DIYbanter - View Single Post

HeyBub[_3_]

wrote:
What are these plumbing things called?
Yea, I know they're a plug, but what's the actual name?

They're a rubber device with a bolt in the middle. When the nut is
tightened on the bolt, the rubber expands to form a tight seal inside
a pipe. I've seen them used for basement floor drains, during
flooding. Also used for temporary plugs in any pipes. I've also seen
them sold for boating. I dont know much about boating, but I assume
they are some sort of plug for the bottom of the boat.

I'm asking this because I cant understand why this method has not been
tried on the BP oil pipe in the ocean. It's a 20 inch pipe, as I saw
on the news. Why cant they make a 20" plug of this type, and their
robots can tighten the nut. Why is this so difficult? Seems that the
BP company workers are all total idiots. They stuck what looks to be
a 6" pipe in the hole. Like what the f__k is that going to do. Sure,
they're getting some of the oil up that pipe, but think about this.
They had to make and install one mile of pipe, and it only solved a
small percentage of the problem. It took them weeks to do this, and
it's not doing much good. Wouldn't it have been easier to take down a
20 inch plug that probably weighs 50 lbs at most, and tighten a nut.
Seems to make much more sense than one mile of pipe that probably
weighs many tons.

Anyhow, what are these plugs called? As soon as I know, I'm going to
find who manufactures them, and see if they can make something to
help. Relying on BP is about the same thing as a doctor putting a
bandage on the finger of someone who just had a heart attack. Since
BP has proven they are completely illiterate, the time has come for
all of us to find a solution. If we keep relying on the idiots from
BP, pretty soon we'll all be affected.

The rig exploded, burnt, fell over, and sank.

Five thousand feet of 21" pipe toppled over like a giant, semi-flexible,
redwood.

The pipe broke and ruptured in at least three places.

The END of the pipe is probably not square, but jagged, bent, and deformed.
The other (at least) two breaks are certainly irregular and probably buried
under several hundred feet of collapsed pipe.

I'm sure BP will give your suggestion all the attention it deserves and I
applaud your diligence of your diligence in determining the name of the
device to use rather than insisting BP "employ one of those gizmos used to
plug holes in the bottom of a rowboat."

"Expandable plug" will go a long way in adding authenticity and expertise to
your suggestion.