Teflon Tape

[mcp6453]

Assuming that the thread is not reverse, is this guy winding this Teflon tape in the right direction?

[Stormin Mormon]

No.... as the thread tightens, the tape will tend to loosen. I always wrap with the threads, not against.

[terry]

Looks kinda bass ackwards doesn't it?

Left hand shown? There is no watch (or finger ring) on the person's hand. Although wearing watches (rings) not as common nowadays and never recommended while working in construction work anyway!

While the presumably superposed printing is the 'right way round', I'll opt for suggesting, the picture got reversed!

And that's happened before; some 'layout director' in the arts department decides a picture 'looks better' or fits the page, the other way round and knowing nothing of the skill or technology involved gets the picture wrong way round.

As result something such as the the Eiffel Tower in relation to the Arc De Triomphe in Paris is shown wrong. Also seem to remember a pix. of a standard V8 motor that was clearly backwards!

[Bob F]

How the he## is he going to screw that pipe onto that fitting anyway?

[Stormin Mormon]

Good one! I totally missed that. He shoulda thread it, and then sweat.

[Frank]

He may be. My eyes aren't what they used to be but it looks like he is going clockwise from the small edge of tape sticking out.

[Tony]

The copper pipe is fastened to the wood, so either the joint gets a union fitting, or the chrome pipe is loose and able to turn and reach the copper, or some dumb ass is teaching what he doesn't know. But still the teflon is backwards or the pic is flip flopped.

[HeyBub]

Psst! It doesn't matter. The tape is not the sealant.

[Tony]

Are you saying that the teflon is just a lubricant? I don't think so.

[Larry Fishel]

I found the page that links to that pic. The part sticking out of the wall is the end of a sillcock that is not yet attached to anything.

Another photo of the connection from a different angle shows it running in the same direction, so the photo probably isn't backwards.

The roll of tape is also visible in the photo, but the resolution is too low to tell if the lettering is backwards. Maybe if someone has the same brand of tape they might be able to tell.

(Not that it's worth worrying about.)

[Red Green]

Tony wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Then that settles it. It's Bob Vila's hand.

[Joe]

HeyBub is right, Teflon tape is a lubricant. if you want sealing, use pipe dope like your plumber does.

Joe

[HeyBub]

"Thread tape is appropriate for use on tapered threads, where it is the thread itself that provides the seal surface... One of the defining characteristics of PTFE is how good it is at defeating friction. The use of PTFE tape in tapered pipe threads performs a lubricating function, which more easily allows the threads to be screwed together, to the point of deformation, which is what creates the majority, if not all, of the seal."

[Bob F]

Why is it that more wraps gives a better seal? I've sure found that to be true.

[Tony]

Dang! Foiled again. I use both Teflon and pipe dope (not at the same time). I've had joints leak with Teflon so I changed to pipe dope, and I had pipe dope leak so I changed to Teflon. I think I'm just too scared to tighten some fittings as hard as they need. Same experience with compressed air hoses and stuff.

Next to the pressure tank I have a steel pipe going into a female pvc fitting, and after leaking twice, then breaking the pvc fitting while tightening it more, I put 2 hose clamps around a new female fitting and snugged them up tight before torquing he hell out of the fitting. Finally worked.

[Tony]

Ahh! It does say ""the majority", if not all", so evidently sometimes the Teflon is making the seal!

[Bob F]

I don't think metal threads into PVC female is even allowed here.

[The Daring Dufas]

I tried to zoom in on the writing on the roll but it was too blurred.

TDD

[The Daring Dufas]

I use pipe dope that contains Teflon. *snicker*

TDD

[HeyBub]

Or pipe dope. Or soldering. Or something else. Or it's not sealed at all.

Personally, I just lube up the joint with WD-40 and give it a go.