Any Plumbers on board?

[drainplug]

So, bathroom shower head was leaking. Probably need a new cartridge, but started with the easy stuff, took off the shower head, soaked on vinegar, knew that was not the problem, but must have loosened the shower neck when taking it off and putting back on, because now there was water coming through the tile where it is connected behind the wall. Well when I went to tighten the neck...broke it off inside the wall.
The hole through the tile is only about 2" but can clearly see about 1/16" of threads still sticking out of the fixture the neck was supposed to be screwed into. I have made a mountain out of a molehill on this deal...anyway, is this call to a plumber on Sunday, or can I try to get a thin saw blade thru there, and cut the remaining broken piece in a couple of spots and pull the pieces out with long needle nose pliers. I guess the risk on that would be getting into the threads on the fixture. I am not sure if this is a clear picture I painted, but any suggestion without starting to rip out tile would be greatly appreciated. In the meantime Lowes & Home Depot don't have Kohler cartridge so with the leak, (until the shower neck issue is fixed), I have a tin foil gutter out thru the tile...nice mess I made here!

[5keepers2]

Go to lowes and buy 1/2 inch ease out and try that. It is kinda of square tool with sharp edges that you can gently drive into old pipe and when it grabs with luck back the piece out. Good Luck. If that don't work call a plumber.

[jiggerjake]

If you can get a hack saw blade inside the pipe and cut it very carefully until you are 99.9% through you should be able to break it free with needle nose pliers. Even if you get into the threads a little teflon tape and maybe some pipe dope will do the job and it should be fine. Been there---done that !

[duff73]

Go to lowes and buy 1/2 inch ease out and try that. It is kinda of square tool with sharp edges that you can gently drive into old pipe and when it grabs with luck back the piece out. Good Luck. If that don't work call a plumber.

This. Had a similar problem changing the tub spout as the set screw was rusted on. I wound up trying to use a screw extractor but it didn't work so i drilled it out. Go easy on it.

[1Stratos]

Had the same thing happen to me. Lowes or Home Depot sells an internal pipe extractor that worked for me.

[Greenwing1]

Go to lowes and buy 1/2 inch ease out and try that. It is kinda of square tool with sharp edges that you can gently drive into old pipe and when it grabs with luck back the piece out. Good Luck. If that don't work call a plumber.

I would try this first, I've used them several times at work removing broken nipples out of fittings.

[Rip Bass]

I’m a plumber,got a license and everything. That is a common problem and it can be fixed. Get a flat blade screwdriver with about a 1/8” wide blade. File the blade down to a sharp edge the use the blade to raise the end of the shower arm thread enough to grab it with needle nose pliers. Then twist the pliers as if you were unscrewing the pipe. Those brass shower arms weaken over time and it should break at the thin area of the threads and come out like corkscrew piece of wire. A small foot stool and reading glasses are a big help.

[CatFan]

A small foot stool and reading glasses are a big help.

Proves that you have been there and done that

[JerryT]

Advanced auto parts sells a cheap set of internal pipe extractors that work pretty well

[tcesni]

So, bathroom shower head was leaking. Probably need a new cartridge, but started with the easy stuff, took off the shower head, soaked on vinegar, knew that was not the problem, but must have loosened the shower neck when taking it off and putting back on, because now there was water coming through the tile where it is connected behind the wall. Well when I went to tighten the neck...broke it off inside the wall.
The hole through the tile is only about 2" but can clearly see about 1/16" of threads still sticking out of the fixture the neck was supposed to be screwed into. I have made a mountain out of a molehill on this deal...anyway, is this call to a plumber on Sunday, or can I try to get a thin saw blade thru there, and cut the remaining broken piece in a couple of spots and pull the pieces out with long needle nose pliers. I guess the risk on that would be getting into the threads on the fixture. I am not sure if this is a clear picture I painted, but any suggestion without starting to rip out tile would be greatly appreciated. In the meantime Lowes & Home Depot don't have Kohler cartridge so with the leak, (until the shower neck issue is fixed), I have a tin foil gutter out thru the tile...nice mess I made here!

Sorry for your misfortune and looks like you've received lots of good advice. Your post gave my wife and I a good Sunday morning laugh because we lived in Langhorne for 22 years and renovated two older homes (one very old home) and had every problem imaginable occur, including what happened to you. My wife insists that Langhorne is the Bermuda Triangle of home repair disasters. The good news, if my memory is correct, is that you have at least 4 Home Depot and Lowe's with 5 miles of Langhorne. Good luck!! I miss fishing the tidal Delaware River!!

[lakefolk]

you might consider looking into a tile & wall guy more than a plumber because if you dont get it out you'll need to remove some of that to get to it.
when that happens the nipple removal is going to be the easy part

[Bass_Hawg]

I’m a plumber,got a license and everything. That is a common problem and it can be fixed. Get a flat blade screwdriver with about a 1/8” wide blade. File the blade down to a sharp edge the use the blade to raise the end of the shower arm thread enough to grab it with needle nose pliers. Then twist the pliers as if you were unscrewing the pipe. Those brass shower arms weaken over time and it should break at the thin area of the threads and come out like corkscrew piece of wire. A small foot stool and reading glasses are a big help.

Im a master plumber and this is the best advice. Extractors rarely work in this situation. I do not use a screw driver but I do have a punch I have ground for the same purpose.

[bassinman215]

Had this happen to me a month ago. Tried to use needlenose pliers to unwrap the broken piece. Didn't work. Tried the screwdriver. Ended up getting it out but buggered up the threads. Had trouble getting it to reseal with just tape, so I bought the thick pipe dope. Ample application got everything to seal properly.

Used Rector Seal Tru-Blue as the pipe dope.

[drainplug]

Just got back from Home Depot with set Husky Nipple Extractors, (that could have been a Seinfeld term), read some more posts, thanks for advise, may have to resort to the Filed Screwdriver if this does not work, (the fitting is about 2 1/2" inside the wall, so not like I have lots of leverage on this deal)..."I'm going in, wish me luck!"

[drainplug]

POPPED OUT LIKE A CHARM, With the Husky tool! Thanks guys!

[krindgen]

If you can get a hack saw blade inside the pipe and cut it very carefully until you are 99.9% through you should be able to break it free with needle nose pliers. Even if you get into the threads a little teflon tape and maybe some pipe dope will do the job and it should be fine. Been there---done that !

Retired master plumber at Home-A-Dope showed me this trick. Came in handy on a soil pipe where I broke a fitting. Worked like a charm. Just go real easy and use a fresh blade.

[fishnfool38]

And for future reference if you do have to go into the wall and you have tile try to come at it from the back side.

[Bassman Ia.]

Cardinal rule ------ never do plumbing on Sunday. Real plumbing supply houses aren't open on Sunday.

My nephew holds a Master's License. He is the service guy for a plumbing company, Sat. And Sun. are emergency fix-it days because of some week end plumbers.