Is Plumbing a Trade (Part 2)

[Soggy_weetabix]

Firstly, can certain members not go off topic and argue. If you cant help yourself, I will ask this discussion to be locked.

Secondly, how would the untrained (yet class themselves as plumbers) go about this job. (By the way no-one answered in the plumbing forum.)

So... for all you that can bang a few push fits together...

Refit a radiator but install a TRV (You must know what a TRV is.)

You try to remove the old rad tail. Wont budge.

Ill wait for sensible replies.

Inform me....

Or will it go quiet once again, as you cant give me a decent answer.

David

 

[Sylvan Tieger]

Secondly, how would the untrained (yet class themselves as plumbers) go about this job. (By the way no-one answered in the plumbing forum.)

David, saying someone is untrained but class themselves as plumbers why not have them class themselves as astronauts or self taught brain surgeons

Just because someone gives themselves a title that requires lots of training does not make it so.

Once they realize by no stretch of the imagination they are not a "plumber", gas fitter/ electrician and they know that they are not trained properly that is half the battle.

Then they should call a licensed professional watch and learn and ask questions and possibly after the required apprenticeship they can call themselves skilled craftsmen

By the way depending on the material is what predicates the removal of a defective part.[/quote]

 

[Troll5]

Of course its still trade soggy. . . probably one of the most varied and interesting ones out there, but as with any job theres always diy'ers turning pro and calling themselves handymen!

As for the rad tail, id normally send a bit of heat up it for 10secs, works for me, and before anyone mentions gases ive never blown up a double convector yet! lol

 

[crockett]

Pair of grips.

 

[namsag]

Rad would look lovely after using heat on it (don`t forget customer is keeping rad)
As soggy has said it wont budge so in what way would you use your grips

 

[crockett]

Sorry, Namsag, but I've never had a tail that couldn't be shifted with a pair of grips, or a small stilson wrench. I would never heat a tail to get it off. Can't help it if I'm a big strong boy

 

[namsag]

A 3 shredded wheat man then crocks

 

[crockett]

And 2 bits of toast & readybrek

 

[dmitch071]

Had 1 or 2 that wouldnt budge, normally find a fairly firm whack on the top,both sides and bottom usually cracks any bond between the tail and rad and then can be easily removed.

Of course plumbing is a trade always will be I am sure we all no someone who is fairly handy but probaly wouldnt trust them with a major job in your own house if you had the money to get it done properly, I must meet 10 customers a week that a scared of the most basic plumbing activity of bleeding rads or filling a sealed system these people will always be about.

Look at it like this you have these people

1) elderley/disabled that cant do plumbing
2) people that are scared of it
3) people who can afford not to even think about doing it
4) people that cant be bothered to do it

Then you get

1) can do and are good at it
2) have no option but to try it (probally going to end up calling tradesman)
3) the give it a goers (probally end in the same situation as above)

From what I can work out the only people that are going to do well are number 1 ( can do and are good at it) and that is more than likley ourselfs and the odd member of public.


Dave

 

[Troll5]

I still find using a spot of heat to be a fast and efficent way of removing a really stobborn rad tail, as i said i put heat the up the tail, not on the outside and have never burnt a rad yet. Sometimes the length of a tail is quite short as the olive and nut reduce the space for grips, which can risk damaging the finish of the rad, (Some people may prefer to break/cut the olive off ) Pulling too much on a rad spanner can make an often slighlty loose bracket even worse. In my opinion it all adds up to time and reducing the risk of a comeback. Theres been some good comments on this topic so far

 

[GPlumb]

Scots Oats!

 

[namsag]

Fek fek fek talk about sods law doing changeover yesterday puttin trvs in mate say well would you look at that never seen one do that before .
Tail had sheared off leavin about 3/8 of an inch of thread sticking out not enough to get a good grip off as it just distorted.
Thankfully it was an old myson rad so junior hacksaw blade up the hole and cut a slot top and bottom then split it came out in about 5 mins.

 

[crockett]

I'd have heated it

 

[Softus]

You try to remove the old rad tail. Wont budge.

It's never happened, and I don't think it ever will happen.

If there's no hexagon hole, and no internal ears to lock onto, then heat + stillsons = movement.

 

[crockett]

It may have never happened to you, nor has it me, Softus, but it has probably happened to some poor soul