My wife is from East Germany and tells me I must use hemp packing to
stop the bathroom and laundry taps leaking.
But every tap I unscrewed for at least 20 years has 1 or 2 o-rings
on the spindle to seal it. I have lived in 6 different flats since
leaving home, and even in my parents' house I can't recall seeing hemp.
I asked the local hardware store if they had plumber's hemp, and
they said no (they were a small shop, I admit).
So I am curious, when where o-rings introduced in the western
countries? 1960s? 1970s?

On Tue, 03 Jan 2006 16:14:31 -0800, efffemm wrote:

My wife is from East Germany and tells me I must use hemp packing to
stop the bathroom and laundry taps leaking.
But every tap I unscrewed for at least 20 years has 1 or 2 o-rings
on the spindle to seal it. I have lived in 6 different flats since
leaving home, and even in my parents' house I can't recall seeing hemp.
I asked the local hardware store if they had plumber's hemp, and
they said no (they were a small shop, I admit).
So I am curious, when where o-rings introduced in the western
countries? 1960s? 1970s?

Don't know when taps stopped using it, but hemp used to be commonly used,
daubed in Boss White or similar to seal threads. Though more commonly used
on iron joints (I think). I prefer it over PTFE on troublesome screw
joints[1]. Tease and twist into a string (like spinning wool), then add
compound and wind around thread in opposite direction to thread.

[1] Often, a smear of Boss White on a weeping olive is enough to stop it,
hemp for more extreme cases like CH pumps.

I really prefer hemp/compound for garden tap to base joint as it tends
not to allow the entire tap to unscrew at the slightest tug of the hose
unlike PTFE. Not that I use a hose, they're still banned in the SE you see...

Tim

"Tim S" wrote in message
news
On Tue, 03 Jan 2006 16:14:31 -0800, efffemm wrote:

My wife is from East Germany and tells me I must use hemp packing to
stop the bathroom and laundry taps leaking.
But every tap I unscrewed for at least 20 years has 1 or 2 o-rings
on the spindle to seal it. I have lived in 6 different flats since
leaving home, and even in my parents' house I can't recall seeing hemp.
I asked the local hardware store if they had plumber's hemp, and
they said no (they were a small shop, I admit).
So I am curious, when where o-rings introduced in the western
countries? 1960s? 1970s?

Don't know when taps stopped using it, but hemp used to be commonly used,
daubed in Boss White or similar to seal threads. Though more commonly used
on iron joints (I think). I prefer it over PTFE on troublesome screw
joints[1]. Tease and twist into a string (like spinning wool),

No. You spread the hemp out and wrap it around the thread. It works it way
into all the threads. DO NOT make string out of it.

In message .com,
writes
My wife is from East Germany and tells me I must use hemp packing to
stop the bathroom and laundry taps leaking.
But every tap I unscrewed for at least 20 years has 1 or 2 o-rings
on the spindle to seal it. I have lived in 6 different flats since
leaving home, and even in my parents' house I can't recall seeing hemp.
I asked the local hardware store if they had plumber's hemp, and
they said no (they were a small shop, I admit).
So I am curious, when where o-rings introduced in the western
countries? 1960s? 1970s?

You don't want a hardware store, you want a CH merchant

--
geoff

On 3 Jan 2006 16:14:31 -0800, wrote:

| My wife is from East Germany and tells me I must use hemp packing to
| stop the bathroom and laundry taps leaking.
| But every tap I unscrewed for at least 20 years has 1 or 2 o-rings
| on the spindle to seal it. I have lived in 6 different flats since
| leaving home, and even in my parents' house I can't recall seeing hemp.
| I asked the local hardware store if they had plumber's hemp, and
| they said no (they were a small shop, I admit).
| So I am curious, when where o-rings introduced in the western
| countries? 1960s? 1970s?

Well I started DIY in about 1960 and have never *seen* hemp used, but
I have heard of it.
--
Dave Fawthrop dave hyphenologist co uk
17,000 free e-books at Project Gutenberg! http://www.gutenberg.net
For Yorkshire Dialect go to www.hyphenologist.co.uk/songs/

In article ,
Dave Fawthrop wrote:
Well I started DIY in about 1960 and have never *seen* hemp used, but
I have heard of it.

It was till around then for the packing glands on things like stop cocks
and garden taps - and may still be.

--
*Never slap a man who's chewing tobacco *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

My wife is from East Germany and tells me I must use hemp packing to
stop the bathroom and laundry taps leaking.

The old hemp+boss white join is banned on potable water systems. Therefore,
you are more likely to find such a joint on a central heating system than a
tap. It is still easy enough to obtain.

If there are no O-rings, then a mock up of the old hemp joint is made using
PTFE tape and, sometimes, LS-X sealant, which are both allowed on potable
systems.

Christian.

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
wrote:

My wife is from East Germany and tells me I must use hemp packing to
stop the bathroom and laundry taps leaking.
But every tap I unscrewed for at least 20 years has 1 or 2 o-rings
on the spindle to seal it. I have lived in 6 different flats since
leaving home, and even in my parents' house I can't recall seeing
hemp. I asked the local hardware store if they had plumber's hemp, and
they said no (they were a small shop, I admit).
So I am curious, when where o-rings introduced in the western
countries? 1960s? 1970s?

Most domestic water taps use O-rings to seal round the shaft, as you say.
But there are still plenty of taps around - particularly radiator valves -
which have a gland nut to compress some packing material to seal the shaft.
When these taps leak, you can often cure it by removing the gland nut,
winding some hemp round the shaft, pushing it down with the nut and doing
the nut up again.
--
Cheers,
Set Square
______
Please reply to newsgroup. Reply address is invalid.

"Dave Fawthrop" wrote in message
...
On 3 Jan 2006 16:14:31 -0800, wrote:

| My wife is from East Germany and tells me I must use hemp packing to
| stop the bathroom and laundry taps leaking.
| But every tap I unscrewed for at least 20 years has 1 or 2 o-rings
| on the spindle to seal it. I have lived in 6 different flats since
| leaving home, and even in my parents' house I can't recall seeing hemp.
| I asked the local hardware store if they had plumber's hemp, and
| they said no (they were a small shop, I admit).
| So I am curious, when where o-rings introduced in the western
| countries? 1960s? 1970s?

Well I started DIY in about 1960 and have never *seen* hemp used, but
I have heard of it.


Started what? Hemp is still heavily used today. In the 1970s O ring taps
came about, as did O ring rad valves, which are a pain as they leak a lot,
and O rings are on pushfit fitting too. Before that all taps had a stuffing
box you filled with hemp and paste.

On 3 Jan 2006 16:14:31 -0800, wrote:

My wife is from East Germany and tells me I must use hemp packing to
stop the bathroom and laundry taps leaking.
But every tap I unscrewed for at least 20 years has 1 or 2 o-rings
on the spindle to seal it. I have lived in 6 different flats since
leaving home, and even in my parents' house I can't recall seeing hemp.
I asked the local hardware store if they had plumber's hemp, and
they said no (they were a small shop, I admit).
So I am curious, when where o-rings introduced in the western
countries? 1960s? 1970s?

B&Q stock hemp.

sponix

On Wed, 04 Jan 2006 10:21:47 +0000, Christian McArdle wrote:

My wife is from East Germany and tells me I must use hemp packing to
stop the bathroom and laundry taps leaking.

The old hemp+boss white join is banned on potable water systems. Therefore,
you are more likely to find such a joint on a central heating system than a
tap. It is still easy enough to obtain.

I didn't know that Christian. Was there a reason (Boss White gives you
cancer sort of thing)?

Cheers

Tim

I didn't know that Christian. Was there a reason (Boss White gives you
cancer sort of thing)?

No idea. They sell Boss Green as a potable alternative.

Hemp is also not permitted on potable system, so you need to find an
alternative to that too (almost invariably the alternative is PTFE).

Christian.

On Wed, 04 Jan 2006 12:36:44 +0000, Tim S wrote:

| On Wed, 04 Jan 2006 10:21:47 +0000, Christian McArdle wrote:
|
| My wife is from East Germany and tells me I must use hemp packing to
| stop the bathroom and laundry taps leaking.
|
| The old hemp+boss white join is banned on potable water systems. Therefore,
| you are more likely to find such a joint on a central heating system than a
| tap. It is still easy enough to obtain.
|
| I didn't know that Christian. Was there a reason (Boss White gives you
| cancer sort of thing)?

I have a tin of Boss White labeled for potable water.
Maybe the hemp may contain bacteria. I use PTFE tape.
--
Dave Fawthrop dave hyphenologist co uk
17,000 free e-books at Project Gutenberg! http://www.gutenberg.net
For Yorkshire Dialect go to www.hyphenologist.co.uk/songs/

On Wed, 4 Jan 2006 10:56:20 -0000, "Doctor Drivel"
wrote this (or the missive included this):


Started what? Hemp is still heavily used today. In the 1970s O ring taps
came about, as did O ring rad valves, which are a pain as they leak a lot,
and O rings are on pushfit fitting too. Before that all taps had a stuffing
box you filled with hemp and paste.

Darning thread and axle grease works as well.
(or soft fine string (not plastic)

--
®óñ© © ² * ¹°°³

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Dave Fawthrop wrote:

Well I started DIY in about 1960 and have never *seen* hemp used, but
I have heard of it.

It was till around then for the packing glands on things like stop cocks
and garden taps - and may still be.

Oh, it is still used.
I was only growing it for a D-I-Y plumbing project.
Honestly Officer.!

In article ,
Oilierthanthou wrote:
Well I started DIY in about 1960 and have never *seen* hemp used,
but I have heard of it.

It was till around then for the packing glands on things like stop
cocks and garden taps - and may still be.

Oh, it is still used. I was only growing it for a D-I-Y plumbing
project. Honestly Officer.!

There must be a gag about ending up in casualty after an overdose and
getting cured by a tap somewhere, but at this time of night I'll leave it
out.

--
*My designated driver drove me to drink

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.