Plumbers Mate! Thanks folks on uk.d-i-y

Plumbers Mait actually. I've always thought that an excellent play on words.

I don't get it. Why is using a pre 17C spelling so good? I'd always taken it as simply a matter of changing it so that it could be a trademark.

Seems like good stuff anyway. Now if I could only find something to put between the bottom of a wash basin (on the ceramic) and the rubber seal thingy that is supposed to make a watertight seal. Damn thing drips slightly when the sink is emptying. Any suggestions?

Undo, apply silicone, re-do :-}

(need to do our kitchen sink)

As in helping two surfaces to 'mait' or join together, the play on words being 'mate' or assistant.

Did you not stock up on LS-X as well :-)

What is LS-X? I've not heard of that one.

I used a smear of silicone sealant when I did the job, but I think the joint got rotated very slightly while getting the sink / pipework into place - this may have broken the seal.

I'd have thought that some sort of water repelling / none setting grease would be better for this job than silicone sealant. It would be more forgiving of minor movements. Does such a thing exist?

The DIY stores here in France have lots of mysterious silicone based stuff in small tubes that are hideously expensive. Maybe one of them is what I'm suggesting? Trouble is, not only is the writing on them in French, its also too damn small to read anyway.

That as far as I can find is a load of cobblers. No book or on line dictionary shows that. Are you pulling the proverbial or have some justification for MAIT.

Rob

You normally put a bed of Plumbers Mait on the top of the basin before inserting the waste.

You mean, the play on words is exactly the same as if it were spelled "Plumber's mate"?

It's a silicone sealer specially designed for plumbing use. Expensive - but works very well where other sealers fail.

The answer to a maidens prayer....

It wouldn't perchance be more like a non-setting grease would it? Unlike the sanitary sealing silicone.

Maybe

Adam.

Thanks. I'll have a look for it in the DIY store. Sounds just like what I need.

You can certainly get silicone grease (kind of like vaseline, but doesn't attack natural rubber). It's quite expensive in the plumbing sheds, but you can get it cheap on eBay.

Now you mention it, I can't find anything online about it either. I've always 'known' the word mait to mean join together, couldn't tell you why. Must have imagined it.

There is/was a pub Croydon way called The Plumbers Mait, dunno where that came from.