What "man jobs" have you done today?

[Buffman]

Had an absolute mare today. The radiator I bought was too big. I only discovered this after I did all of the brackets and then fitted the wrong tails. I then went to fit the sink and the compression fitting was weeping. I'm officially done with compression fittings. A trip to SF and Wickes to get some Hep2o tap connectors and 32mm waste pipe. Cue the ******* saga of 32mm push fit / solvent fit being totally different sizes. Whoever did this needs to die in a fire (sorry not sorry).

Another trip to Wickes I bought a Tote tool bag as I am about to lose my mind at this canvas technicians bag folding over. I lose my wrench. I almost burn the house down in anger.

Anyway, I fit the push fit pipework as the solvent weld, whilst preferred, doesn't fit in this stupid ass chrome sink trap. Fuming.

Long story short - this p.o.s chrome sink trap that cost me 40 quid is leaking and the push to open sink plug is also leaking. Can I just silicone the crap out of this?

I dont really get why the trap is leaking, is it possible you need a european to uk fitting (i.e. imperial to metric? 1&1'4 to 32mm) e.g. this part

European to UK Waste Outlet Adaptor | McAlpine Plumbing

Upgrade your plumbing system with the European To UK Waste Outlet Adaptor, ensuring compatibility and efficient water flow.

mcalpineplumbing.com

Ive never really used push fit pipework on waste, other than the compression waste ends for u bends etc.

 

[dlockers]

I dont really get why the trap is leaking, is it possible you need a european to uk fitting (i.e. imperial to metric? 1&1'4 to 32mm) e.g. this part

European to UK Waste Outlet Adaptor | McAlpine Plumbing

Upgrade your plumbing system with the European To UK Waste Outlet Adaptor, ensuring compatibility and efficient water flow.

mcalpineplumbing.com

Ive never really used push fit pipework on waste, other than the compression waste ends for u bends etc.

I'll get some better pictures. It's the trap itself that is leaking, the push fit waste is all fine.

 

[b0rn2sk8]

Where is the trap leaking?

If its between the waste and the sink itself or bypassing the sink plug, then plumbers putty is your friend. Otherwise, not sure and cant really help with that one.

 

[dlockers]

Right - better pics here now I have decompressed and tidied up finally

Firstly, a positive pic. I totally ignored @Buffman very sound and correct advice as part of my rage this morning was fighting my tool bag. I picked the Stanley FatMax I had seen the night before as in person, it looked 'ok'. I will likely replace it again though, as no internal pockets to hold good cush is annoying:

Then onto this trap, which has caused me as much grief as I expected it would tbh:

The blue circle is showing where it is leaking. Essentially the sink plug is a cheapo thing, and I believe the thread itself forms the seal. The solid metal trap however expects a perfect mating surface to form a seal. I guess I could try and bodge it with a tonne of PTFE given the plug will likely fail in a year or two anyway.

Also note the black pipe... really annoying this is. It came with a length of chrome which falls short of making it outside through the wall. I bought a compression fitting but its too big to sit in the wall, and I guess you wouldn't want that anyway. Next best solution was having the black coming in. A pushfit DOES fit in the wall cavity and the chrome does squeeze inside of it, but not sure I fancy risking that.

Also, as like all good **** sandwiches, ending on a good note: almost there. I used a forstner bit and fitted soft closing cabinet hinges to the door as I was annoyed by the brass showing.

Just need to silicone but I have had enough for today...

 

[DXP55]

I also have a Stanley Fatmax bag like that and a Wera screwdriver and I think the bag is rubbish. I have to tip it upside down on floor to find anything.

Get a tube of Fernox LS-X sealer -it's like mastic but for putting on screw joints -Good stuff.

 

[Mysterae_]

The blue circle is showing where it is leaking. Essentially the sink plug is a cheapo thing, and I believe the thread itself forms the seal. The solid metal trap however expects a perfect mating surface to form a seal. I guess I could try and bodge it with a tonne of PTFE given the plug will likely fail in a year or two anyway.

Seriously, take all your rolls of PTFE and chuck them in the bin! Then go buy some Loctite 55 pipe sealing cord and learn how to use it (roughening up the threads is optional), you'll thanks me later.

Looking at the picture above, are you certain the water is coming from where you have indicated? It could be coming from the black plastic nut above it and running down the threads to the chrome stuff.

As you need to ensure the precise final location of the chrome trap so that the pipe lines up with the black pipe, this is where pipe sealing cord wins because once it's tight you can back it off a bit to position the fitting without fear of leakage; you can't do this with PTFE tape or other sealants, they'll just leak after disturbing them.

Just a side note, that's a weird design for a trap as you'll need to dissemble everything to get anything that falls down the plughole such as rings etc.

 

[dlockers]

Seriously, take all your rolls of PTFE and chuck them in the bin! Then go buy some Loctite 55 pipe sealing cord and learn how to use it (roughening up the threads is optional), you'll thanks me later.

Looking at the picture above, are you certain the water is coming from where you have indicated? It could be coming from the black plastic nut above it and running down the threads to the chrome stuff.

As you need to ensure the precise final location of the chrome trap so that the pipe lines up with the black pipe, this is where pipe sealing cord wins because once it's tight you can back it off a bit to position the fitting without fear of leakage; you can't do this with PTFE tape or other sealants, they'll just leak after disturbing them.

Just a side note, that's a weird design for a trap as you'll need to dissemble everything to get anything that falls down the plughole such as rings etc.

Haha, fair cop; yeah I did buy a bulk pack of PTFE ages ago so have 10+ rolls. I also have Loctite 55 --- which I used on the rad tails.

100% water is coming from there. A quick Google shows a few with the same problem - posh u-bends going onto dodgy wastes. The waste just end with a "thread" and the u-bend expects a flat surface to mate to.

Final point - it has a screw release "bottom" so you can get to it. It was bundled with the sink so I didn't put much thought into buying it!

 

[Mysterae_]

Final point - it has a screw release "bottom" so you can get to it. It was bundled with the sink so I didn't put much thought into buying it!

Ah! I see, said the blind man!

 

[Dis86]

Those threads don't look anywhere near good enough to get a seal. Is the u bend and waste properly aligned? Hard to tell from the photo.

 

[dlockers]

Those threads don't look anywhere near good enough to get a seal. Is the u bend and waste properly aligned? Hard to tell from the photo.

Yeah, just perspective of the photo throwing it off. I guess I need a 'designer waste' with a flat bottom for the seal to contact.

 

[FNG]

My sinks always leak from the black hex seal. I now use those cone washers you can get whenever doing one, although inevitably the thread is always too short so I have to butcher even that. Weeping seals are the worst, and I feel the need to check them for about a month after due to past distress. I hate plumbing, but for small jobs there really is no alternative than do it yourself. I realise this post offers no help at all. Sorry. Edit: are you sure there is not a washer to form that seal; those threads will never seal.

 

[dlockers]

My sinks always leak from the black hex seal. I now use those cone washers you can get whenever doing one, although inevitably the thread is always too short so I have to butcher even that. Weeping seals are the worst, and I feel the need to check them for about a month after due to past distress. I hate plumbing, but for small jobs there really is no alternative than do it yourself. I realise this post offers no help at all. Sorry. Edit: are you sure there is not a washer to form that seal; those threads will never seal.

I forget the name of the washer but yes there is one - it sits on the trap side formed to the top of the pipe.

 

[Buffman]

Right - better pics here now I have decompressed and tidied up finally

Firstly, a positive pic. I totally ignored @Buffman very sound and correct advice as part of my rage this morning was fighting my tool bag. I picked the Stanley FatMax I had seen the night before as in person, it looked 'ok'. I will likely replace it again though, as no internal pockets to hold good cush is annoying:

I realise what you mean about that bag now. The dewalt tstak one certainly has better pockets on the inside (i drop chisels etc straight into them and it's sound) rather than that elastic crap which is a faff.

You have made a "buy cheap buy twice" error here

 

[dlockers]

I realise what you mean about that bag now. The dewalt tstak one certainly has better pockets on the inside (i drop chisels etc straight into them and it's sound) rather than that elastic crap which is a faff.

You have made a "buy cheap buy twice" error here

I literally said that as I walked out of Wickes, lol.

 

[Simon]

Get a dewalt t stak like a real man

 

[DXP55]

Cutting down a tree and some bushes in front garden- Made me realise how old I am as I need to get someone in to get roots out.

I used to work all day long till I couldn't get up - and now I can't get up to work more than 5 min.

 

[Uhtred]

I've converted the loft hatch to open outwards on a hinge and fitted a loft ladder (with handrail).

Still need to fit the v rod and do something about the gaps around the edge of the hatch, as I don't want warm air to get up there.

I'm thinking I'll use some self adhesive rubber strips around the inside of the hatch to get a good seal

 

[gingergundog]

Right - better pics here now I have decompressed and tidied up finally

Firstly, a positive pic. I totally ignored @Buffman very sound and correct advice as part of my rage this morning was fighting my tool bag. I picked the Stanley FatMax I had seen the night before as in person, it looked 'ok'. I will likely replace it again though, as no internal pockets to hold good cush is annoying:



Then onto this trap, which has caused me as much grief as I expected it would tbh:

The blue circle is showing where it is leaking. Essentially the sink plug is a cheapo thing, and I believe the thread itself forms the seal. The solid metal trap however expects a perfect mating surface to form a seal. I guess I could try and bodge it with a tonne of PTFE given the plug will likely fail in a year or two anyway.

Also note the black pipe... really annoying this is. It came with a length of chrome which falls short of making it outside through the wall. I bought a compression fitting but its too big to sit in the wall, and I guess you wouldn't want that anyway. Next best solution was having the black coming in. A pushfit DOES fit in the wall cavity and the chrome does squeeze inside of it, but not sure I fancy risking that.

Also, as like all good **** sandwiches, ending on a good note: almost there. I used a forstner bit and fitted soft closing cabinet hinges to the door as I was annoyed by the brass showing.



Just need to silicone but I have had enough for today...

The only seal in the blue circle is supposed to be between the traps flat washer and the waste fitting. I know you said the washer is in there but is it tight enough? the telescopic part moves independently of the bottle so no need to worry about getting it in the correct orientation while tightening it. You could try another washer, that waste and trap should mate perfectly together unless there is a manufacturing issue. Make sure the black back nut it sealed properly to the china to rule that out, it could be running down the thread, as someone else said put some plumbers mait in or silicone. Using any PTFE or loctite on the thread is a bodge.

Try one of these for the pipe in the wall -

Straight CP Brass x ABS Connector | McAlpine Plumbing Upgrade your plumbing connections with the Straight Cp Brass x ABS Connector, ensuring durability and efficient water flow. mcalpineplumbing.com

or maybe -

Straight Connector - Pushfit x Solvent-Weld | McAlpine Plumbing Achieve versatile connections with the Straight Connector, featuring Pushfit x Solvent Weld for flexibility in your plumbing system. mcalpineplumbing.com

Mcalpine do 1m lengths of chrome pipe, so if you wanted it going outside you could use this where it exits -

90° Solvent Weld Bend x 32mm Pushfit 90° ABS solvent weld Bend x 32mm European pipe size Ring Seal Pushfit mcalpineplumbing.com

Not sure what trap you got but you could get a Mcalpine trap, at least then you know all the above is definitely compatible, although what you have is probably 32mm

 

[roccles]

6 yard bags of worth leylandiis cutting taken to the tip over the last 3 days. Could probably fill another 100!

 

[vail3r]

Finished laying the flooring in the dressing area of the bedroom/en suite.



Had an absolute nightmare round some tricky cuts as the angle just throws me off. Ended up cutting bits of card the size of the planks and using those to make a template. Took longer but worked well!