Greg Bickal's DIY Series: How to make an Extension handle for a Gate Valve
Gate valves are the valve of choice because they are so easy to turn. Sometimes valves are in very hard to reach places (e.g. in the bottom of a pit to drain out a settling chamber). This technique will allow you to make an extension for that valve that will allow you to open and close it with easy from a location which is closer to you.


Materials

Description	Qty	Size	Price
Valve	1	1 1/2"	$8
CPVC Tee	1	1/2" by 1/2" by 1/2" (click on the picture for a larger image)	$.25
CPVC Tee	1	3/4" by 3/4" by 1/2" (click on the picture for a larger image)	$.25
CPVC Pipe	1	1/2". Length is determined by your particular installation	$2
Hose	1	6" of Old Garden hose will work, or you can buy the right kind of hose at your hardware store	$.50

1. Clamp onto the shaft with a pair of vice-grips.
   
2. Unscrew the existing handle.
   
3. Grid a hole in the center of the 3/4" CPVC Tee
   
4. The hole should look like this.
   
5. Heat up one side of the 3/4" CPVC Tee. It should be very flexible to the touch.
   
6. Slide the handle through the warmed end of the Tee.
   
7. The threaded end of the handle should stick out the hole. Allow to cool.
   
8. Shove the hose into one end of the Tee as far as it will go (about 1")
   
9. Trim off the excess hose.
   
10. Repeat the process with the other side of the Tee.
    
11. Again, trim off the excess.
    
12. Re-thread the handle back on to the valve
    
13. Attach your length of pvc pipe to the new handle on the Tee. Attach the smaller CPVC Tee to the top to use as a handle. Your completed Tee should look like this:
    
14. How the Valve handle looks when its opened.
    
15. How the Valve handle looks when its closed.