I was doing some plumbing this past weekend connecting CPVC to cast iron and the 3/4" CPVC compression fittings will fit around the 1/2" iron pipe.I don't think the sharkbites or the white plastic compression fittings will work though just the CPVC compression fittings.Here's a picture of it:They are $3.92

You will find resources here from blogs to pod casts and forums.

If you already have a supporting cast in place, then it will be a piece of cake.

The days of buying a house and just doing theblandscape, paint, and flooring are gone, there is just not enough room for the investor so you must find deals that require much heavier rehabs.There are certainly other nets you can cast t shop deals but I don't want to take this  conversation too far off your topic.

It is not a standard size or I would put In a cast iron pan.

Maybe put a piece of quarter-round or so along the room edge of the mantle to hide the LED strips from view.Maybe, instead of the strip lights, LED cans in the ceiling above the fireplace, but you sort of need two sets so the mantle doesn't cast a big shadow downwards.You might be able to go up into the attic and look down into the room, using the gaps around the chimney/flue. 

I have structural steel footer collars cast into the exterior perimeter piers that act as the base for my timber post columns.

The current BP pod cast has good tips on this:Grant Kemp on seller financing

I rented a cast iron drain pipe cuter for this project.

You will find resources here from blogs to pod casts and forums.