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Just got back from QMC again........the last eight days have been a bit Traumatic to say the least,,...blood tests,,X-rays,,and today a visit to a Consultant........cut a long story short......problem

Result........CT Scans all clear......just got letter..been sweating for a fortnight......

Two years ago today..........my life changed forever,,,about this time i was on my way down to the operating theatre for what turned out to be a ten hour operation...........its been life changing in

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Yesterday, I noticed that the bathroom washbasin waste  needed a bit of a clean out. This was made a bit awkward by it being one of those 'flipover' types, which I fitted a couple of years ago in place of one of those pop up ones, which kept failing.  So..naturally, the old tooth brush I was using in cleaning efforts broke off and stuck in the drain.  So, I removed the 'U bend', in order to get the offending bit of brush out.

It was at this point that I discovered that the whole arrangement was absolutely plastered with 'Plumber's Putty/Plumber's Mait'.  This was so extensive as to be all over the join between the 'S' bend' and the chromed sink waste, and was also  filling the actual waste pipe by almost a third.

 

For the uninitiated.. 'Plumber's Putty/Mait' is a bit like old style window putty, but stickier.  It never 'goes off' and..to use the old phrase, 'sticks like **** to a blanket'.  It is not meant for use on plastic pipe.

Thing is.. It wasn't me Guv!  This is how it was left by the 'plumber', who fitted a new main soil pipe for me and had to re-arrange the drains from washbasin and bath/shower.

I found that the plumber had managed to 'cross' the threads from the plastic pipe to the metal drain and had used 'Plumber's Mait' to solve the problem.

So.. I spent much of the day on my back with my head in the cupboard under the washbasin..which did wonders for my vertigo, and my knees.

So..I've replaced the 'S Bend' with a new one.. but I'm still getting a slight leak from the join between chrome waste, and the underneath of the wash basin... no doubt caused by the force I had to use to get the S bend off. So.. small leak for now.. more time upside down under the sink later as I re- make the offending seal.

Who said retirement was boring?

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I used a bit of PTFE on the join between the plastic S Bend and the chromed waste. It seems to have improved things slightly, but there is clearly a leak between the waste and the washbasin itself.  It's slight.. but annoying.  The waste unit is fixed by a collar which needs a large tubular spanner, or a big adjustable wrench.  Tomorrow, I'll just try giving that a tweak.  If no joy I'll have to remove the whole waste, clean off and start again.

 

It gives me a purpose in life...:angry2:

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DJ360 

Morning not very good at DIY but  maybe one pipe is old mesurement and maybe one is metric. 

This is only a thought has we had same problem and after six visit's from maintenance  they fetched a plumber who dianosed it staight away.

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The seal needs to be waterside in the sink, I'd use clear silicone/mait under the chrome waste. The plastic washer under the sink is only a secondary seal. Clearly if the leak is visible under the sink then the seal in the sink has failed...

Silicone is my preference, it sets and has some adhesive properties, mait does not. Messing  with or cleaning the trap runs a greater risk of disturbing the seal if using mait.. If the pipe to waste connection has been crosshobbled the plastic thread will be damaged and needs replacing.

 

Just my three penn'orth...  :victory:

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Chrome to plastic Guv, you’ll be wanting a chrome to rubber adapter to be on the safe side get ‘A Man Who Can’ I’ll not bore you with my slow drip on my washer pipe for god knows how long, new kitchen, floorboards & joists, waiting on new plinths & the painter, thank you Direct line.

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Theres plumbers and plummers. We had a radiator that was cold at the bottom and not knowing how good the local plumbers were we called one.

I was convinced that the radiator was sludged up and needed cleaning but.....Nooooo it just needs bleeding. No No I think and I'm positive it is sludged up. Ok go ahead. Radiator bled, no air. Ok lets try something else....no I cant make it out. I can , its sludged up. No its not, yes it is. Ok lets try this......result,  sludge all over a floor length curtain and wall and oh dear didnt think it was:shout:. We had obviously chosen the wrong plummer. Lesson, dont choose him again. 2nd occasion we had a long radiator fitted in an unused room and it never worked properly. Plummer said pump wasnt strong enough for the whole house so we got a stronger one. Same result. He was called various times with no certain answer. We left it for quite a while until we thought its stupid to have a radiator there and not heat the room, so we called him again to find out exactly what the problem was. He spent a whole day trying to find out. We did have a large old radiator removed before and he took the pipe from that to install the new radiator. Anyway he was down on all fours scraping away and said the pipe was,filled,with calcium and couldnt do anything but suggested to start with copper pipe from the kitchen travelling all through and into the lounge and through into this other room. NO NO NO I said if you cant do anything we'll leave it as it is.  Called another plumber who works for himself and is so small but very strong he looked at radiator and said oh it needs  whatever it was. Fitted but still didnt work. Came back again fitted something else and now it works perfectly. Didnt cost much but made us realise you cant always trust the bigger companies. Not long ago, my son had a new shower fitted and his bathroom is above our lounge. One day the celing looked a bit dark ( its brick). To cut a long story shorter than the rest the syphon for the waste water was faulty, and consequently water was still seeping through but eventually  after coming back daily its slowly drying out. He always available at a moments notice and if not he'll come quickly. We dont have to wait around for him. My daughters just had a new kitchen fitted and the firm who fitted it had made so many mistakes, that although he shouldnt have touched it, put things right.This was finished 2 weeks ago and she is still waiting for the gas jets because the firm sent the wrong ones.

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I could have posted your sludge story from when we first move in here back in 94, eventually got British Gas out power flush & some magnetic filter fitted, few years ago new boiler & moved it all to the loft not much change out of 5 grand :shout:

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The plumbing trade seems to be full of halfwits with the occasional competent one thrown in. I can relate many tales of disaster concerning plumbers both industrially and domestically. Conversely I have usually found qualified electricians to be pretty good. I do my own domestic plumbing, it’s not difficult.

 

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On 9/3/2021 at 10:27 PM, Beekay said:

How long you been at G.Y.,or do you go every other week to a second home? In any case, enjoy the 5th and have a great day. (Still waiting for me Diabetic Candyfloss).  :tanning:

Five cards today BK. Done well.

Mrs V packing get tomorrow & check that forecast ,,!!!!

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Had a quiet day today Ian, thanks for asking. Tried to persuade 'er indoors to test drive 'er new frying pan, but no success there. Just Shredded Wheat as usual.

Catfan, hope you've had a great day between you. Five cards eh ! Same as us. Have a very safe journey home. B.

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1 hour ago, philmayfield said:

The Red Arrows have just flown over on their way back home to Scampton!

They’ve been at the Bournemouth Air Show this weekend.  Bit of excitement (near tragedy) there yesterday when a bi-plane crashed into the sea at Sandbanks, just down the road from our place.   Both the pilot and a ‘Wing-Walker were pulled out quickly with only minor injuries.  
 

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13 hours ago, Brew said:

The seal needs to be waterside in the sink,

 

But does it? 

The 'waste' runs through a cavity in the ceramic of the sink, which allows for the overflow from the sink to run into the waste, just below the 'plug' (in whatever form) via a couple of side drains.  So.. logically, it is the seal underneath the sink which counts.

IIRC ( 'If I recall correctly..' Will you lot ever adopt the eminently reasonable shorthand of the internet?)

So.. IIRC, the waste when purchased, came with a single washer, of some sort of soft nylon/plastic/synthetic rubber formulation. This was meant to go between the waste securing collar, and the base of the sink.  In my experience... such washers do not respond well to being overtightened and actually need very little pressure to work..so long as they are tightened against a flat surface..wherein lies the problem...  I made the mistake of purchasing this basin from 'Bathstore', who specialise in selling shite. So...IIRC, I used a SMALL amount of Plumber's Mait.  Again.. if you think about it.. all you are trying to do is fill the unevenness between the sink and the flat securing collar.  A circular 'bead' of maybe 5-10mm maximum diameter ought to be more than enough. Also, remember that the waste water is not under pressure..so it takes only a simple seal to contain it.

13 hours ago, Brew said:

The plastic washer under the sink is only a secondary seal.

 

Disagree.. it is THE seal, for the reasons I outlined above.

 

13 hours ago, Brew said:

Silicone is my preference, it sets and has some adhesive properties, mait does not.

 

Silicone is brilliant in the right place.. but also a pig to disassemble if it becomes necessary.

 

13 hours ago, Brew said:

Messing  with or cleaning the trap runs a greater risk of disturbing the seal if using mait..

 

Yep.  I already stated that I think I may have disturbed the MAIT seal when cleaning the trap.

 

13 hours ago, Brew said:

If the pipe to waste connection has been crosshobbled the plastic thread will be damaged and needs replacing.

 

Yes.  Which is why I also stated that I have replaced it.  :)  Come on Jim.. this is not like you...

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9 hours ago, philmayfield said:

The plumbing trade seems to be full of halfwits with the occasional competent one thrown in. I can relate many tales of disaster concerning plumbers both industrially and domestically. Conversely I have usually found qualified electricians to be pretty good. I do my own domestic plumbing, it’s not difficult.

 

 

It's not technically difficult, but it can involve some contortions which I find more challenging these days..

 

To be fair, the plumber who has cocked my sink drain up, is generally very good, especially with heating and boilers. I think he was having an 'off' day when he buggered up my sink.  Mrs Col reported that he went off to buy a pint of milk because he had bad indigestion. I told her she should have given him some of my Gaviscon.. or a spoonful of Plumber's Mait..which is almost certainly based on the very same China Clay which features in Kaolin and Morphine.

 

Britain has an appalling record of technical training, which took an even worse nose dive when a certain M Thatcher decided to do away with a long established system of Industry Training Boards.  Those 'ITB's' ensured that training in all industries was up to scratch.  What Thatcher did was the old Tory trick of creating a 'market' in training.  It was an unmitigated disaster and Plumbing in particular suffered. The industry seemed incapable of getting its act together, with the result that the UK experienced a massive shortage of plumbers in the 90s and 'O's. As far as I know it is still a mess.. which is why so many EU tradesmen were able to get work here., until that other genius move Brexit.. when they all buggered off again.

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I total agree about our system, we need real training and apprenticships back again.t Each time I hear that education system this has been changed I cringe. I remember teaching a young girl who was getting married and going to live in Canada the subject was TDLB 32 33 so she could become an assessor. In her line of work but Canada would not accept the qualification. Why? I once ask an MP this, why can we all not work to the same syllabus? never did get an answer. What really p?????? me off ismy own trade Hairdressing  now most joe public think that we go into this trade because it's easy work. It's Not you have to learn angles, chemistry, how hair grows and  the composition, scalp/skin/hair desease;s  conditions ect and more. Sorry getting carried away  Getting back or the subject of training, I know times move on, but I did a 3 year apprenticship then 2 years as an inprover, then you were you was not qualified from pin curl, finger waves, perms colours ect ect. Now when the NVQ's came in hairdresser were rthe pilot scheme now the units and elements coverd everthing. Now its pick out what you want to do eg. just Blowdring, cutting, reception, and they seem to be classed as qualified. I don'r think this is right, to me all off it should be learnt. I left teaching NVQs before this silly system cae out. Why well they wanted us to correct the English grammer, spelling ect  As I told my boss I'm an Hairdresser not an English teacher.

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PS sorry it's a bit of a jumble but I could not sleep and have been up since 3 00am.

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My home insurance claim, the small drip was out of sight behind a kitchen unit & had ran under the laminate flooring which we had fitted for the whole of the downstairs, which was replaced along with half kitchen floorboards, two joists, kitchen units, skirting & painting.

The insurance assessor was @ my property for over 3 hours, making video of my roof, brickwork & general maintenance & upkeep & receipts & certificates for jobs undertaken, so just be careful with your DIY & bodging it could come back to bite you, thank me later :rolleyes:

    

  

 

He did tell me some good stories of people he’d caught out, like the bloke who’d dipped his cat in paint & let it run all over house :biggrin:

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