Removing microbore olives

[MrDuck]

I need to replace a radiator and rad valves on a 30 year old 8mm microbore system and will take the opportunity to fit a TRV.

I am familiar with the job using 15mm copper and have an olive puller, but not this 8mm stuff! Should I expect to be able to get the old olives off, (and if so how?) or is it best to cut the pipe off where it's not too buckled and extend it using new pipe and solder connectors? I have found varying advice on this topic and do need to get it right first time!

Any advice much appreciated.

 

[mfarrow]

I usually just cut them gently with a junior hacksaw to thin-ish metal then snap off with dull edge of Stanley knife or screwdriver. I haven't gone into the pipe yet!

 

[bazdaman]

+1

 

[muggles]

+2

 

[HERTS P&D]

+3

Andy

 

[longdogs]

+4

 

[sooey]

Oill give it foive.

kinnel, how old am I.

 

[gigz]

+6, but I have cut into the pipe (a few times) that's what files were invented for.

 

[RickMoore]

+7

 

[gigz]

Forgot to add, its easier (if you've got play) to just cut the pipe under the olive and start anew.

 

[twgas]

I'd try pulling olive first

Then, when that failed, +8

 

[MrDuck]

Many thanks everyone for your feedback. Hopefully the olives will be copper so they cut easily. I've bought some spare pipe and connectors in case it all goes wrong...

 

[Agile]

I would never use a Stanley knife blade for that. They are far too hard and brittle and little bits can fly into people's eyes. A screwdriver is safer.

The problem is actually that the copper pipe is soft copper for bending by hand and even though the nuts are small they are often over tightened and cause the olive to compress the tube.

Its very easy to use a solder coupler to fit a new length of tube. Once the tube has been compressed it will be difficult to fit a new olive anyway.

Tony

 

[MrDuck]

Well the job turned out OK but I have to say that I found sawing off the olives quite fiddly without cutting into the pipe or stressing it too much - and I am quite a patient person.

Has anyone tried the proprietary 8mm olive cutter that I see advertised? I have a house full of rads still to do and it would be well worth the cost if the tool works OK.

Thanks again for everyone's support on this topic.