Any suggestions on how the get the threads out of the ell?
I was investigating a leaky shower head and it ended up being the pipe and ell.
The pipe had a break near the ell and while trying to remove it, it broke off.

Thanks

Do you mean the pipe broke of in the wall?
If it broke of in the wall you can try a small chisel and try to chisel away at the remaining threaded pipe in the wall. Some WD40 first then try to chisel on the edge of the pipe to make it turn.
There are tools called EZ outs that have tapered ends with sharp edges. You drive then into the fittings just hard enough to make them grab to the inside of the pipe. Once they are wedged in you can use a pipe wrench to turn them out and the broken piece will unscrew at the same time.
Good luck

I'd opt for the EZ out method.

What I do is take a small width hacksaw blade, (you can buy a "Mini Hacksaw Blade" and cut 2 notches inside of the broken nipple, or shower arm, one at the top the other at the bottom. Then taking a small sharp screwdriver and hammer, place the tip of the screwdriver between the broken piece and the wing ell, and tap it a few times. Keep working around the nipple until it starts to peel up, the just pry away either half and the other half will just pop right out. Be careful when cutting to not go too deep. YOu only want to cut the arm, not the threads of the wing ell.

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Originally Posted by iamgrowler

I'd opt for the EZ out method.

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I also opt for the Easy-Out tool,(see image) although I have used Cnyles and Kens method of notching and peeling out the broken threads successfully. Good luck, Tom