The old shower arm has developed a crack and it's weeping water and
getting worse. I have to replace it before it damages the wall.

I got it unscrewed easily, but what I found wasn't what I was
expecting. From all the descriptions I found on the net and from
looking at the replacement arms available in hardware stores, I
expected the arm to screw into a fitting behind the wall, sticking out
through a hole which can be covered by a flange. Instead, I found this:

http://home.comcast.net/~esionder/temp/showerarm1.jpg

A pipe sticking out into the shower. Attached to that is this:

http://home.comcast.net/~esionder/temp/showerarm2.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~esionder/temp/showerarm3.jpg

Maybe I have my terminology wrong - which is the "arm", the copper pipe
or the chrome cowl? Anyway, I would like to find a replacement for the
chrome piece to save myself from hacking open the wall. However, I
can't find any similar piece in any physical or on-line store. Can
anyone suggest a source for this piece? Any other suggestions on other
ways to repair this?

The old shower arm has developed a crack and it's weeping water and
getting worse. I have to replace it before it damages the wall.

I got it unscrewed easily, but what I found wasn't what I was
expecting. From all the descriptions I found on the net and from
looking at the replacement arms available in hardware stores, I
expected the arm to screw into a fitting behind the wall, sticking out
through a hole which can be covered by a flange. Instead, I found this:

http://home.comcast.net/~esionder/temp/showerarm1.jpg

A pipe sticking out into the shower. Attached to that is this:

http://home.comcast.net/~esionder/temp/showerarm2.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~esionder/temp/showerarm3.jpg

Maybe I have my terminology wrong - which is the "arm", the copper pipe
or the chrome cowl? Anyway, I would like to find a replacement for the
chrome piece to save myself from hacking open the wall. However, I
can't find any similar piece in any physical or on-line store. Can
anyone suggest a source for this piece? Any other suggestions on other
ways to repair this?



*I would try taking the old piece to a plumbing supply. My sister recently
did a bathroom over and she installed a shower setup similar to this:
http://www.us.kohler.com/onlinecatal...e=0-2131042038

Wayne Boatwright wrote:
On Wed 17 Mar 2010 02:34:19p, Nil told us...

The old shower arm has developed a crack and it's weeping water and
getting worse. I have to replace it before it damages the wall.

I got it unscrewed easily, but what I found wasn't what I was
expecting. From all the descriptions I found on the net and from
looking at the replacement arms available in hardware stores, I
expected the arm to screw into a fitting behind the wall, sticking out
through a hole which can be covered by a flange. Instead, I found this:

http://home.comcast.net/~esionder/temp/showerarm1.jpg

A pipe sticking out into the shower. Attached to that is this:

http://home.comcast.net/~esionder/temp/showerarm2.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~esionder/temp/showerarm3.jpg

Maybe I have my terminology wrong - which is the "arm", the copper pipe
or the chrome cowl? Anyway, I would like to find a replacement for the
chrome piece to save myself from hacking open the wall. However, I
can't find any similar piece in any physical or on-line store. Can
anyone suggest a source for this piece? Any other suggestions on other
ways to repair this?

What you have actually looks more like a tub filler spout than any type of
shower arm. As you've found out, most shower arms screw into a fitting
behind the wall. Your best bet is taking the part to a really good
plumbing supply store and see what they have or what suggestions they may
be able to offer.


Is this a house or a mobile home? If the latter, try the local mobile
home supply house. That does look like a close cousin to a bathtub spout
with an aerator tip replaced by a shower head. What is on the wall on
the other side of the shower head? The sink area, a bedroom wall, or
(hopefully) a bedroom closet? If the back of the wall is someplace out
of public view, you can cut an access hatch, and replace with a proper
bronze fitting and real shower arm pretty easily. They sell snap-in
access hole covers, or you could just mount a mirror or shallow bookcase
over the hole or something.

--
aem sends...

On 17 Mar 2010, Wayne Boatwright
wrote in alt.home.repair:

http://home.comcast.net/~esionder/temp/showerarm1.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~esionder/temp/showerarm2.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~esionder/temp/showerarm3.jpg

What you have actually looks more like a tub filler spout than any
type of shower arm. As you've found out, most shower arms screw
into a fitting behind the wall. Your best bet is taking the part
to a really good plumbing supply store and see what they have or
what suggestions they may be able to offer.

Yes, it does look kind of like a tub spout, although I've never seen
one quite like this.

I guess I'll have to start driving around to supply houses because they
won't know what I'm talking about unless I show them. There are a fair
number of places in the Boston area, but they are very spread out. It's
hard to tell from the descriptions online and in the phone book if they
are retail stores or not - many seem to be wholesale or cater to
industrial customers only.

Thanks for the suggestions. I think you're on the right and only
practical path.

On 17 Mar 2010, aemeijers wrote in
alt.home.repair:

What is on the wall on the other side of the shower head? The sink
area, a bedroom wall, or (hopefully) a bedroom closet?

Unfortunately, the other side of the wall in back of the shower's
plumbing is a hallway. If I have to re-jigger the plumbing I'll have
to open up the wall and patch it up later. It would be a good thing
to have an access panel, but it would be very visible.

Nil wrote:
On 17 Mar 2010, Wayne Boatwright
wrote in alt.home.repair:

http://home.comcast.net/~esionder/temp/showerarm1.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~esionder/temp/showerarm2.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~esionder/temp/showerarm3.jpg
What you have actually looks more like a tub filler spout than any
type of shower arm. As you've found out, most shower arms screw
into a fitting behind the wall. Your best bet is taking the part
to a really good plumbing supply store and see what they have or
what suggestions they may be able to offer.

Yes, it does look kind of like a tub spout, although I've never seen
one quite like this.

I guess I'll have to start driving around to supply houses because they
won't know what I'm talking about unless I show them. There are a fair
number of places in the Boston area, but they are very spread out. It's
hard to tell from the descriptions online and in the phone book if they
are retail stores or not - many seem to be wholesale or cater to
industrial customers only.

Thanks for the suggestions. I think you're on the right and only
practical path.

Rather than driving around, consider getting fax numbers and sending
faxes of the 3 pics ....

Look up "shower elbow". Most of the new elbows are 90 degree and might
require your stub out to be shortened a bit, or you could match a newer
elbow with a shower valve escutcheon.

On 17 Mar 2010, Nil wrote in
alt.home.repair:

The old shower arm has developed a crack and it's weeping water
and getting worse. I have to replace it before it damages the
wall.

I got it unscrewed easily, but what I found wasn't what I was
expecting. From all the descriptions I found on the net and from
looking at the replacement arms available in hardware stores, I
expected the arm to screw into a fitting behind the wall, sticking
out through a hole which can be covered by a flange. Instead, I
found this:

http://home.comcast.net/~esionder/temp/showerarm1.jpg

A pipe sticking out into the shower. Attached to that is this:

http://home.comcast.net/~esionder/temp/showerarm2.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~esionder/temp/showerarm3.jpg

Maybe I have my terminology wrong - which is the "arm", the copper
pipe or the chrome cowl? Anyway, I would like to find a
replacement for the chrome piece to save myself from hacking open
the wall. However, I can't find any similar piece in any physical
or on-line store. Can anyone suggest a source for this piece? Any
other suggestions on other ways to repair this?

OK! The problem has been resolved! I'll post this for the archives, in
case someone else has the same issue...

I couldn't find the appropriate part in any chain hardware stores. I
emailed http://www.plumbingsupply.com/ with links to the pictures
(they won't take attachments), but their email system strips out links!
They eventually stopped responding to me. I also emailed
http://www.cometplumbing.com/ on the advice of someone here. They
never responded.

So, I called a plumbing wholesale company about 20 miles away. When I
described the piece, the guy knew just what it was, and even had one in
stock! Turns out this is made by Symmons, and they call it the "Nu-
Arm", their model number 301. The part is still in production, but I
don't think anybody uses it for new installations any more. It's just
used to repair old installations like mine.

This is great. I can just screw the new one on and I'll be back in
business. No need to be tearing up the walls just yet.

Thanks to all for your help and guidance.