How would you reconstruct this bypass valve?

[amateurplumber1]

I want to recreate this old bypass valve with ball valves (it has thread-less gate valves). Currently working on my soldering skills before I do this, but before I buy everything, I just want to make sure i have this right:

I need to solder a copper T on either side, then a piece of pipe going horizontally from each copper T to a ball valve in the middle, then another piece of copper going down vertically from each T, then a slip ball valve down from each of those, then a piece of threaded copper down from each of those. Is that right?

Next question: does a male threaded ball valve exist? If so, I could just solder that on to the piece of vertical pipe and eliminate the last step of soldering on the threaded piece of copper. But since I have no idea what I'm talking about, it may or may not be better to just do what I originally said (if a male threaded ball valve even exists :P).

Last question: should I first solder this all together and then solder each side to the two pipes? Or solder it together piece by piece?

Ok, thanks for reading...go easy on me!

[asktom]

If you want to get rid of the gates and put in ball valves, you pretty much cut out the gate valves and solder in ball valves. It is probably easier to cut out the whole works and lift things up a hair than work with old parts. Forget the male ball valve. It really gets down to soldering skills and whether there is water running out of the pipe - which requires an upgrade in soldering skills. As for the exact way to do it, there are many different ways that would work. It will be easier to figure it out on your own than try to understand one possible way somebody tells you about. Hope that was easy enough.

[hj]

There is no such thing as a "male threaded" valve other than in the very small sizes. Use sweat ball valves and a male "spigot/street" adapter into the valve for the final connection. It is usually much easier to put the thing together in place, whether you solder it as you go or put it all together and solder it at one time.

[cacher_chick]

Building a new bypass with 1/4 turn ball valves is the way to go.

Instead of the threaded fittings for the equipment connection, I like to leave a copper stub for a compression fitting, and then use a braided SS hose with compression X MIP or FIP for the connection.

http://media.wattswater.com/ES-CWH-S.pdf

[amateurplumber1]

Thanks for looking it over guys! That's an idea too. I can just solder in a piece of copper and then use a hose with a compression end. Any reason id go with compression over threaded?

[cacher_chick]

I use the compression because that is the hose that everyone seems to stock.