On Thu, 16 Mar 2017 21:25:17 -0400, wrote:

On the plumbing topic. The last original plumbing fixture in out 40+
year old house was the tub set - an old EMCO with a pull diverter -
taps on 8 incg centers - used the old 1157 integrated cartridges. The
cold tap was getting stiff - and one (not sure which one)
occaisionally dripped when shut off. I got a pair of replacements from
"home plumber" and proceded to change them. Instead of the 3/4 turn
the originals turned from full on to full off, these only turned 1/4
turn - and when I turned the water back on I could not shut off the
water. Upon investigation I found the lip around where the cold
cartridge fit had cracked - so new cartridges were NOT going to be the
answer.
The tub has a fiberglass one piece surround - NO WAY was I going in
from the front!!.
On the backside of the tub wall is a linen closet with 4 removeable
shelves, sitting on 1X4 cleats. I cut a hole between the bottom 2
shelves to expose the tap set from behind. I found the original
plumber was a bit smarter than the average bear - he had installed the
tap-set with threaded unions on both inlets as well as on the shower
riser- so removing the "carcass" wasn't going to be a problem.
I spent 4 hours checking all my local suppliers for a relacement 8" 3
handle set to use as a replacement o there were 4 holes in the
fiberglass surround that I needed to fill!! Glenbriar Home Hardware
had a set available - but not in stock - 2 week order time - $375 for
the trim set, plus the rough-in kit.
Marks Supply (the wholesaler) didn't have it in stock either - Home
Despot didn't have anything remotely close - most 8 inch sets used the
diverter on the tub spout - leaving an empty hole and a diverter that
ALWAYS leaks.
I finally found a Danze set at Canadian Tire for $165 with a twist
handle diverter in the center. -all holes would be filled, and a
"real" diverter.. It had big "unions" for the inlets, with 1/2 inch
internal pipe threads. I had already picked up 3 brass unions from
Home Despot and a couple copper pipe caps so I could turn the water
back on overnight - no way I was finishing the job that night.
I unsoldered the copper pipes from the old set and capped them,
re-using the old unions because the new ones wouldn't fit the old ones
(what else is new?)
Next afternoon I took the measurements I took from the old set before
unsoldering the pipes, and figured out where I had to cut the old
pipes to get the right length to make the new set fit without having
to unsolder / resolder the pipes inside the wall. I needed 1/2 inch
male pipe to 1/2" copper female fittings the thread into the unions
on the taps as well as th thread into the shower output - no brass
available - only the ****ty new copper parts with nasty threads. I
also picked up 1/2" brass pipe nipples in various lengths and an elbow
for the spout piping.- Home Despot didn't have a 4 inch nipple - and
it ended up that was ONE of the sizes I needed. (ended up making
another trip to Glenbriar Home Hardware to get that). I got everything
all fitted up and soldered, and used teflon pipe thread sealer on all
the threaded fittings - put it all in (had to chisel a slot in both
studs for clearance for the unions on the tap) and turned on the water
- and wouldn't you know I had one leak. I pulled the short piece
between the two unions on the hot side and resoldered all the joints -
they seamed OK - and put tape on the thread instead of compound -
re-installed it and went to bed. In the morning there was a puddle on
the kitchen stove and counter - I went up to the tub, and wouldn't
you know it, the theaded joint on the hoy side has a little drip on it
-the compound hadn't done the job their either. I called into my
morning contract to let them know I was going to be late and pulled
the short section out of the hot side, taped the joint, and
reinstalled it.

I finally has a dry install and went to work.

I then got a spring-mounted 15X15 access cover from Canadian Tire and
cut it down to fit between the shelves. to close it up and finish the
job.
The fittings required to do the job added about $25 to the job.

Good job and the price was right, eh?

"The tub has a fiberglass one piece surround - NO WAY was
I going in from the front!!."

When I bought my last residence Spring '95 it was in Phase II of the
development. Got to watch it being built. Had some modification made -
an open office loft instead of a fourth bed room, a 220V outlet added
to the garage.

One visit I walked around, went into a bath room with a fiberglass
surround - no kidding, there 10-15 framing nails in the surround
coming in from the back side. Spoke with somebody in the sales /
builder's office and they said they would fix it. I figured a new
surround. Nope, a fiberglass guy came out, patched all the holes.
Until the day I sold the house; not once did I detect or could even
tell were the holes were. The guy did a fantastic job.