13 in. Long-Reach Compound Joint Pliers
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Rock in skimmer line
- Thread starter mrjetson707
- Start date
www.harborfreight.com
kul
Bronze Supporter
- Oct 1, 2021
- 1,434
- Pool Size
- 15000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
- Nov 12, 2017
- 12,647
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Turbo1Ton
Gold Supporter
- Dec 26, 2019
- 1,995
- Pool Size
- 14500
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
As the 3rd ditto I was obvs the 4th.Actually, you is four. I is five.
But now we have 6 requests and well wishes, so it's even better.
- Jun 1, 2018
- 16,019
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Six!!
Possibly… find a very long Zip tie. I think HVAC guys use them. Amazon has 36”. They are thin, stiff, and flexible. You could manuver it under the rock from above with the help of some steel wire shaped like a hook to work the tip of the tie back up. Then try to work it out that way.
sorry for the lack of reply guys. still no update. rock is still there. I tried using a coat hangar and it seemed as tho the rock broke in half. went in the pipe, came back out to the 90 there, and repaired itself. idk what's going on. I havnt been to a store for a grabby thingy because I've been so busy. I'm thinking I may need to bust out the entire plastic circle thing to get closer to it. I need to replaster my pool anyways. I'm getting quoted 15k ish to replaster and redo tile which seems kinda pricy. I may just wait another year or so
- Nov 12, 2017
- 12,647
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Sounds like you rotated the rock partially out of sight, then all the way out of sight, then it rotated back in place. If it got free, or broke, it'd be down the pipe and there'd be no way for it to return (unless you pumped water into the pipe in reverse).
Or it might just be refraction. As you're moving the water in the skimmer around, refraction would play tricks on your eyes.
If by "plastic circle thing" you're talking about your skimmer or any part of it, and it's like mine, then you'll destroy the skimmer and need to replace it. That could be a major project, even more involved than your re-plaster or tile, and could easily add $5K or more onto the job. Maybe one of our pool contractors can weigh in on what that would mean...
If it were me, I'd spent a whole lot more time and effort on removing the rock, before I started taking things apart.
Or it might just be refraction. As you're moving the water in the skimmer around, refraction would play tricks on your eyes.
If by "plastic circle thing" you're talking about your skimmer or any part of it, and it's like mine, then you'll destroy the skimmer and need to replace it. That could be a major project, even more involved than your re-plaster or tile, and could easily add $5K or more onto the job. Maybe one of our pool contractors can weigh in on what that would mean...
If it were me, I'd spent a whole lot more time and effort on removing the rock, before I started taking things apart.
yes I mean the entire skimmer "unit". I just bought the house in August and the plastic has a big crack in it that was patched. now the patch is starting to fall off. I'm just not sure if I can access the pipe if I take the "unit" out. if there's a contractor that can chime it, I would greatly appreciate it. maybe they can comment on how much I should actually be paying to replaster as well
Attachments
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,253
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Give us a wider view of how your deck surrounds the skimmer and how the skimmer mouth goes through the bond beam.
The skimmer is typically encased in gunite and tied tot he pool structure. You would need to dig out on all sides of the skimmer to expose the pip that is glued to the bottom of the skimmer. Get enough room below the skimmer to cut the pipe, put new skimmer on top of the pipe, and cement the skimmer back in place. Don't damage the bond beam and don't mess us too much of the deck as you do it.
The skimmer is typically encased in gunite and tied tot he pool structure. You would need to dig out on all sides of the skimmer to expose the pip that is glued to the bottom of the skimmer. Get enough room below the skimmer to cut the pipe, put new skimmer on top of the pipe, and cement the skimmer back in place. Don't damage the bond beam and don't mess us too much of the deck as you do it.
Attachments
- Nov 12, 2017
- 12,647
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Good pics. It's pretty much what I thought. Replacing that skimmer would mean jack-hammering out a big chuck of the surrounding deck, and then all the gunite that is encasing the skimmer (all the stuff Allen described). And a lot of praying that they don't break the coping, or the bond beam, or the tile in the skimmer throat. Then trying to match the new deck to the old (which won't happen). A lot can go wrong, even for a crew that knows what they're doing. Even if it all goes great, you'll have a giant patch in your deck forever. If you can get the rock out, and re-patch the skimmer, that's the ticket.
What do you think @ajw22? What might all that cost?
What do you think @ajw22? What might all that cost?
Back to the rock... are you willing to drain the water down below skimmer level, or do you have any way to plug the inlet? Gripping the rock and just working in there in general would be much easier if it were dry. You could also try to hit it with some lubricant in that case, like a silicon spray, but I have no idea what that would do to your filter or water chemistry afterwards.
I can't tell from the picture but is it wedged in the center of the pipe, with room on both sides? Here's an idea: take a length of cord and tie or glue a small magnet to each end. Snake one end down on each side of the rock and let the magnets grab below. Now rotate it slowly until the magnet-joined part is at the top, and the solid cord is under the rock. (Like spinning a necklace until the clasp is at the back.) Then you can pull on the cord, or work it along one side like dental floss to try and create a gap.
You could also potentially do that with a length of stiff wire. Take a long straight piece of wire and fold it back against itself with a small gap at the top, like a very tall & narrow V shape. Slide it down on one side of the rock and try to hook the V underneath so it comes back up with one part of the wire on each side. I've successfully used this technique to pull stuff out of the bathtub drain that my kids shoved down there.
Last idea if you get it dry: fire and ice! Dump some ice on/around the rock to cool it down. Wait a bit and then use a heat gun or hair dryer to warm the pipe (just don't get too close or you'll scorch it). In my experience, alternating cycles of hot and cold can dislodge just about anything stuck inside of anything else.
I can't tell from the picture but is it wedged in the center of the pipe, with room on both sides? Here's an idea: take a length of cord and tie or glue a small magnet to each end. Snake one end down on each side of the rock and let the magnets grab below. Now rotate it slowly until the magnet-joined part is at the top, and the solid cord is under the rock. (Like spinning a necklace until the clasp is at the back.) Then you can pull on the cord, or work it along one side like dental floss to try and create a gap.
You could also potentially do that with a length of stiff wire. Take a long straight piece of wire and fold it back against itself with a small gap at the top, like a very tall & narrow V shape. Slide it down on one side of the rock and try to hook the V underneath so it comes back up with one part of the wire on each side. I've successfully used this technique to pull stuff out of the bathtub drain that my kids shoved down there.
Last idea if you get it dry: fire and ice! Dump some ice on/around the rock to cool it down. Wait a bit and then use a heat gun or hair dryer to warm the pipe (just don't get too close or you'll scorch it). In my experience, alternating cycles of hot and cold can dislodge just about anything stuck inside of anything else.
One more idea, take wire hanger, cut off at both sides of the neck where it splits going opposite directions, straighten out, at one end bend a 90 degree angle a bit more than an inch long then bend half of that 90 sideways onto itself leaving a "V" formation acting as a foot. Carefully put a blob of marine epoxy on the top of the rock while protecting all pvc, then put this "foot" end of the wire into the epoxy and let cure. The epoxy doesn't run. 24 hours later you may be able to manipulate the rock out with the attached wire.