Installing a gas stove: pipe questions

[seamlyne]

The gas line is already run under the floor - it supplies the furnace, the water heater, and the dryer. It's black pipe and seems to be in good shape. There's a "T" where a gas stove was installed prior to 1970, and there's a valve just past the furnace branch and another just past the "T". I have complete access because the basement ceiling isn't finished. My plan is to connect where the old stove was, bring the pipe the six or so inches up into the kitchen, then attach the new valve and supply line. Here are my challenges and concerns:

The old connection where I plan to tie in is on one arm of a 1" "T". The old stove connection is angled about 11° off perpendicular, so I have two choices: I can use a couple of elbows and nipples to correct the angle and move it closer to the upstairs wall (just an inch or two) OR I can see if I can turn the pipe beneath enough to straighten the connection. There's enough there that I could get a big wrench around it and turn the "T" back to perpendicular.

It's 50+ year old pipe and connections. I'm nervous enough about messing with the cap, let alone the whole pipe: I'm afraid of snapping any of the pieces, or loosening a connection up stream.

I've done just about everything else in this house in the 50 years I've lived here. Plumbing, electrical, drywall, framing, siding. This is my first time dealing with black pipe.

Advice? Reassurance? Dire warnings?

[adnadeau]

Have you looked into CSST (Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing)? That would eliminate the 11° angle problem on the Tee. CSST requires it to be installed by a "certified installer", but at least one brand will certify you after you take an on-line training course. Soaking the threads of that cap & nipple in PB Blaster or something similar might help in removing them.

[seamlyne]

Have you looked into CSST (Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing)?

Well I have NOW. I'm all about flexible, but I've only got to go 6", and the shortest roll I can find is 30', nor do I have the tools (a flanger?) to work with it. If there was just an inch or so more of room, I could install the valve right there and run the flexible supply up through the floor - it's all open to the air so nothing would be enclosed, and it would come up right behind the stove where I need it.

[seamlyne]

There's 28" from the elbow with the cap back to the next elbow to the right (we'll call that A), and in the photo you can see there's a valve right there on the left (B). Turning the pipe would tighten (A) and slightly loosen (B). Could the pipe be safely turned to point straight up? I've never worked with steel pipe so I don't know what the tolerances are/what I can get away with.

[adnadeau]

I think you'd be asking for trouble if you tried to rotate the Tee. Loosening valve B is risky. You probably wouldn't damage the pipe, but the thread compound has probably dried out, and you might create a leak in the joint. I can't tell from your pictures if the angle of the Tee matches the angle of the hole in the floor. Is it a straight shot from the top of the cap to the hole? Can you just remove the cap & nipple & put in a piece of pipe to go through the hole? I would use 3/4 inch pipe with a 1 inch to 3/4 inch bushing. You will also need yellow teflon tape or pipe joint compound certified for gas.
Something else you might want to check: that copper pipe that crosses the 1 inch line. That piece of insulation looks kind of squashed. You definately don't want to let the copper pipe contact the iron pipe.