trick for assembling stovepipe ?

[RustyShackleford]

I am having a little trouble getting my new single-wall 6" stovepipe
to go together. I ordered two 30-degree elbows, two slightly-less
than 12" pieces, and a stock 24" piece. Everything goes together
nicely, except the elbow whose male/crimped end is supposed to
go into the 24" piece (the 24" piece comes out of the stove, the
30-degree elbow is the bottom of the offset). It's odd, because
both elbows plug into both sub-12" pieces just fine. They sent me
another 24" piece, but it fits only slightly better. But with all my
weight on it, it gets slightly less than 1" penetration. I'm afraid to
beat on it harder, for fear I'd never get it apart. Although, if I
COULD get it together properly, I wouldn't care if it ever came apart,
because my chimney-cleaning strategy calls for pulling it apart
above that joint anyhow.

Anyhow, it would appear there's a little QC issue on the pipe diameter,
but I'm tired of messing with shipping pipe around. The local stove
place apparently has a pipe crimper, so maybe just crimp it a little
more ? Does that work, given that the end is already small enough
to get it in there 1" or so, and it's just the last 1/2" that's the problem ?
Some kind of lubricant ? Some strategy for beating on it without
doing damage ?

Thanks.

 

[begreen]

Bring the pipe into the store and ask them to increase the crimp a bit. That should be all it takes.

 

[Dune]

Squeeze the bottom of the pipe it will not go into, to try to get it rounder. Particularly where the seam is, you should see a flat area on either side of the seam. Crimping the elbow will not help much. If you have to, place a peice of wood like a 2x8 on the end of the pipe and whack it lightly till it slides together more. Why are you mail-ordering single wall pipe? is it that much cheaper?

 

[cmonSTART]

Ya, crimper it is. I have to do it sometimes too.

 

[weatherguy]

I am having a little trouble getting my new single-wall 6” stovepipe
to go together. I ordered two 30-degree elbows, two slightly-less
than 12” pieces, and a stock 24” piece. Everything goes together
nicely, except the elbow whose male/crimped end is supposed to
go into the 24” piece (the 24” piece comes out of the stove, the
30-degree elbow is the bottom of the offset). It’s odd, because
both elbows plug into both sub-12” pieces just fine. They sent me
another 24” piece, but it fits only slightly better. But with all my
weight on it, it gets slightly less than 1” penetration. I’m afraid to
beat on it harder, for fear I’d never get it apart. Although, if I
COULD get it together properly, I wouldn’t care if it ever came apart,
because my chimney-cleaning strategy calls for pulling it apart
above that joint anyhow.

Anyhow, it would appear there’s a little QC issue on the pipe diameter,
but I’m tired of messing with shipping pipe around. The local stove
place apparently has a pipe crimper, so maybe just crimp it a little
more ? Does that work, given that the end is already small enough
to get it in there 1” or so, and it’s just the last 1/2” that’s the problem ?
Some kind of lubricant ? Some strategy for beating on it without
doing damage ?

 

[RustyShackleford]

I am having a little trouble getting my new single-wall 6” stovepipe
to go together. I ordered two 30-degree elbows, two slightly-less
than 12” pieces, and a stock 24” piece. Everything goes together
nicely, except the elbow whose male/crimped end is supposed to
go into the 24” piece (the 24” piece comes out of the stove, the
30-degree elbow is the bottom of the offset). It’s odd, because
both elbows plug into both sub-12” pieces just fine. They sent me
another 24” piece, but it fits only slightly better. But with all my
weight on it, it gets slightly less than 1” penetration. I’m afraid to
beat on it harder, for fear I’d never get it apart. Although, if I
COULD get it together properly, I wouldn’t care if it ever came apart,
because my chimney-cleaning strategy calls for pulling it apart
above that joint anyhow.

Anyhow, it would appear there’s a little QC issue on the pipe diameter,
but I’m tired of messing with shipping pipe around. The local stove
place apparently has a pipe crimper, so maybe just crimp it a little
more ? Does that work, given that the end is already small enough
to get it in there 1” or so, and it’s just the last 1/2” that’s the problem ?
Some kind of lubricant ? Some strategy for beating on it without
doing damage ?

That's what HE said !

 

[RustyShackleford]

Squeeze the bottom of the pipe it will not go into, to try to get it rounder.

Done that.

Crimping the elbow will not help much.

Hmm, differing opinions on this.

If you have to, place a peice of wood like a 2x8 on the end of the pipe and whack it lightly till it slides together more.

The problem is, one end is an elbow. But since only a 30, maybe I could make this work ...

Why are you mail-ordering single wall pipe? is it that much cheaper?

No, I liked the quality of Elmer's (not withstanding this apparent QC issue) and 30-degree
elbows are hard to find locally. It wasn't cheap at all.


Thoughts on the lubricant ? What's the worst it can do, make a little smoke when it burns off ?
Or maybe sanding off the paint would give me enough extra clearance ?

 

[begreen]

This is a pretty easy fix with the right tool. Is there a metal or HVAC shop in the area? Take it to them. Wish I lived closer Rusty. I'd have it done with my crimpers before I finished typing.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I've also done the re-crimping and it worked.

 

[Dune]

Most of my experience with smoke pipe is either oil burner or HVAC. With both of these applications I want the joints as airtight as possible. In fact I often seal all the seams, with hightemp silicone (red death). Even with an elbow on one end, it is easy to tamp down. Hold the elbow in both hands with the pipe started. Lightly tap the other end of the pipe on a piece of plywood or whatever on the floor. It will go together or something is very wrong. I do have crimps, I only use them when I need to change something, i.e. I need to put a crimp where there is none already. Very, very seldom do I recrimp a pipe or fitting. But remember, I have done literaly miles of piping, it seems easy to me. I kindof pride myself on driving the seam right hard to the bubble. I make a sub-asemblies as big as I can handle. When there is a bunch of pipe in the air hanging, I sometimes resort to banging on a wood block to drive it together. This works so well that you can stretch out the seam if you don't stop when it hits the bubble. Of course you have to be very careful with the end of the pipe or you will dent it. Many soft blows, and hold it square to the surface you are striking.

Just to be clear, I am not saying not to crimp it. Just saying how I do it.

 

[RustyShackleford]

I carried the pipe to a local chimney sweep/installer guy who said "this is tough
stuff, it's hard to do much" and went around it with his crimper. It went in a
LITTLE farther, after beating on the end of it with a piece of wood - maybe 1-1/8".
But there is still 3/8" or so of crimp showing, and when you look into the far end
of the straight piece you see daylight at the end of each crimp. I don't like it.
I may see if the local woodstove place has any heavy-gauge single-wall and see
if a piece from them works.

This is really disappointing, as the Elmer's pipe seems great quality, otherwise.