MM wrote:

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

There are online shops that index them by size and also by tap make.
Note that the quarter turn ceramic inserts also have length of the
capsule as a vital dimension to seal at the bottom, and this isn't
standardised either. This seems such an ideal role for a website with
good search facilities it is surprising anyone would seek to buy them
any other way.


--

Roger Hayter