe I can get away with using it and sending it back. I'm on a deadline to get the shower up and running for the weekend.
 
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CountryBumkin

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Take the fitting to a plumbing store/shop, maybe they will do it for free (prospects of a new customer) or they might have the tool on a display rack where you can just use it for a minute without having to buy it.
 

Pmaru77

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Take the fitting to a plumbing store/shop, maybe they will do it for free (prospects of a new customer) or they might have the tool on a display rack where you can just use it for a minute without having to buy it.


Yeah, I tried that and got nowhere. Ferguson Plumbing Supplies, they didn't even know or understand the tool. These days the plumbing stores are full of clerks and salespeople. The good old plumbing stores are basically non existent anymore, and finding a plumber that has the tool would be hard and expensive. Home depot had the tool but not in stores, you had to order it.
 
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CountryBumkin

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You were able to thread the insert in by hand. So it seems that it is more a matter of getting a good grip on the inserts. It doesn't sound like the insert is tight - just hard to grip anything. And you need to be apply to apply the turning torque evenly. Maybe you can get some stripes/layers of duct tape in there (sticky side toward threads) so that you can build up a layer thick enough to give you some grip for a couple of fingers.

Be careful if you try an internal pipe wrench as that could damage the exposed threads.
 

Reach4

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If you know that thread, it seems to me that a nipple with some appropriate adhesive could do it. For example suppose you could heat things up. Add a bit of low temperature hot-melt glue where it will only touch the right place. Cool things down, and unscrew the insert+nipple. Then heat the insert+nipple to separate those.

Another possibility is a controlled strength thread locker or pipe dope used in a small amount. That seems hard to get right. You would have to wait the right amount of time for the compound to harden.
 

Jadnashua

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If you had a tapered cork or rubber plug, you might be able to push it in there and then just turn the fitting out.
 

FullySprinklered

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A wooden dowel, maybe split two ways, forced in there and soaked to water make it swell. Could give you enough grab to back it out of there. There's a solution somewhere.

phister3.jpg


Photo added by Terry from post below.
 
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Pmaru77

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Still not solved. I had to install the fixtures and the shower is running, but with a plywood backing plate for the valve.

I ordered a inside pipe wrench that has 5 different diameters on it but you cannot separate the 5 diameters and the large 2 or 3" diameter stops the tool from going in far enuf. It cost 68 bucks and the only way it would work is if I destroy the large diameter on it. Do I'm, sending it back and still trying to solve. My backup plan was to order another hardware set and when it came in, just switch out the parts I need and put the stuck valve handle with the brass sleeve inside and send it back. But maybe I can find a dowel and trry that soaking idea tomorrow before we order the new setup.
 

Pmaru77

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Yeah baby.....we did it.

phister4.jpg


phister3.jpg


Thanks to all that participated. And the winning idea was to split the wood dowel. Idid not have to wet it because it has those indents at the end and the screw heads got in there and worked like a charm once I had everything cut to length etc.
 
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Pmaru77

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Nice!
Now for the fun - putting it all together and installing it.


Once the "light went on in my head" from the idea of splitting a dowel, my experience with tool making went into gear. I went to Ace Hardware (5 minutes away) and got a dowel that was the perfect size. Started hacking and was done with the tool in less than 1/2 hr. Got the wedge cut to the right angle and size, and bam, it instantly broke the binding and the sleeve came out. Putting the shower valve handle and back plate was the icing on the cake and a breeze.

Now I'm moving onto other issues that I'm embarrassed to describe. Not plumbing related.
 

Pmaru77

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Truly a beautiful job on the tool, Maru. You could sell that design to Stanley and make a bundle.

You are too kind, but I accept. Now my other f-up. I tiled the bathroom floor and did not realize that I had a squeak in the floor opposite the toilet.
When I pulled off the old floor in the bathroom, the previous floor guy had put down a layer of 1/2 inch of ply to fix the toilet area rot. And he did not replace the toilet flange. Since the floor was quite high, I decided to remove the ply and fix the toilet area properly. I did that, but somehow did not recognize that the floor opposite the toilet was squeaking. Hammering some nails in to secure the floor was the proper fix. I was so focused on the toilet area that I did not notice the floor squeak until the floor was done and actually the tub surround was done. I freaked out. There was one area by the tub and across from the toilet that had a massive noise when stepped on. I turned purple. OMG. It was a nasty squeak and a horrible error on my part. Well, it turns out that the culprit area was accessible from the first floor, through the heater closet. Not an easy access, but I was able to contort my body to be able to secure a 2x4 attached to the floor ply and the 2x8 floor joist. The only way I could secure it was to use my good old West Marine epoxy. I epoxied the 2x4 and was able to get her in position and used wedges to cram it into place. The epoxy cured last night and this morning it is solid as a rock. Lesson learned, don't be distracted by nasty toilet area rot and yes, the rot does spread. The dumb f8ck that laid the floor did not put the toilet flange where it belongs (it was over 1" lower that the top of the tile, 1/2" ply, 1/4" hardie, then a pile of thinset and then 3/8" tile). I cut the flange out and put it in on top of the new tile.
 
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