Hints, tips & secrets of plumbing - No Banter please!

[Puddle]

re: Hints, tips & secrets of plumbing - No Banter please!

If you keep speedfit stopends in your pocket in case of an emergency, every now and then try them on a bit of pipe. If you leave them in your pocket for more than a few weeks the bits of fluff and dirt will stop then connecting to the pipe properly. They can be cleaned of course, but defeats the object of an emergecny measure. I had two in pocket for about a month and couldn't be bothered to get some from my speedfit box so decided to use my emergency ones. Neither would go on the pipe.

maybe just keep them in a small plastic bag or stuff a bit of plastic bag in each end to keep rubbish out and just pull out when required

 

[Puddle]

re: Hints, tips & secrets of plumbing - No Banter please!

anyone any tips for filing chrome for soldered joints ?? takes to long using the old jeremy kyle

I use a hand held Dremel with small grinding disc,useful things,use it also to cut old rusted w/c cistern or seat bolts off with a small cutting disc

 

[Kimou]

re: Hints, tips & secrets of plumbing - No Banter please!

good tip but I have always used the small tube from my u gauge to shove down pipe and syphon water out

:vanish:

I've always used earth sleeving. But I like the squeezy doo-da.

 

[Guest123]

re: Hints, tips & secrets of plumbing - No Banter please!

There is a chemical that you coat on to the pipe, leave it and the chrome comes off much easier. Sorry but don't know its name or where to get it, an American friend told me about it.

For the newbies....NEVER EVER use chrome pipe with plastic pushfit fittings!

It might be this: Muriatic Acid/Hydrocloric Acid solution

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001B3UOOM...ominc&link_code=ur2&creative=9325&camp=211189

 

[Guest123]

re: Hints, tips & secrets of plumbing - No Banter please!

When fitting a slotted service valve (the one you switch off with a screwdriver) under a sink or hard to get at places where the valve isn't on show, a penny washer superglued into the slot makes a good handle for switching it on and off without messing about with a screwdriver. Cheaper than buying the ones with plastic handles.

 

[Puddle]

re: Hints, tips & secrets of plumbing - No Banter please!



If you find your self removing a boiler at 10 pm at night for a relation and unable to label the wiring as pens have not been invented yet going by the black look on their faces when you ask for one,bend the wires to signify there use ie from left to right pump live,live (permanent),switched live,neutral and earth..sorted and yes I will be using a junction box and fitting flex to new unit... :devilish:


while am I on a role

Also advise same relations not to paint radiators with emulsion paint,will not give the look they are looking for !!

 

[Guest123]

re: Hints, tips & secrets of plumbing - No Banter please!

If you need lettering and graphics on a van and don't want to pay a design company a fortune, you can design and fit your own (very easy to do) using either your own graphics and text or templates at this site:

Design Vinyl Van Signs, Magnetic van Signs, Builders Site Boards, pvc banners, Pavement Signs, Roller Banners online

My long wheel base Transit only cost £118 in full colour on EVERY panel!

 

[bostonlincs]

re: Hints, tips & secrets of plumbing - No Banter please!

and make sure the washing machine/dishwashers off first before turning it off in the first place,had a custard today ring up (he fancies himself as a wanna be plumber) him just changed my tap washer and now the washing machine wont fill up ,whats gone wrong me you have killed its solenoid buddy,it was running when you turned the cold main off wasn't it ? him eh yes wife switched it on without telling me(liar )anyway can you fix it? me no,i am a plumber call a repairer

Almost all washing machines will cut out when the water cuts out, fire this back at them.

 

[GQuigley67]

re: Hints, tips & secrets of plumbing - No Banter please!

anyone any tips on removing basins which have been glued to the wall by either tile adhesive or something similar ??? took me ages the other night with a hacksaw blade and a bit of brute force which ended up doing me back in !

 

[Guest123]

re: Hints, tips & secrets of plumbing - No Banter please!

anyone any tips on removing basins which have been glued to the wall by either tile adhesive or something similar ??? took me ages the other night with a hacksaw blade and a bit of brute force which ended up doing me back in !

If it's stuck with silicone, ease it off the wall a little and jam it each end with a big screwdriver. Pour some silicone remover fluid down the back of the sink, leave it for 10-15mins and it will come off nae bother. Silicone remover is available from your local poofix. It's great for removing silicone round baths and showers and for tidying up silicone when you've used a bit too much!
Oh, make sure you catch the silicone with a towel under the basin or it might mark the tiles!

 

[GQuigley67]

re: Hints, tips & secrets of plumbing - No Banter please!

this one was stuck on with tile adhesive or something similar though, sweat was bucketing out of me getting the thing off

 

[Guest123]

re: Hints, tips & secrets of plumbing - No Banter please!

this one was stuck on with tile adhesive or something similar though, sweat was bucketing out of me getting the thing off

Had one that was stuck solid with that adhesive "Sticks like..." Only way I know is to prise the basin off a bit and jam it each end with a big screwdriver then put a concrete saw up the back and start cutting the adhesive. I always cover the tiles first with taping on an old towel, to stop the saw marking them.

 

[WaterTight]

re: Hints, tips & secrets of plumbing - No Banter please!

But use masking tape. I did it once with black tape and it left a black mark which did come off but took some persuasion.

 

[THE GASMAN]

re: Hints, tips & secrets of plumbing - No Banter please!

how do i post a new thread

 

[tamz]

re: Hints, tips & secrets of plumbing - No Banter please!

Hint.
f you fancy a "career" in plumbing it is wise to get a job and be taught rather than pay a fortune to learn very little.

 

[Gray0689]

Hint.
f you fancy a "career" in plumbing it is wise to get a job and be taught rather than pay a fortune to learn very little.

I hope all the people who come on here asking about courses read this
It will be there TOP TIP

 

[SimonG]

re: Hints, tips & secrets of plumbing - No Banter please!

Hint.
f you fancy a "career" in plumbing it is wise to get a job and be taught rather than pay a fortune to learn very little.

I was thinking just that, there's too many people too quick to part with their cash before doing any research into the current state of the industry. As 'Forrest Gump' once said 'stupid is as stupid does'.

 

[Guest123]

re: Hints, tips & secrets of plumbing - No Banter please!

I use gas ptfe tape on the threads of back plates for outside taps. It gets a really nice tight turn with little effort into the position I need the tap to sit. Never leaks and never any danger of it turning through time.

 

[84Zane]

re: Hints, tips & secrets of plumbing - No Banter please!

When fitting an item your unfamiliar with - always read the instructions, as prevents embarrassing situations at a later date!

 

[Barry98]

re: Hints, tips & secrets of plumbing - No Banter please!

When fitting an item your unfamiliar with - always read the instructions, as prevents embarrassing situations at a later date!

you speak as if you have experience

 

[John Findlay]

re: Hints, tips & secrets of plumbing - No Banter please!

Best tip I'll give is buy a Rage saw - the easiest way to take a galvanised tank apart for disposal and no sparks.

 

[bongo]

re: Hints, tips & secrets of plumbing - No Banter please!

Never visit a wholesaler and spend 20 minutes ordering 80 quids worth of fittings, which are assembled on the bench in front of you, then realise you've left your wallet back on the job!

 

[brett.d.]

re: Hints, tips & secrets of plumbing - No Banter please!

don't work to hard

 

[centralgas]

re: Hints, tips & secrets of plumbing - No Banter please!

Changing bottom inlet ball valves: Get the metal nut started on the plastic thread BEFORE you fully tighten the plastic securing nut. This gives you a bit more play and hopefully less headaches! Tighten metal nut fully once the plastic nut is tight.

Cust care: Even if house is a tip, but there's shoes at the door, take yours off too!

Tip: 90% of customers don't mind paying a bit more so long as your work area is spotless and you don't get re-called. There's no point being the cheapest all the time and cutting corners just to get by!

 

[mdd]

re: Hints, tips & secrets of plumbing - No Banter please!

thanks what a good idea

one i remembered from pluasne

make an air test kit by stripping the rubber off an old tyre schraeder valve and solder it into some 10mm (i think) then solder into a 10x15 reducer connect the 15mm to a compression fitting, get yourself a foot pump and away you go.

KJ