In article ,
Bob Mannix wrote:

wrote in message
oups.com...
many chancers or handymen think plumbing is basically about joining
pipes so that they dont leak.
perhaps the reason the trade attracts so many chancers is because
plumbers charge so much for what is often a simple job like turning a
nut one half turn for fifty quid call out charge.

over the years I have had about a dozen would be plumbers who did
plumbing work for me and all were ok to do the jobs needed but one
could be iffy in many cases. however if the price is right then why go
for the expensive option for what is basically a simple job once one
has a knowledge of how a system works.
of course there are many tricks to the trade and leaks and airlocks
provide a rich source of income to plumbers who love these call outs by
the people who should know a basic amount about their house plumbing.
Really it should be taught in school in a basic way so that kids
learned how to join a pipe and fix a leak or an airlock as well as many
other basic home repairs.

While looking for a theme for a Scout activities for a group I used to
assist at (11-13 mainly), I used DIY. One evening I got them all,
individually make a pipe join with a solder ring fitting. The down side
nowadays is risk assessment etc with blowtorches (which we glossed over a
bit). The up side was that they all went home as pleased as punch with their
little bits of pipe with joins in. Young people actually enjoy doing things
like this if they are given the chance, and it could easily be taught in
schools, as you say.

Scouts are generally self-selected as motivated and are there because they
want to be. In addition class sizes are likely to be smaller than in school.
Add the greater likelihood that parents will complain that Jason burnt his
finger and you reduce the chance of such activities being promoted in school.
Despite that such activities do go on in some most unlikely schools - but
teachers are always running the risk that their next totally innocent move
will end their careers. :-(

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John Cartmell john@ followed by finnybank.com 0845 006 8822
Qercus magazine FAX +44 (0)8700-519-527 www.finnybank.com
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