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MM MM is offline
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Default Just replaced bath tap valve, but old cap won't fit over splines

On Wed, 20 Mar 2019 16:18:20 +0000 (GMT+00:00), "Jim K.."
wrote:

MM Wrote in message:
On Wed, 20 Mar 2019 07:38:34 -0000, "Brian Gaff"
wrote:

Yes though there seems to be no real standard here does there?, I know on my
sink we had to replace both as nowhere could you get a top that looked the
same as the good tap but fitted the spine.
Bah humbug.
Brian


Seems like the industry is missing a trick here. One rather amazing
little tool I saw on eBay is a spline gauge so you can test which
splines you have. These templates are available at widely differing
prices.

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/OCYAA...QL/s-l1600.jpg

Or this one shows diameter and spline count:
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/GIMAA...jy/s-l1600.jpg

The key component in the tap knob is the splined brass bush. If
splined bushes were available in different sizes it would be a doddle
for any plumber or competent DIY person to judiciously drill out the
existing bush and insert the correct one.

Actually, I expect these splined brass bushes are indeed manufactured
in the thousands by somebody or other, since I doubt that a tap knob
manufacturer is going to be making their own bushes.

MM


Theyd just count the splines, measure the other dimensions
accurately and "order the right ones" TM.


Sure, but we're talking about what is available to the end consumer
here. All the tap valves I've seen (B&Q, Screwfix etc) are either
shrink-wrapped or in a sealed plastic bag, which makes counting the
splines very difficult, if not impossible.

Since there are up to 23 different combinations of spline count and
diameter, as per the above gauges, finding the right one for a
particular knob must be nigh on impossible.

MM