Leaking 1938 tap, how do I get into it to fix??

[OoPhoenixoO]

Hi, thanks for reading,

I have taps stamped 1938 on my bath. Recently not matter how tight I turn the hot tap it's keeps dribbling out. Any advice on how to fix much appreciated. My stupid iPad won't let me upload a picture, but going on the mac now to see if I have more joy, will attach if I can, hopefully some one will now how to fix this, they don't appear to have any parts you can undo.

Regards

Craig

my taps

• OoPhoenixoO
• 21 Jul 2011
• 1

They are the offenders!

my taps

• OoPhoenixoO
• 21 Jul 2011
• 1

They are the offenders!

 

[seco services]

Under the ceramic disc on top willbe a crosshead screw, that removes the handle.
Then undo the shroud on lower part of spindle.

 

[OoPhoenixoO]

Many thanks for the quick reply, is it just a case a trying to get the top off with a knife or something, I just tried and it doesnt want to move?

Kind regards

Craig

Untitled

• OoPhoenixoO
• 21 Jul 2011
• 1

 

[tryitandsee]

In your second right way up photo, is that a flush screw under the cross head handle. Perhaps you can unscrew that to release the cross head and gently tap it upwards, preferably with something wooden.

 

[OoPhoenixoO]

Thank you for your response, I will give that a go in the morning as the children are in bed now. The screw has been missing since we moved in, but ill trying giving it a tap and see if the handle part comes off, allowing me to remove some other parts.

Thank you.

Craig

 

[tryitandsee]

Squirt some WD40 or something in it then over night

Try tapping it gently upwards turning the handle quarter turn as you go, thereby getting an even force.

 

[bernardgreen]

If the cross head resists the gentle tapping then differential heating might weaken the handle's grip on the spindle.

Weave some cloth around the cross head and soak it in hot water to heat up the cross head. Wrap some cloth around the spindle and cool with cold water or press ice cubes against the spindle.

Those taps if genuine originals were manufactured properly, the cross head was machined accurately to be a tight fit on the spindle even without the fixing screw being tightened.

Do NOT be tempted to take a hair drier or other warm air appliance into the bath room. Anywhere else ice cubes and a warm air gun.

 

[dcawkwell]

Mole grip and some cloth to protect the tap cap.

Fiddling with it isn't going to move it. It will need some force.

Turn the top of then you can get a spanner at it to remove the top.

 

[monoxide62]

Aahhh , gotta love the old Globe taps , last pair i fitted was around 30 years ago , downside being two long streaks of limescale @ head of bath.

 

[OoPhoenixoO]

Thank you all for you replies I will have a go over the weekend and report back with either a headless tap or a broken bath.

Thanks again

Craig

 

[OoPhoenixoO]

Thank you all again for your advice, heres an update for anyone else who has the same problem ....

As mentioned I tried various ways to get the cross handle off, I used WD40, heating it with a blow torch, but maybe it was when I started hammering it harder it actually came off. I put a G clamp under the cross and hit that with a rubber mallet to try and give even force all round.

Once the top was off, i unsrewed the turning mech bit.

After buying several of the wrong o-ring type washer which I thought sat around inside of the main bell bit attached to the bath, I realised I just needed a tap washer.

I removed the nut of the end of the plunger and drilling a bigger hole into a tap washer I found in the shed, stuck it on and replaced the nut.

But the tap back together and yey, it now turns off.

Oh to get the top half of the tap off, I again, used WD40, heated it, and then used mole grips over a rubber belt type thing I had so it didnt slip of scratch the tap.

Untitled

• OoPhoenixoO
• 22 Jul 2011
• 1

Many thanks to all who took the time to offer advice.

Kind regards

Craig

Untitled

• OoPhoenixoO
• 22 Jul 2011
• 1

 

[Hufty]

Just for future reference, with this kind of tap (crosshead handle on a long shaft, metal shroud covering the mechanism) you can sometimes replace the washer without removing the handle.
With the water turned off, open the tap fully so that the handle is wound out as far as it wants to go then undo the shroud and slide it up. If you have a thin enough adjustable spanner eg a Bahco you can get in at the spanner flats.

 

[tryitandsee]

Great, you know now what to do when the other one starts to drip