ok class word problem...
i'm under my house on my back. head at 6:00, feet at 12. above me at say, 9/10:00 i have a 1/2" elbow joint..small. coming over my shoulder at 4:00 i have water pipe that connects to one end of the joint. the other end points straight up (z axis?) open ended.
i disconnected this end from a 1/2" pipe coming down through my floor.
ok...
so i have those ends capped off but the elbow end connected to the pipe at 4:00 is leaking.
no problem, just take the elbow off and cap that end too right?
yeah well i can't get the elbow off.
so here's the question...i'm looking up at this elbow, which way to i clamp on the pipe wrench and turn? with the handle coming down towards my face or towards my feet?
trust me, i tried both ways and i'm afraid this old pipe is gonna break so i don't want to stress it needlessly the wrong way.
thanks

This is hard, but I’ll try.

If the elbow is to your left and the pipe is on your right as you face it, whether laying on your back looking up or it is in front of you. Using 2 pipe wrenches, put the one in your right hand on the pipe with the jaws facing down or away from you. Put the other one in your left hand on the elbow with the jaws facing up or towards you.

Now apply equal pressure to the joint, pull with the left hand and push with the right hand. With old pipe you take a chance on breaking either way you turn it. Never try to stop a leak just by tightening an old pipe joint. Always take them apart, clean and inspect the threads, apply new joint compound and re-assemble. If this is opposite of what you got, just reverse.

Caution, corrosion, both on the inside of the pipe and in the thread area weaken the joint.

It just might help you to try this on a "Test" setup outside before trying it in close quarters. That way you can practice.

Hope this helps.

thanks, ah...(hmmm, "walks on water")...JESUS?

No no no, Saint Dan... he merely knows where the stratigic rocks are placed!

LOL @ Tree. I'm not so smart. Folks around here just keep showing me where the stones are.

Sometimes I forget and get wet.