[smellslike$tome]

I know there is a long list on CT but don't think I remember either of these and since it was just a matter of time before one got added here I guess I'll go ahead and start it.

My buddy mentioned both of these over the last week or so.

1. Ever been head first down in a hole while trying to sweat a repair to a water service only to have your torch keep going out? Next time, if you have a small mini vac, reverse the flow so that it blows, tie a rag off around the end so it doesn't blow dirt in your face, and get the hose low enough so that it provides a source of air near the bottom of the hole.

2. I installed a ho provided roman tub faucet the other day that the ho pruchased via e-bay. Neither of the two stems were marked hot as one of them should have been so I had to guess since I do not know how to tell them apart without the tag (perhaps I should have and now I do but I didn't when I needed to). Of course I guessed wrong.
Anyway, if neither of the stems are marked (and my friend said even if they are marked because he's found them incorrectly marked after the fact before) simply blow through the stem observing the handle direction of turn from open to close which will tell you which side it should go on.

:blink: Dohhh! So simple, why didn't I ever think of that!

 

[GrumpyPlumber]

I know there is a long list on CT but don't think I remember either of these and since it was just a matter of time before one got added here I guess I'll go ahead and start it.

My buddy mentioned both of these over the last week or so.

1. Ever been head first down in a hole while trying to sweat a repair to a water service only to have your torch keep going out? Next time, if you have a small mini vac, reverse the flow so that it blows, tie a rag off around the end so it doesn't blow dirt in your face, and get the hose low enough so that it provides a source of air near the bottom of the hole.

2. I installed a ho provided roman tub faucet the other day that the ho pruchased via e-bay. Neither of the two stems were marked hot as one of them should have been so I had to guess since I do not know how to tell them apart without the tag (perhaps I should have and now I do but I didn't when I needed to). Of course I guessed wrong.
Anyway, if neither of the stems are marked (and my friend said even if they are marked because he's found them incorrectly marked after the fact before) simply blow through the stem observing the handle direction of turn from open to close which will tell you which side it should go on.

:blink: Dohhh! So simple, why didn't I ever think of that!

LOL, I figured out the handle trick in my first year as an apprentice...I still do it on single handle KS faucets before connecting to the stops just to be sure.

 

[user4]

Alabama allows soft soldering on a buried water service?

 

[Alan]

Yep, ALWAYS blow through and make sure you're installing faucet handles in the off position, otherwise you will be ScREwEd!~

 

[gear junkie]

Next time you're dealing with a 3 handle faucet that has unions, sweat the fpt union onto the mpt copper. I've seen many of these unions split right on the side. Hand tighten the threads and apply the solder.

 

[smellslike$tome]

Alabama allows soft soldering on a buried water service?

Yes per IPC.

 

[smellslike$tome]

Next time you're dealing with a 3 handle faucet that has unions, sweat the fpt union onto the mpt copper. I've seen many of these unions split right on the side. Hand tighten the threads and apply the solder.

Yikes! Maybe I'm not following you correctly but why on earth would you ever want to solder a union together. This would defeat the whole purpose of having a union in the first place. I must not be understanding you properly?

BTW, I have come across older style 2 and 3 handle t/s faucets where this had been done and never understood why. Replacement is a snap with functioning unions but definately takes more time and work when you have to cut the unions out.

 

[threaderman]

I never solder when copper is in the ground,that creates a weaker joint than the pipe itself ,which is not good,where as the brazed area of a pipe is often times stronger than the original pipe material.The only way to go,sorry.

 

[Song Dog]

I have been in many hard to reach to get a saw into places. Basic string line will cut its way through sch40 with some elbow grease.
I have used a disc grinder to cut CI when I couldn't get my chain behind it.

In Christ,

Song Dog

 

[3KP]

Cutting Cast

I use a wood saw z all blade to cut cast when I can't get the chains around it. Believe it or not it works. Doesn't really take that much time to cut through either.

I sometimes use a grinding wheel too.

 

[threaderman]

I have 2 containers for heat-proof grease but one has wax in it,and when I have a lot of screws I will put the tip of my driver in the wax and it holds quite a few screws before reapplying.

 

[gear junkie]

Yikes! Maybe I'm not following you correctly but why on earth would you ever want to solder a union together. This would defeat the whole purpose of having a union in the first place. I must not be understanding you properly?

BTW, I have come across older style 2 and 3 handle t/s faucets where this had been done and never understood why. Replacement is a snap with functioning unions but definately takes more time and work when you have to cut the unions out.

You're not catching and english is my second language so it works. When done this way, you can tighten and untighten the union nut(forgot the right term) without a backup wrench because the part that would screw/unscrew is now soldered. This will actually make installtion and replacement easier. All this does is keep the union from splitting and tool marks.

 

[22rifle]

You're not catching and english is my second language so it works. When done this way, you can tighten and untighten the union nut(forgot the right term) without a backup wrench because the part that would screw/unscrew is now soldered. This will actually make installtion and replacement easier. All this does is keep the union from splitting and tool marks.

Doesn't meet code though!

Never had one of these split on me either.

 

[gear junkie]

Where exactly doesn't it meet code? I'm under IPC. I've seen these things last 10 years and then split for no reason.

 

[22rifle]

It is not an approved fitting joint. An approved fitting joint is either a socket and soldered, or threaded with a sealant in a manner than it can be unthreaded. Can't be both at the same time.

The code does not say "You cannot do this". It does say, "here are the approved methods" and this doesn't match either of those.

 

[gear junkie]

It is not an approved fitting joint. An approved fitting joint is either a socket and soldered, or threaded with a sealant in a manner than it can be unthreaded. Can't be both at the same time.

The code does not say "You cannot do this". It does say, "here are the approved methods" and this doesn't match either of those.

I can see your point and while I do respect the code, there are things that aren't revelant. Things like I trust and would fully stand behind a joint made in such a manner. I got a feeling this statement will cause some thread drift. Maybe we should start a new thread on the subject.

 

[WestCoastPlumber]

I use diamond blade grinder for all my aged cast cutting

I vacuum lock a water heater, pull the bibb and install a 3/4 x3 galv nipple, with a ball valve and another closed nipple with a garden hose adapter on it, to drain my heaters, once I pop a flex it drains in about 15 mins. Of course my adapter is already made up, I have had it for years.

everyone knows the bread in the pipe to solder, I solved this, I purchased a 330B Pro press:thumbup:

when you have to drain down a verticle copper pipe, and you don't want to tast the water, use the sprayer hose and nozzle from your spray bottle, and drain it down that way, mental note: do not drop the nozzle hose down the pipe:no:

ummmm, these are just a few. maybe not even tricks to some.

 

[threaderman]

I use diamond blade grinder for all my aged cast cutting

I vacuum lock a water heater, pull the bibb and install a 3/4 x3 galv nipple, with a ball valve and another closed nipple with a garden hose adapter on it, to drain my heaters, once I pop a flex it drains in about 15 mins. Of course my adapter is already made up, I have had it for years.

everyone knows the bread in the pipe to solder, I solved this, I purchased a 330B Pro press:thumbup:

when you have to drain down a verticle copper pipe, and you don't want to tast the water, use the sprayer hose and nozzle from your spray bottle, and drain it down that way, mental note: do not drop the nozzle hose down the pipe:no:

ummmm, these are just a few. maybe not even tricks to some.

Don't drop the nozzle,made me laugh.I reset a toilet once and it wouldn't flush for squat,I looked around and didn't see my rag I was using to keep stuff from falling down in the bend

 

[WestCoastPlumber]

Don't drop the nozzle,made me laugh.I reset a toilet once and it wouldn't flush for squat,I looked around and didn't see my rag I was using to keep stuff from falling down in the bend

lol, you know what I did......I have a habit of turning the stop on and not hooking the supply line up to the fill valve.....it does not happen to often, but I have done it more then once..... I pre wash the floor

oh no, thread drift.....back on target! sorry OP.

 

[gear junkie]

when you have to drain down a verticle copper pipe, and you don't want to tast the water, use the sprayer hose and nozzle from your spray bottle, and drain it down that way, mental note: do not drop the nozzle hose down the pipe:no:

I'll plunge the pipe with a something, usually a jet swet.