I fitted a couple of bib taps for a friend and when I left them they were
vertical but I only had wodges of PTFE tape to wrap the threads with and
its really too squidgy for the job. The taps are now skewiff.

I suspect its plumbers hemp that I need, but dont have. What are suitable
alternatives that I might have kicking around (even if not strictly legal
these days)?

Tim

--
Please don't feed the trolls

On Saturday, 21 September 2019 12:42:36 UTC+1, Tim+ wrote:
I fitted a couple of bib taps for a friend and when I left them they were
vertical but I only had wodges of PTFE tape to wrap the threads with and
its really too squidgy for the job. The taps are now skewiff.

I suspect its plumbers hemp that I need, but dont have. What are suitable
alternatives that I might have kicking around (even if not strictly legal
these days)?

Tim

Polypropylene rope (the cheap stuff), but it's not WRAS approved.


NT

On 21/09/2019 12:42, Tim+ wrote:

I fitted a couple of bib taps for a friend and when I left them they were
vertical but I only had wodges of PTFE tape to wrap the threads with and
its really too squidgy for the job. The taps are now skewiff.

I suspect its plumbers hemp that I need, but dont have. What are suitable
alternatives that I might have kicking around (even if not strictly legal
these days)?

Tim

Anything that's stringy and will bind the thread ... cotton, wool, etcetera

On 21/09/2019 12:42, Tim+ wrote:

I fitted a couple of bib taps for a friend and when I left them they were
vertical but I only had wodges of PTFE tape to wrap the threads with and
its really too squidgy for the job. The taps are now skewiff.

I suspect its plumbers hemp that I need, but dont have. What are suitable
alternatives that I might have kicking around (even if not strictly legal
these days)?

You can get PTFE cord which is better suited to that kind of thing. (You
can still get hemp as well).


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

Tim+ wrote:

I fitted a couple of bib taps for a friend and when I left them they were
vertical but I only had wodges of PTFE tape to wrap the threads with and
its really too squidgy for the job. The taps are now skewiff.

I suspect its plumbers hemp that I need, but dont have. What are suitable
alternatives that I might have kicking around (even if not strictly legal
these days)?

Tim


You can get thicker PTFE tape.

On Saturday, 21 September 2019 14:15:07 UTC+1, wrote:
On 21/09/2019 12:42, Tim+ wrote:

I fitted a couple of bib taps for a friend and when I left them they were
vertical but I only had wodges of PTFE tape to wrap the threads with and
its really too squidgy for the job. The taps are now skewiff.

I suspect its plumbers hemp that I need, but dont have. What are suitable
alternatives that I might have kicking around (even if not strictly legal
these days)?

Tim

Anything that's stringy and will bind the thread ... cotton, wool, etcetera

I wouldn't use materials that are likely to rot.


NT

On 21/09/2019 16:00, wrote:
On Saturday, 21 September 2019 14:15:07 UTC+1, wrote:
On 21/09/2019 12:42, Tim+ wrote:

I fitted a couple of bib taps for a friend and when I left them they were
vertical but I only had wodges of PTFE tape to wrap the threads with and
its really too squidgy for the job. The taps are now skewiff.

I suspect its plumbers hemp that I need, but dont have. What are suitable
alternatives that I might have kicking around (even if not strictly legal
these days)?

Tim

Anything that's stringy and will bind the thread ... cotton, wool, etcetera

I wouldn't use materials that are likely to rot.


NT

True, but they're not going to rot because they're in Plumber's Mait and
bound in the threads

On 21/09/2019 12:42, Tim+ wrote:

I fitted a couple of bib taps for a friend and when I left them they were
vertical but I only had wodges of PTFE tape to wrap the threads with and
its really too squidgy for the job. The taps are now skewiff.

I suspect its plumbers hemp that I need, but dont have. What are suitable
alternatives that I might have kicking around (even if not strictly legal
these days)?

I can't remember the number unfortunately, but Loctite used to do a
white thread sealant for pipework - we used to use it at work where PTFE
tape was banned. You used to put it on the male thread, screw it into
position and allow to set. It set rock hard, although it was (just)
possible to unscrew it if necessary.

SteveW

Steve Walker wrote:

I can't remember the number unfortunately, but Loctite used to do a
white thread sealant for pipework - we used to use it at work where PTFE
tape was banned. You used to put it on the male thread, screw it into
position and allow to set. It set rock hard, although it was (just)
possible to unscrew it if necessary.

I've seen a liquid PTFE sealer in Wickes

https://wickes.co.uk/slic-tite/p/227184

On 21/09/2019 17:09, Andy Burns wrote:
Steve Walker wrote:

I can't remember the number unfortunately, but Loctite used to do a
white thread sealant for pipework - we used to use it at work where
PTFE tape was banned. You used to put it on the male thread, screw it
into position and allow to set. It set rock hard, although it was
(just) possible to unscrew it if necessary.

I've seen a liquid PTFE sealer in Wickes

https://wickes.co.uk/slic-tite/p/227184

Yes, I've seen a number of different products, I just don't know if they
are the same as the Loctitie one that I knew - it was in a traditional
loctite style, red bottle, with a nozzle (no brush needed) and it set
solid. I am not sure whether the various options today set solid or just
form a seal.

It may well be worth trying one in this sort of case.

SteveW

On 21 Sep 2019 11:42:33 GMT, Tim+ wrote:

I fitted a couple of bib taps for a friend and when I left them they were
vertical but I only had wodges of PTFE tape to wrap the threads with and
it¢s really too squidgy for the job. The taps are now skewiff.

I suspect it¢s plumbers hemp that I need, but don¢t have. What are suitable
alternatives that I might have kicking around (even if not strictly legal
these days)?

Tim

Mine were 'worst case' - one was correct and the other was a long way out
and would have needed a shedload of something.
I swapped them over and they were both almost the amount out but still too
much for tape. I didn't try to adjust by a part turn but looked at the
plastic washers I had and found some just the right ID. They got me to a
small bit out and then some tape did the rest.
Trimmed off the outer part of the washers and they're hardly noticeable now.
--
Peter.
The gods will stay away
whilst religions hold sway

On 2019-09-21, Steve Walker wrote:

On 21/09/2019 12:42, Tim+ wrote:

I fitted a couple of bib taps for a friend and when I left them they were
vertical but I only had wodges of PTFE tape to wrap the threads with and
its really too squidgy for the job. The taps are now skewiff.

I suspect its plumbers hemp that I need, but dont have. What are suitable
alternatives that I might have kicking around (even if not strictly legal
these days)?

I can't remember the number unfortunately, but Loctite used to do a
white thread sealant for pipework - we used to use it at work where PTFE
tape was banned. You used to put it on the male thread, screw it into
position and allow to set. It set rock hard, although it was (just)
possible to unscrew it if necessary.

Coincidentally, I've recently done some bib taps & I used Fernox LS-X,
which someone here recommended for this sort of thing. The trick is
to patiently let it set for a while before you fiddle with it to see
if it's working!