Bog standard bog?

Armitage Shanks Sandringham toilet - £100. I think some B+Q's do them, if not, a good plumbers merchant.

Anything less than £75 will be junk. I've fitted a few of the 'toilets to go' before, and had problems fitting and sealing them. Pay a bit more, and get something that works out of the box.

Alan.

BOG Std - now there's an interesting and old fashioned term. My dad used to use that phrase.

I heard from somewhere that it originates from a draughtsman's shorthand in that a drawing would be made specifying all the critical components and dimensions and then a note on the bottom would state something like Nuts, Bolts, Washers & Pipe Fittings: British Or German Standard.

Is this true?

Tim W

You can't go too far wrong with Twyfords or Ideal Standard from a merchant. As an FYI for anyone buying a toilet, the important part to check is under the spigot at the rear. Visually check it for lack of glaze, pitting or defects. That is one area that can be overlooked by so called quality control but is the most important part in terms of getting a good water seal. If you think about it, that part is constantly submerged in 'fluids' and any defects in the glaze will mean a nasty leak.

Dave.

According to my 2 favourite sources, no;

Yes, they're in B+Q for that price. I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but they look very ugly to me!

Sometimes you get lucky - maybe because someone needs to get rid of something? It looks like the discontinued Wickes ones (=A350) were good enough...

Cheers, David.

Have to agree.

End up with having to replace half of the siphon bits, most of the seals with cheap china.

Normally a builders merchants will have a 'trade' range at sensible prices.

well the second adds some weight to the derivation from British or German.

I do seem to remember it around engineering companies back in the 70's, but I have no idea where it came from.

OED also notes that may be a result of box-standard being misheard/misunderstood but adds that others have also suggested comes from "bog-wheel", former Cambridge slang for a bicycle.

All are far more erudite (and PC) than what I was told in the early 70s at college: that it reflected the standard of work delivered by Irish workmen in the building industry ;)

OED has nothing earlier than the 1968 example in the first link.

Just fitted a Screwfix bog 'To Go' cost £48.03 at trade rates (about £50 for Jo Public), a piece of p**s to fit and no ordering required (as title suggests). No probs with seals and superbly quick to refill - 12 seconds FFS! Unbeatbale value.

Only problem now is the lino has an indentation of the old bigger bog which is now visible on the lino! Oh crap.

Yup. Basic trade china with no marketing overhead is good value if all you want to do is take an honest dump.

That's what it's for...

Wow - I thought my 38 seconds was good. I could remove the flow restrictor, but I'm not sure if that's a good idea or not...

Is it discoloured or just an indent? If the latter, it might just heal slightly over time...

It's the dishonest dumps you have to worry about.

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember "Mitch" saying something like:

No, don't do that on the lino.

I bet it aint lino.

Can you still get lino? ISTR that the heavier/tougher stuff was called "battleship" or something similar.

Didn't it smell of linseed oil? Possibly in the bog other smells may be more predominant.

I think in my bathroom/bog the only 'organic' stuff not in bottles is bog roll, soap and towels. Possibly the ceiling plasterboard might qualify, although that's painted, as is the door.

Oh - and a massive loofah.

Yes, it's made from oxidised linseed oil with added lead, zinc and wood flour. Mmmmmm.

Still made today and used in hospitals because it's so hard wearing.