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What to use to seal pipe?

Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2011 9:51 pm
by Woody
Funny I never have any problems with any of my brass fittings. I'm trying to seal the thread on various size galvanized and black iron pipe. Teflon tape just don't cut it. I even tried this "liquid teflon" stuff. I figured I'd look into permatex and see what they had. So, the "high performance" thread sealer they sell seals up to 10'000psi. Little overkill, but they don't really have anything a step down from that. Only trouble is I can't find it anywhere. If you seen my setup in the cannon setup, you know I probably ain't going past 5x mix. 120psi constant is about max I need.

So before I order this in for $13, I want to know what yins use to seal your fittings.

My dad said to try silicon. Anyone hear of using silicon as a thread sealant? I might try this tomorrow before pulling the trigger on the good stuff.

Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2011 10:16 pm
by jackssmirkingrevenge
I've used Araldite in the past, seems to do the trick.

Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2011 10:29 pm
by Woody
So basically a two part epoxy. I imagine that those fittings ain't coming off without acetylene. I have some loctite 907, so I may give that a go. Thanks

Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2011 10:36 pm
by Gun Freak
If you seal threads with epoxy you'll be able to break them loose rather easily if you have a vise and a wrench. But you'll screw up the threads with the epoxy and you'll have to clean them somehow. That is, if you plan on reusing the fitting.

Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2011 10:38 pm
by MrCrowley
How large are the fittings? With 2" iron fittings I had a lot of trouble, what did it for me was the yellow teflon tape for 'gas' fittings, it's thicker than the regular stuff. I also tried the extra wide teflon tape which worked better than using copious amounts of normal teflon tape.

Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2011 10:52 pm
by Woody
Main chamber is 2" galvanized. There's a black iron bushing in there before the spark model A (or T? can't remember) spark plug. On other end there's a reducer and bushings to 1/4. Outlet end has 2" aluminum cam lock threaded in.

I haven't tried the gas line teflon. I just figured how could it be much different. Still might try the epoxy. I know how I could remove it when need be.

Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2011 10:57 pm
by MrCrowley
Also, are you threading the fittings together tight enough? I used a 15" plumbing wrench with a 3' steel tube over the handle as a lever to tighten the fittings enough. It eventually ripped the vice out of my bench but sealed up the fittings.

Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2011 11:05 pm
by Woody
I've been using two of em. The one is about 15" and other is a little longer, maybe 18" Maybe I should secure this on a vice and use a 3 foot cheater bar? I never imagined this being such a PITA

Well I'm in no big hurry. I have a few ideas to try for tomorrow. Hopefully I get it sealed.

Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2011 11:11 pm
by Zeus
I don't recommend using a strong arm on any tool, the tool is designed to have that amount of force that one person can exert on the handle.

Using more force puts more strain on the tool than it's designed for, if you need more force, get a bigger pair of Stiltsons.

MrC, your vice mustn't have been secured right then, mine's only on 1 1/2" oregon, and that never moves. It's a 6" Dawn.

Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2011 11:13 pm
by warhead052
Electrical tape. Pretty thick, and sticks to the threads. It sealed my brass fittings pretty well, only needed one time around for it to be a perfect seal.

Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2011 11:14 pm
by jrrdw
Pipe/Plumbers Dope, it's called one or the other.

Edit: http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/ANTISE ... Dope-4UJ95

Holds 1000 pounds gas...

Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2011 11:14 pm
by MrCrowley
Zeus wrote:MrC, your vice mustn't have been secured right then, mine's only on 1 1/2" oregon, and that never moves. It's a 6" Dawn.
It was bolted to like 1/2" particle board in the '70s and has been neglected every single of those 30-something years :wink:

@Woody,

I hope for your sake you don't have to line up any fittings like two elbows or such as getting 2" iron fittings to seal is hard enough as it is without having the hassle of two elbows threaded together that wont budge but are out of alignment :x

Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2011 11:26 pm
by SpudBlaster15
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Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2011 12:08 am
by mark.f
The pink teflon tape is similar to yellow gas tape. In addition to that it is very tough and I use it as "packing" to fill in the bottom of sloppy o-ring grooves.

Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2011 12:25 am
by D_Hall
A little trick I picked up back when I played a lot of paintball and wanted seals as 1200 psi... Not once did I ever have a threaded joint fail to seal on the first try. The trick?

Loc-tite.

Yes, the thread locker. Not sold as a sealer, but it does a MARVELOUS job of it.