Best Pipe fittings for DIY plumbing?

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Would that point us to hacksaws and leaking joints?

[Andy Hall]

As an object lesson in what not to do, and what goes wrong when you don't read the instructions .......

[Andrew McKay]

More likely old sore and leaking brain.

Andrew

[Doctor Evil]

......our DIY caber maker is here gain...to impart widom to us all?......let us see....

...yes, that is what he said.......yes, you did read correctly.....not one ounce of wisdom whatsoever.....he must make some cabers......

_________________________________________ Usenet Zone Free Binaries Usenet Server More than 120,000 groups Unlimited download

to open account

[Dave Plowman (News)]

So you don't know how to read posts as well as all your other failings? Is there no end to your flaws?

Now it's possible a saw would be some use there. But not for cutting plastic pipes where you're going to use push on fittings. Haven't you learnt anything off websites?

[John Rumm]

Why? Fancy youself as a tosser?

[Doctor Evil]

No thanks, there are enough tossers already on this ng.

_________________________________________ Usenet Zone Free Binaries Usenet Server More than 120,000 groups Unlimited download

to open account

[Doctor Evil]

......yes he is on about his saws.....cabering must be an exact skill....most use an axe to cut them.....yes, he uses a saw....some caber maker......and he is fully versed at being a tosser too.........

_________________________________________ Usenet Zone Free Binaries Usenet Server More than 120,000 groups Unlimited download

to open account

[Kevin Brady]

This was meant to be a thread on plumbing tips guys, keep the attitude for the playground - it's pretty boring for everyone else.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

But this is the playground for some?

[Steve Firth]

In truth you will probably end up using several different types of fittings. I prefer to use end-feed capillary fittings for the majority of the jobs that I do. I also make judicious use of a bending spring, essential where you encounter joists in the wrong place. Sadly copper tube is getting harder and thinner walled in most DIY sheds so bending with a spring is getting more difficult. Not impossible, but difficult and it takes a bit of practice. Pipe benders I found to be less satisfactory.

YOu will inevitably need some compression and/or pushfit fittings because there are often places where you don't want to use a gas torch. And somethimes places that are just inaccessible and very occosionally when working on existing systems there are places that can't be drained or won't dry out sufficiently to allow you to solder a fitting.

I had that problem where the flow and return enter the house from the boiler room. Previous bodged jobs by so-called professionals left it necessary to join the new pipework to the old in an awkward spot (partly recessed into a wall near a wall plate). Rather than use end feed fittings I chose to use Cuprofit at that place, and it made the entire job much easier.

If you need to reposition anything then push fit or compression joints are essential. There will always be some section of pipework that needs "manipualtion" to get it into the right place and any joint that can be roatated around the fitting can be alifesaver here. IMO this is where pushfit comes into its own.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I know what you mean - perhaps for a gentle curve to clear an obstacle.

Some say heating the pipe to anneal it first works with modern tube. I've not tried it.

[Doctor Evil]

.....and an outlet for idiots for some too......

_________________________________________ Usenet Zone Free Binaries Usenet Server More than 120,000 groups Unlimited download

to open account

[Chris Bacon]

Anneal the stuff as discussed here some time back. Heat the bit of tube where you want to bend it, and a bit on each side, to redness, then dunk it in cold water or play water on it to cool. It will then be soft enough to bend easily.

[Steve Firth]

Yes, exactly that. This house has wallplates everywhere and it's lsited so the LBO doesn't approve of drilling a 20mm hole through a 300 year old oak beam in order to lay in pipe. So any vertical riser has to have a slight offset to get it around the timber. I've got good at it now and can turn out matched pairs of tube that look good.

Me neither, fortunately I'm not trying for a right angled bend. If I were simply trying to save on fittings I would get a pipe bender, but IMO the large radius of the curve makes tubes bent in a bender unsightly if used where they can be seen.

[Steve Firth]

Do you also want to teach my grandmother how to evacuate ova using a partial depression of atmospheric pressure?

Because if you do you'll have to dig her up first.

[:::Jerry::::]

Or in your case, both !

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I'd sort of thought the radius of the bend a pipe bender makes is about the tightest that is safe for a pipe bent cold? And if you need tighter, you use elbows or bends?

The great beauty of a bender, of course, is that it can be used near anywhere in the tube. Some say you can bend a right angle in the middle of the tube using a spring and retrieve it, but the one and only time I tried I couldn't. ;-)

[Pete C]

plonk!

[Steve Firth]

Sorry I wasn't being clear, I prefer to use elbows where the bend would be on show since IMO they look neater.

Oh I manage that, attach the spring to an old piece of rope from the boat and dangle it to where the bend is to be made then a good clean pull on the rope will pull out the spring.