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bobwilson1977
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Post subject: Does plumbing suck for everybody? Posted: Mar Thu 08, 2018 3:51 am |
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Joined: Dec Mon 08, 2008 8:27 pm Posts: 8463 Location: alameda,CA
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I swear I spent 2 hours installing a sink just now and like all plumbing I've ever done it was a god awful mess, lots of trips to the hardware store, cutting and fitting . Come to think of it every time I've ever done a plumbing project in the house it was a royal nightmare . I dislike plumbing so maybe that's part of it.
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tinwhisker
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Post subject: Re: Does plumbing suck for everybody? Posted: Mar Thu 08, 2018 3:57 am |
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Joined: Feb Sun 17, 2008 11:36 pm Posts: 1923 Location: Dayton, Ohio
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I believe I would rather go to the dentist than take on another plumbing repair.
Charlie
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torotoro
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Post subject: Re: Does plumbing suck for everybody? Posted: Mar Thu 08, 2018 4:03 am |
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Joined: Dec Tue 05, 2017 9:50 pm Posts: 20
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I’m pretty handy but certain things, like plumbing, I leave to the pros. Light stuff like a seat or cartridge okay but sinks and toilets just not worth it.
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simplex1040
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Post subject: Re: Does plumbing suck for everybody? Posted: Mar Thu 08, 2018 4:08 am |
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Joined: Jan Thu 01, 1970 1:00 am Posts: 8827 Location: 42001 KY
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in a word, yes
As you say , multiple trips to the store.....
_________________ ... .. --. -. .- - ..- .-. .
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glue_ru
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Post subject: Re: Does plumbing suck for everybody? Posted: Mar Thu 08, 2018 4:11 am |
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Joined: Dec Tue 01, 2015 5:31 am Posts: 1184 Location: Columbus Ohio
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not at all, u$e flexible pex and it$ expen$ive fitting$, but ea$y to u$e if you buy the whole kit with cutter$. I have dozens of 1/2" copper fittings in every angle, couplers, plugs, caps, sweat it with MAP gas, quick and easy, I've sweated in a few miles of pipe, couple squirters, but easily resolved
_________________ Joe @ Vintage Test Equipment - There's no shortage of cruelty to animals: http://joinASPCA.org
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threeneurons
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Post subject: Re: Does plumbing suck for everybody? Posted: Mar Thu 08, 2018 4:14 am |
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Joined: Jul Sun 17, 2011 1:11 am Posts: 4331 Location: Los Angeles
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Yes, it sucks. Just in the last month. Replaced a bad thermocouple in the hot water heater. That wasn't bad, really. And had to replace corroded out drain pipes under a bathroom sink, which required breaking a little dry wall. That one generated a bunch "rust dust" flying in the air, of which I inhaled. Haven't gotten sick, so far (knock on wood). If this trend continues, I might ask Mike Toon, if he needs a near 60-year old apprentice. I might as well get paid for all this work ! 
_________________ Life is like a roll of toilet paper - The closer you get the end, the faster it goes - A.E. Neuman
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Willitwork
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Post subject: Re: Does plumbing suck for everybody? Posted: Mar Thu 08, 2018 4:20 am |
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Joined: Jan Thu 24, 2013 4:55 am Posts: 1236 Location: South New Jersey 08077
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So I had to rehab the toilet because of leakage at the drain, i was at the big depot home improvement store, open 24 hours, at midnight buying a wax seal and other toilet parts. At the checkout, the checker wishes me "have a nice day". I will guarantee you that noone buying a toilet wax seal for the sewer waste drain at midnight is having a 'nice' day!
_________________ Ex: Same job, same building, same phone #; 4 Corp's: RCA, GE, Martin, Lockheed-Martin: 48 years
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Cubdriver
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Post subject: Re: Does plumbing suck for everybody? Posted: Mar Thu 08, 2018 6:01 am |
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Joined: Jun Fri 05, 2015 4:59 am Posts: 215 Location: Southeastern Litchfield County, CT
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I much prefer electrical work - the holes required are much smaller, and gravity does not matter.
-Pat
_________________ https://pmanning.smugmug.com/
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Retired Radio Man
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Post subject: Re: Does plumbing suck for everybody? Posted: Mar Thu 08, 2018 6:09 am |
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Joined: Jun Sat 09, 2007 8:14 am Posts: 3181 Location: Florida
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The answer to the question is YES, especially if it involves an older house. My last fun exercise was to replace the goose neck under a bathroom sink. The old one had rusted through and was also solidly rusted into the wall so that when it did come out it left a nice chunk of itself in the wall pipe, making it impossible to get the new pipe to fit tightly. I tried to knock it out with a chisel but didn't want to get too heavy handed for fear of breaking the pipe in the wall. After a couple of hours of colorful language I gave up and used lots and lots of pipe dope to seal it. It finally dried out and doesn't leak but it ain't pretty.
If there is anyone who has ever only made one trip to the store to fix anything around the house other than maybe tightening a screw or replacing a light bulb please speak up.
RRM
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Blast
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Post subject: Re: Does plumbing suck for everybody? Posted: Mar Thu 08, 2018 6:17 am |
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Joined: Aug Sat 27, 2011 1:59 am Posts: 60 Location: Kansas City area
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I don't mind supply. I can sweat copper with the best.
But, drain? If it's more than a sink trap no thank you.
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FStephenMasek
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Post subject: Re: Does plumbing suck for everybody? Posted: Mar Thu 08, 2018 6:26 am |
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Joined: Mar Sun 11, 2007 6:55 am Posts: 9671 Location: Mission Viejo, southern California
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We just finished our master bathroom remodel. The sinks and click-clack (push to close, push to open) sink drains are from Italy and look wonderful, but somebody needs to tell the Italians that 1.25" flanged tailpieces are very hard to find in the USA, while 1.5" parts are plentiful. The easiest solution was to buy some drain assemblies which came with 1.25" flanged tailpieces and throw everything but the tailpieces away.
Once of the best things to come along in a long time are the Sharkbite fittings. Yes, they are expensive, but they are so easy to use, and there is no need to worry about starting fires with a torch.
PEX piping is also a wonderful thing. It is not really new, but is now readily available. There are three types, and numerous joining methods, many requiring expensive tools. For production plumbing, PEX is very rapidly replacing copper. For smaller projects, PEX and Sharkbite fittings are a good solution.
_________________ many of my radios http://s269.photobucket.com/user/FSteph ... t=3&page=1
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westcoastjohn
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Post subject: Re: Does plumbing suck for everybody? Posted: Mar Thu 08, 2018 6:29 am |
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Joined: Dec Sat 24, 2011 9:17 pm Posts: 2058 Location: Vancouver Island, Canada
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Plumbing doesn't suck that much, it mostly drips or squirts. I moved the laundry sink a few inches so the old supply pipes were too short. 3 stores, nobody selling replacement pipe with a bulge-type flange at one end and a compression fitting on the other. I paid 4 times more for the flexible hoses, every hardware store sells those. Hope they last, but somehow, I expect they're designed to burst when nobody's home. I love PEX pipe. The fittings are pricey and you need the crimp tool. But it is a joy to install, as long as you got room to maneuver the too long handles of the crimp tool.
_________________ Watch the doughnut, not the hole. Burl Ives, RIP, oldtimer. [:l>)
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SHenion
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Post subject: Re: Does plumbing suck for everybody? Posted: Mar Thu 08, 2018 6:30 am |
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Joined: Feb Wed 07, 2018 6:52 pm Posts: 186 Location: Stone Mountain, GA
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After a while it becomes easier. I can change a water heater in less than a half hour. Do it 3 times over 25 years and you buy extras each time.
Had to shut off my water main. Turned plastic ball valve and and it split, 140PSI water everywhere. Run out and shut off at street. Ok, now to do it right. Draw diagram of fittings needed to change all from plastic to copper from entrance to regulator. Run to HomerD and pick up everything; as always a few extras. Half hour later new brass ball valve and everything works.
Draw up what you need, make a list and buy extras. You probably need it later.
Have not done sewer work on this house YET. Have kitchen sink and disposal that drain real slow. Drain cleaner barely keeps it flowing. So need to get snake. I may end up replacing drop to garage. If, so will end up with extras.
House is copper, easy to work with. Old galv and black iron is a bear to work with. Luckily the black iron gas line stuff I did was at the end.
I do miss the hardware store just 2 miles away. Made life easier until the big box stores drove them out.
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Joseph Newton
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Post subject: Re: Does plumbing suck for everybody? Posted: Mar Thu 08, 2018 6:45 am |
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Joined: Aug Fri 13, 2010 5:29 am Posts: 2182 Location: Indiana
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I’d rather do plumbing than electricity. Plumbing you have to clean up water if you mess up, electricity burns your house down or electrocutes you.
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SHOVELHEAD TOO
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Post subject: Re: Does plumbing suck for everybody? Posted: Mar Thu 08, 2018 7:22 am |
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Joined: Nov Fri 14, 2014 12:22 am Posts: 150 Location: Howell Michigan
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PVC pipe is evil..........
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OldWireBender
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Post subject: Re: Does plumbing suck for everybody? Posted: Mar Thu 08, 2018 8:16 am |
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Joined: Jan Thu 01, 1970 1:00 am Posts: 4367 Location: Perrysburg, OH, U.S.A.
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For those who may have missed my earlier posts on the subject here are my three rules of plumbing:
1. There's no such thing as an simple plumbing job. 2. If you can measure the size you're looking for anywhere on a replacement part, you have the wrong size. 3. See rule #1.
John
_________________ “Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.” ― R. A. Heinlein
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irishbull
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Post subject: Re: Does plumbing suck for everybody? Posted: Mar Thu 08, 2018 9:40 am |
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Joined: Jan Sat 21, 2017 9:16 am Posts: 60 Location: Ste. Genevieve, Mo. 63670
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It would be cheaper for me to hire a plumber than it would to replace the tools I'd end up chucking into the woods behind the house in anger..
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zenith82
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Post subject: Re: Does plumbing suck for everybody? Posted: Mar Thu 08, 2018 11:48 am |
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Joined: Jan Thu 01, 1970 1:00 am Posts: 8327 Location: Baltimore, MD
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A lot depends on what you are dealing with. I'm in the middle of running new supply and waste lines to one of my bathrooms. What was there on both sides was a patchwork mess, so I figured rather than try to repair it, I would just run fresh lines to avoid frustration and more problems down the road.
The main reason I do my own plumbing is because I want to keep my original century-old fixtures. Most commercial plumbers want to tear them out and put in cheap builder's grade crap because that's what they're familiar with.
_________________ Tom
PM me for my email address
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Dennis H.
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Post subject: Re: Does plumbing suck for everybody? Posted: Mar Thu 08, 2018 1:58 pm |
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Joined: Aug Mon 17, 2009 4:11 pm Posts: 3101 Location: DFW Texas
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It's so difficult with so many trips to the hardware store because you only do it once in a while. You can probably go out in your shop and repair most normal tube radio repairs without a single parts order. A real plumber or even a "hobbiest" plumber probably has a stock of parts ready to cover most of the normal problems that crop up. Plus they've done it hundreds of times before and know what mistakes to watch out for.
_________________ The lucky ones realize the "Good Ole Days" while they are still in them! AA5LP
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johnnyreece
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Post subject: Re: Does plumbing suck for everybody? Posted: Mar Thu 08, 2018 2:06 pm |
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Joined: Sep Wed 06, 2017 6:06 pm Posts: 103 Location: New Castle, IN
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Plumbing is one of those things that always seems simple, and then something goes wrong...
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