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UK diy (uk.d-i-y) For the discussion of all topics related to diy (do-it-yourself) in the UK. All levels of experience and proficency are welcome to join in to ask questions or offer solutions. |
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#1
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DIY Plumbers
I am quite sure that many people have come across this at some time.
You want to replace the taps on the bathroom basin. You don't wish to get a plumber in for financial reasons or fear of getting well and truly ripped off (they're not all crooks), so you decide to have a go yourself...... An easy job, or is it.? Disconnecting the water pipes is easy, providing you have remembered to turn the water off first. You have one of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-C...7187765&sr=8-2 and one of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-C...7187816&sr=8-7 some of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Draper-35373...7188169&sr=1-7 and finally, one of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-W...188342&sr=1-25 but, you still can not get up inside the basin to the tap fixing nut because all the tools you have seem to be too big or is it the basin isn't big enough, and the tap itself will not turn on the sink. Apart from smashing the sink, which kind of defeats the object of the excercise, how does one get the illusive tap fixing nut off. Would love to know how others approach and solve this problem. By the way, it is not a job that I am embarking on, but one I have come across before. Kindest regards, Jim |
#2
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DIY Plumbers
In message ,
the_constructor writes I am quite sure that many people have come across this at some time. You want to replace the taps on the bathroom basin. You don't wish to get a plumber in for financial reasons or fear of getting well and truly ripped off (they're not all crooks), so you decide to have a go yourself...... Or rather because DIY actually stands for "do it yourself" Can't really advise however, since I only had such a problem with bath taps and it was just a matter of frigging and farting about until I succeeded -- geoff |
#3
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DIY Plumbers
On Jun 5, 3:49*pm, geoff wrote:
In message , the_constructor writes I am quite sure that many people have come across this at some time. You want to replace the taps on the bathroom basin. You don't wish to get a plumber in for financial reasons or fear of getting well and truly ripped off (they're not all crooks), so you decide to have a go yourself...... Or rather because DIY actually stands for "do it yourself" Can't really advise however, since I only had such a problem with bath taps and it was just a matter of frigging and farting about until I succeeded -- geoff Friends of my wife had four plumbing jobs to do - a day's chargeable work. That was change the electric shower (like for like as the old one had failed), replace bath and basin taps and sort out the piping to the outside tap. Two plumbers quoted - neither turned up. I got volunteered and as a DIY plumber did the job well inside the working day and got payment that was good for me and probably good for the payer. The only investment I did make was a set of tap box spanners which made dealing with tap nuts so much easier. |
#4
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DIY Plumbers
On 05/06/2011 15:06, the_constructor wrote:
I am quite sure that many people have come across this at some time. You want to replace the taps on the bathroom basin. You don't wish to get a plumber in for financial reasons or fear of getting well and truly ripped off (they're not all crooks), so you decide to have a go yourself...... An easy job, or is it.? Disconnecting the water pipes is easy, providing you have remembered to turn the water off first. You have one of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-C...7187765&sr=8-2 and one of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-C...7187816&sr=8-7 some of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Draper-35373...7188169&sr=1-7 and finally, one of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-W...188342&sr=1-25 but, you still can not get up inside the basin to the tap fixing nut because all the tools you have seem to be too big or is it the basin isn't big enough, and the tap itself will not turn on the sink. Apart from smashing the sink, which kind of defeats the object of the excercise, how does one get the illusive tap fixing nut off. Would love to know how others approach and solve this problem. You spend an outrageous sum of money on a set of these; http://www.screwfix.com/p/armeg-jaw-...mbing%20Wrench They are worth every penny. You can have mine when you pry them from my cold dead hands.... -- Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk |
#5
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DIY Plumbers
On 05/06/2011 15:06, the_constructor wrote:
I am quite sure that many people have come across this at some time. You want to replace the taps on the bathroom basin. You don't wish to get a plumber in for financial reasons or fear of getting well and truly ripped off (they're not all crooks), so you decide to have a go yourself...... An easy job, or is it.? Disconnecting the water pipes is easy, providing you have remembered to turn the water off first. You have one of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-C...7187765&sr=8-2 and one of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-C...7187816&sr=8-7 some of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Draper-35373...7188169&sr=1-7 and finally, one of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-W...188342&sr=1-25 but, you still can not get up inside the basin to the tap fixing nut because all the tools you have seem to be too big or is it the basin isn't big enough, and the tap itself will not turn on the sink. Apart from smashing the sink, which kind of defeats the object of the excercise, how does one get the illusive tap fixing nut off. Would love to know how others approach and solve this problem. By the way, it is not a job that I am embarking on, but one I have come across before. I use one of these and have yet to run into a problem: http://www.wickes.co.uk/taptool-univ...r/invt/420064/ Colin Bignell |
#6
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DIY Plumbers
"Nightjar "cpb"@" "insertmysurnamehere wrote in message ... On 05/06/2011 15:06, the_constructor wrote: I am quite sure that many people have come across this at some time. You want to replace the taps on the bathroom basin. You don't wish to get a plumber in for financial reasons or fear of getting well and truly ripped off (they're not all crooks), so you decide to have a go yourself...... An easy job, or is it.? Disconnecting the water pipes is easy, providing you have remembered to turn the water off first. You have one of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-C...7187765&sr=8-2 and one of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-C...7187816&sr=8-7 some of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Draper-35373...7188169&sr=1-7 and finally, one of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-W...188342&sr=1-25 but, you still can not get up inside the basin to the tap fixing nut because all the tools you have seem to be too big or is it the basin isn't big enough, and the tap itself will not turn on the sink. Apart from smashing the sink, which kind of defeats the object of the excercise, how does one get the illusive tap fixing nut off. Would love to know how others approach and solve this problem. By the way, it is not a job that I am embarking on, but one I have come across before. I use one of these and have yet to run into a problem: http://www.wickes.co.uk/taptool-univ...r/invt/420064/ I have one too, and I've found very little that they actually fit! |
#7
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DIY Plumbers
On 05/06/2011 20:34, Farmer Giles wrote:
"Nightjar"cpb"@""insertmysurnamehere wrote in message ... On 05/06/2011 15:06, the_constructor wrote: I am quite sure that many people have come across this at some time. You want to replace the taps on the bathroom basin. You don't wish to get a plumber in for financial reasons or fear of getting well and truly ripped off (they're not all crooks), so you decide to have a go yourself...... An easy job, or is it.? Disconnecting the water pipes is easy, providing you have remembered to turn the water off first. You have one of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-C...7187765&sr=8-2 and one of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-C...7187816&sr=8-7 some of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Draper-35373...7188169&sr=1-7 and finally, one of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-W...188342&sr=1-25 but, you still can not get up inside the basin to the tap fixing nut because all the tools you have seem to be too big or is it the basin isn't big enough, and the tap itself will not turn on the sink. Apart from smashing the sink, which kind of defeats the object of the excercise, how does one get the illusive tap fixing nut off. Would love to know how others approach and solve this problem. By the way, it is not a job that I am embarking on, but one I have come across before. I use one of these and have yet to run into a problem: http://www.wickes.co.uk/taptool-univ...r/invt/420064/ I have one too, and I've found very little that they actually fit! It works well enough on taps and is cheap enough to replace when I forget where I put it between plumbing jobs. Colin Bignell |
#8
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DIY Plumbers
"Nightjar "cpb"@" "insertmysurnamehere wrote in message news On 05/06/2011 20:34, Farmer Giles wrote: "Nightjar"cpb"@""insertmysurnamehere wrote in message ... On 05/06/2011 15:06, the_constructor wrote: I am quite sure that many people have come across this at some time. You want to replace the taps on the bathroom basin. You don't wish to get a plumber in for financial reasons or fear of getting well and truly ripped off (they're not all crooks), so you decide to have a go yourself...... An easy job, or is it.? Disconnecting the water pipes is easy, providing you have remembered to turn the water off first. You have one of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-C...7187765&sr=8-2 and one of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-C...7187816&sr=8-7 some of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Draper-35373...7188169&sr=1-7 and finally, one of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-W...188342&sr=1-25 but, you still can not get up inside the basin to the tap fixing nut because all the tools you have seem to be too big or is it the basin isn't big enough, and the tap itself will not turn on the sink. Apart from smashing the sink, which kind of defeats the object of the excercise, how does one get the illusive tap fixing nut off. Would love to know how others approach and solve this problem. By the way, it is not a job that I am embarking on, but one I have come across before. I use one of these and have yet to run into a problem: http://www.wickes.co.uk/taptool-univ...r/invt/420064/ I have one too, and I've found very little that they actually fit! It works well enough on taps and is cheap enough to replace when I forget where I put it between plumbing jobs. Fair enough, but I have honestly found it next to useless. It must be me! |
#9
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DIY Plumbers
"The Medway Handyman" wrote in message
... You spend an outrageous sum of money on a set of these; http://www.screwfix.com/p/armeg-jaw-...mbing%20Wrench They are worth every penny. You can have mine when you pry them from my cold dead hands.... At £50, it is easy to see where the jaw-dropper name come from ;-) |
#10
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DIY Plumbers
On 05/06/2011 21:32, Java Jive wrote:
Or even just: "Change the washers to stop the taps dripping". To change a washer in the kitchen cold mixer tap, you have to turn off the main and then drain the feeder to the loft tank, with the consequent danger of causing airlocks. Why? If you tie up the ball valve (or just don't open any taps fed from the header) the feed pipe will remain full if you don't hang about. To change a washer in any other cold tap, you have to turn off the main and throw away all the water in the header tank. Why? Just put a cork in the tank's outlet. To change a washer in any hot tap, you have to throw away all your hot water as well. Why? If there's no tap in the cold feed pipe between the header and the hot cylinder, just put a cork in the appropriate outlet, as before. Then you find that because the taps were manufactured in the eighties to look good rather than last well, you find that you can't get, say, a new brass screw to hold the washer in position, but have to buy at least a new tap innards, more probably a new set of taps. All my life I've been used to changing washers the moment I saw a dripping tap, but these days I grit my teeth and just let them drip. Why not just bite the bullet and insert stop taps/ service valves in all the appropriate places to make life easier in future? -- Cheers, Roger ____________ Please reply to Newsgroup. Whilst email address is valid, it is seldom checked. |
#11
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DIY Plumbers
On 06/06/2011 13:47, Roger Mills wrote:
On 05/06/2011 21:32, Java Jive wrote: Or even just: "Change the washers to stop the taps dripping". To change a washer in the kitchen cold mixer tap, you have to turn off the main and then drain the feeder to the loft tank, with the consequent danger of causing airlocks. Why? If you tie up the ball valve (or just don't open any taps fed from the header) the feed pipe will remain full if you don't hang about. To change a washer in any other cold tap, you have to turn off the main and throw away all the water in the header tank. Why? Just put a cork in the tank's outlet. To change a washer in any hot tap, you have to throw away all your hot water as well. Why? If there's no tap in the cold feed pipe between the header and the hot cylinder, just put a cork in the appropriate outlet, as before. Then you find that because the taps were manufactured in the eighties to look good rather than last well, you find that you can't get, say, a new brass screw to hold the washer in position, but have to buy at least a new tap innards, more probably a new set of taps. All my life I've been used to changing washers the moment I saw a dripping tap, but these days I grit my teeth and just let them drip. Why not just bite the bullet and insert stop taps/ service valves in all the appropriate places to make life easier in future? Indeed. I have full bore quarter turn isolating valves on every feed to every tap. Colin Bignell |
#12
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DIY Plumbers
On 06/06/2011 08:56, Farmer Giles wrote:
"Nightjar"cpb"@""insertmysurnamehere wrote in message news On 05/06/2011 20:34, Farmer Giles wrote: "Nightjar"cpb"@""insertmysurnamehere wrote in message ... On 05/06/2011 15:06, the_constructor wrote: I am quite sure that many people have come across this at some time. You want to replace the taps on the bathroom basin. You don't wish to get a plumber in for financial reasons or fear of getting well and truly ripped off (they're not all crooks), so you decide to have a go yourself...... An easy job, or is it.? Disconnecting the water pipes is easy, providing you have remembered to turn the water off first. You have one of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-C...7187765&sr=8-2 and one of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-C...7187816&sr=8-7 some of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Draper-35373...7188169&sr=1-7 and finally, one of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-W...188342&sr=1-25 but, you still can not get up inside the basin to the tap fixing nut because all the tools you have seem to be too big or is it the basin isn't big enough, and the tap itself will not turn on the sink. Apart from smashing the sink, which kind of defeats the object of the excercise, how does one get the illusive tap fixing nut off. Would love to know how others approach and solve this problem. By the way, it is not a job that I am embarking on, but one I have come across before. I use one of these and have yet to run into a problem: http://www.wickes.co.uk/taptool-univ...r/invt/420064/ I have one too, and I've found very little that they actually fit! It works well enough on taps and is cheap enough to replace when I forget where I put it between plumbing jobs. Fair enough, but I have honestly found it next to useless. It must be me! No. I found mine useless as well. -- Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk |
#13
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DIY Plumbers
On 06/06/2011 14:08, Nightjar "cpb"@ insertmysurnamehere wrote:
Indeed. I have full bore quarter turn isolating valves on every feed to every tap. I do on all the ones I have fitted. Those that predate me do not. Andy |
#14
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DIY Plumbers
On 07/06/2011 00:31, Java Jive wrote:
I had to read that twice ... momentary visions of copper pipe wrapping itself around you and crushing you to death, and then swallowing you whole! On Mon, 06 Jun 2011 19:57:58 +0100, Andy wrote: I do on all the ones I have fitted. Those that predate me do not. :O lol Would antedate suit you better? Or just a hyphen? Andy |
#15
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DIY Plumbers
On Jun 5, 3:06*pm, "the_constructor"
wrote: I am quite sure that many people have come across this at some time. You want to replace the taps on the bathroom basin. You don't wish to get a plumber in for financial reasons or fear of getting well and truly ripped off (they're not all crooks), so you decide to have a go yourself...... An easy job, or is it.? Disconnecting the water pipes is easy, providing you have remembered to turn the water off first. You have one of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-C...n-Wrench/dp/B0... You can buy tap spanner exactly for this purpose. the spanner bit is perpendicular to a long shaft so yo ucan rech right up into the basin and grip the nut. Search for "tap spanner" on ebay and you'll find many types. With these you can tighten the nut while the tap is still connected to the pipe. Robert |
#16
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DIY Plumbers
My solution was a bit cheaper but probably just as effective. I turned up a
couple of S/H Snap-On "crows-foot" spanners on e-bay in the US - and pushed the ratchet, extension bars and UJ from a knackered old 3/8ths socket set back into service. I now have one HELL of a tap spanner! I think I paid about $13 for each including postage - which is a bargain really as Snap-On stuff fetches silly prices over here, even when used. "The Medway Handyman" wrote in message ... On 05/06/2011 15:06, the_constructor wrote: I am quite sure that many people have come across this at some time. You want to replace the taps on the bathroom basin. You don't wish to get a plumber in for financial reasons or fear of getting well and truly ripped off (they're not all crooks), so you decide to have a go yourself...... An easy job, or is it.? Disconnecting the water pipes is easy, providing you have remembered to turn the water off first. You have one of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-C...7187765&sr=8-2 and one of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-C...7187816&sr=8-7 some of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Draper-35373...7188169&sr=1-7 and finally, one of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-W...188342&sr=1-25 but, you still can not get up inside the basin to the tap fixing nut because all the tools you have seem to be too big or is it the basin isn't big enough, and the tap itself will not turn on the sink. Apart from smashing the sink, which kind of defeats the object of the excercise, how does one get the illusive tap fixing nut off. Would love to know how others approach and solve this problem. You spend an outrageous sum of money on a set of these; http://www.screwfix.com/p/armeg-jaw-...mbing%20Wrench They are worth every penny. You can have mine when you pry them from my cold dead hands.... -- Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk |
#17
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DIY Plumbers
On Fri, 10 Jun 2011 23:02:02 +0100, "Midge"
wrote: My solution was a bit cheaper but probably just as effective. I turned up a couple of S/H Snap-On "crows-foot" spanners on e-bay in the US - and pushed the ratchet, extension bars and UJ from a knackered old 3/8ths socket set back into service. I now have one HELL of a tap spanner! I think I paid about $13 for each including postage - which is a bargain really as Snap-On stuff fetches silly prices over here, even when used. I thought that USAnians used "wrenches" rather than "spanners" ;-) -- Frank Erskine |
#18
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DIY Plumbers
We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember Java Jive saying something like: To change a washer in any hot tap, you have to throw away all your hot water as well. No, you just shut off the valve at the bottom of the hot cylinder that's on the feed pipe. If, of course, it isn't seized or broken. |
#19
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DIY Plumbers
My sincerest thanks to all who contributed to this thread and the advice.
T'was a wonderful experience. Kindest regards, Jim |
#20
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DIY Plumbers
On 12/06/2011 12:04, Java Jive wrote:
On Sun, 05 Jun 2011 21:32:14 +0100, Java wrote: Or even just: "Change the washers to stop the taps dripping". ... To change a washer in any other cold tap, you have to turn off the main and throw away all the water in the header tank. Actually, I've just re-examined the stop-cocks, and there is one to isolate the bathroom cold-taps To change a washer in any hot tap, you have to throw away all your hot water as well. This is correct. There is a stop-cock to the HW tank. But if I close it right down the hot-taps in the bathroom still run full on. In that case, do what I suggested earlier. Reach down into the cold header tank and bung a cork in the outlet which feeds the hot cylinder. -- Cheers, Roger ____________ Please reply to Newsgroup. Whilst email address is valid, it is seldom checked. |
#21
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DIY Plumbers
On Jun 12, 12:04 pm, Java Jive wrote:
On Sun, 05 Jun 2011 21:32:14 +0100, Java Jive wrote: Or even just: "Change the washers to stop the taps dripping". ... To change a washer in any other cold tap, you have to turn off the main and throw away all the water in the header tank. Actually, I've just re-examined the stop-cocks, and there is one to isolate the bathroom cold-taps To change a washer in any hot tap, you have to throw away all your hot water as well. This is correct. There is a stop-cock to the HW tank. But if I close it right down the hot-taps in the bathroom still run full on. so freeze the fecker with pipe freezing spray? Consider where and whether ycba to fit an iso valve when frozen or wing it with just the tap repair... Jim K |
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