How to Thread Black Iron Pipe

Hi, I'm Tim Carter, founder of AskTheBuilder.com. I've been a master plumber since age 29

and today I'm going to show you how to cut threads on black iron pipe. Let's get to work

You'll need a pipe tri-stand equipped with a bench yoke. These two things hold the pipe steady

A pipe cutter with a high strength cutting wheel is used to cut the black iron pipe

You'll need a pipe reamer to restore the inner diameter of the pipe after cleaning it

A hand ratchet and assorted cutting dies are the tools that create the threads

The common dies are 1 1⁄2 inch, 3 1⁄4 inch, 1 inch, and 1 1⁄4

Insert a length of pipe into the tri and yoke and tighten the yoke handle Slide the pipe cutter onto the pipe and tighten it just 1 eighth turn after the cutting wheel makes contact with the pipe Do not over tighten it or you can ruin the cutting wheel

Rotate the cutter one full turn around the pipe and then tighten the handle an additional 1 eighth turn

Continue this until the cutter slices through the pipe. The hand reamer has got its own ratchet

Rotate the reamer clockwise applying pressure. Once the pipe metal on the inner diameter has been cut away so the inner diameter of the pipe has been reestablished, you're finished

Insert a threading die into the ratchet and apply oil to the four cutting heads in the die

Pipe cutting oil is best, but high quality motor oil will protect the cutting dies when doing the job by hand

Apply some oil to the end of the pipe and slide on the pipe die Apply pressure to the end of the die while rotating it clockwise until the cutting teeth bite into the pipe As you continue to rotate

the ratchet, squirt oil onto the pipe and the cutting die teeth to keep them cool and

lubricated. Continue to cut threads until the end of the pipe is flush with the end

of the pipe die. Rotate the ratchet direction knob 180 degrees and back off the die from the pipe

Use a round wire brush to clean metal shavings from the pipe threads and the pipe die cutting teeth

Oh, those are some really beautiful threads. I told you it was easy to thread black iron pipe

Now I got a couple other quick tips Your hands are going to be really oily as you do this job and I found what best is to use lava soap I really like lava soap There other degreasers Fantastic But I used it for years Love it And then

your clothes are going to get dirty and they're going to get oily. So the best way to get oil

out of your clothes, stain solver. It's a really great certified organic oxygen bleach. Does a

fantastic job of not only getting the oil out, but it gets rid of the oil aroma or the odor

so just go to stain solver.com to get it okay good luck on your pipe threading job i'm tim

carter ask the builder.com if you want to discover more home improvement tips go to ask the builder.com