Plumbing Tools
Most plumbing tools found about the house fall into two categories: those that are used for clearing blockages and those that are needed to work with pipework. The latter tools include bending, cutting reaming and shaping implements. Pipe wrenches, discussed in detail under wrenches, are specially designed for gripping round work and for reaching into awkward places.
Plunger
OTHER NAME: Force cup
SIZE: Diameter: 2-1/2 to 5in.
MATERIAL: Cup: rubber; Handle: wood
USE: To remove blockages from a toilet or sink drain
The plunger removes blockages by building up air pressure. The cup must be wide enough to completely cover the drain and make contact with the porcelain all around. A little petroleum jelly spread on the lip of the cup improves contact with the drain.
Block the overflow outlet with a wet rag before starting.
Using the plunger
Position the cup over the open drain. Run a little water in the sink. Pump the handle to build up pressure to dislodge blockage.
Sink Waste Auger
OTHER NAMES: Drain auger, snake
SIZE: Diameter: 3/16, 1/4, 3/8, 1/2in.; Length: 8 to 100ft.
MATERIAL: Steel
USE: To clear blockages from the sink or drainage pipes
A sink auger is used to remove a blockage from pipework beyond the sink trap. Check first that the blockage is not in the trap before removing it and inserting the auger.
Push the hooked end of the auger into the pipe until it reaches the blockage. Tighten the clamp on the handle to grip the auger and crank the handle. This should dislodge all the blockage which can then be flushed through the system. If not, the blockage will be retained by the hook and pulled out as the auger is removed.
Toilet Auger
OTHER NAME: Closet auger
SIZE: Diameter: 7/16, 3/8, 1/2in.; Length: 3 and 6ft.
MATERIAL: Auger: spring steel; Tube: plated steel; Handle: plastic, wood
USE: To remove a blockage from a toilet
The auger and hook is fed through the toilet drainage passages until it encounters the blockage. The vinyl guard at the end of the hollow tube protects the toilet bowl from scratches. Grip one of the handles at the top of the tube and crank the other until the blockage is dislodged pulled out.
Spring Tube Bender
OTHER NAME: Pipe bender, pipe bending spring
SIZE: To fit to fin. nominal diameter pipe
MATERIAL: Steel
USE: To support a pipe locally while it is being bent
If metal tubing or pipework is bent into a tight curve without being supported it will kink and collapse. Soft copper pipework can be bent over your knee as long as it is supported internally or externally by a coiled steel spring.
Choose a bender that just fits the pipe, which is usually up to fin. diameter, although some benders will support a pipe up to 2in. in diameter. Centre it on the proposed bend and with your thumbs on the inside of the curve, or pulling against your knee, bend the tube slightly past the required angle, easing it back afterward.
To remove an internal bending spring, place a bar in the ring at the end and turn counter clockwise while pulling. If bender is too short for the end of the spring to protrude, join a length of string to the ring.
Pipe Burring Reamer
Pipe and Tube Cutter
OTHER NAME: Wheel cutter
SIZE: To cut 1/8 to 4in. outside diameter tube
MATERIAL: Cutters/rollers: alloy stee!
USE: To cut metal pipework
Pipe cutters cut a metal tube cleanly and squarely. Tackle thin-wall tubing of brass, copper, iron or steel with a tube cutter. A pipe cutter is recommended for large-scale tubing. The tube cutter has one fixed cutting wheel and an adjustable slide holding two guide rollers. Line the cutter up with the mark and tighten the rollers by turning the handle. Rotate the cutter while tightening the tool between each revolution until the tube is cut. Tube cutters normally have a fixed reamer for removing the burr from the inside.
The larger pipe cutters operate in exactly the same way, but they have three cutters instead of the rollers. They cut faster and are better if a complete revolution is impossible. Hold the tube in a pipe vise and lubricate the cutters with oil.
Other versions of pipe cutter are available with a plier wrench mechanism. For really large drainage pipework, there is a cutter made up by linking a series of cutter wheels to form a cutter chain.
Flaring Tool
SIZE: To flare tube with 3/16 to 5/8in. outside diameter
MATERIAL: Steel and cast iron
USE: To flare the end of a tube to fit a pipe fitting
Compression fittings are used to join lengths of copper, brass or aluminum tubing. To make a water-tight seal against the fitting, the end of the tube must be accurately flared with a flaring tool. It has a split die block, which can be clamped with wing nuts around pipework of different sizes, and a yoke. This fits into the block and has a screw fed cone which flares the tube to a 45° bell shape.
Using the flaring tool
Cut and ream the tube and slip a flange nut over the end. Clamp the tube in the flaring tool, keeping the end flush with the surface of the block. Replace the yoke and turn the screw.
Once the tube is flared, the flange nut can pull the pipe tightly against the fitting. Check that it will fit.
Tube Bender
OTHER NAME: Pipe bender
SIZE: To bend tube with an outside diameter of 1/4 to 1-11/16in.
MATERIAL: Cast iron and steel
USE: To support a pipe while it is bent
Like spring benders, the tube bender supports the walls of a tube locally while it is bent, but does it in a different way. The tube is bent over a former which is curved to the radius of the required bend and shaped to support half the wall of the tube, A separate guide block supports the upper half of the tube as it is bent.
Long handles provide the necessary leverage. Pipe benders are produced in a variety of sizes, from small domestic tools to large scale hydraulic benders for the trade. A pipe bender is an extravagance for the amount of plumbing work the average home needs, so rent if possible.
Using the tube bender
Place the straight tube in the former and under the retaining hook. Line up the marked bend with the former's shoulder.
Place the guide block on top of the tube. The movable lever will take up the slack. Pull the levers in opposite directions to bend the tube over the former.
Riveter
OTHER NAME: Pop riveter
SIZE: Sets rivets of 3/32 to 3/16in. diameter
MATERIAL: Steel
USE: To rivet thin sheet material
The riveter will join any thin sheet material, but canvas or vinyl sheeting will require washers to prevent tearing.
The main advantage of the riveter is that it can blind rivet: when the far side of the rivet is inaccessible, the soft head is spread against the inner face of the work.
Simple riveters take one size of rivets; swivel or exchangeable heads take various sizes.
Using the riveter
Drill matching holes through two halves of joint to take rivet head snugly. Open handles; insert mandrel of rivet in riveter's head between the jaws.
Push rivet head through hole and press hard against work to seat rivet. Squeeze handles until mandrel snaps off.
Soldering Iron
OTHER NAME: Soldering copper
SIZE: Head weight: 2oz. to 3lb; Power: 15 to 240 watts
MATERIAL: Head: copper; Shaft: steel; Handle: hardwood, plastic
USE: To heat metal and soft solder for joining
Some metals can be joined by melting soft solder, an alloy of tin and lead which solidifies when cooled. It must have a lower melting point than the metal being used for the job so that it can flow into a hot joint. A soldering iron supplies the heat. It has a copper bit or head which is fitted to a shaft and heated by electricity or a flame.
The head size and weight are important. The soldering iron must be able to heat the job to the temperature at which the solder will flow. A small soldering iron will melt the solder, but if it cannot heat the workpiece sufficiently, a poor join will result.
The shape of the head also varies depending on the job. Small soldering irons, designed to make electrical connections, have a narrow "pencil" bit for working in confined spaces. Larger irons have pointed, hatchet-shaped or tapered bits.
A pointed bit provides accurate "spot" soldering, a hatchet bit is designed for soldering seams, and a tapered bit is a good all-round tool: the flat wide section will heat up a broad area, while the tool can be used on edge for a seam.
Flux
Metals to be joined must be free of the oxide film which normally coats the surface. The oxide is removed with flux.
Rosin flux is non-corrosive and is therefore ideal for electrical connections. It comes in powder or paste form and is also incorporated in the core of wire solders: it melts just before the solder, and runs into the joint before it.
An active flux such as sal-ammoniac will remove grease and dirt as well as oxide. It must be washed off in warm water after the joint is made or it will corrode the metal.
Tinning the bit
Before use, a soldering iron must be "tinned" to remove oxide from the surface and to improve its heat transferring ability. If a bit is damaged or pitted, reshape with a file. Heat up the bit and when it reaches the temperature where it will readily melt the solder, dip it in flux, and immediately apply solder to coat the metal.
Soldering a terminal
Strip off the insulation and fan the wires so that you can stroke them with a folded piece of emery cloth. Make this a pulling stroke only to avoid bending the filaments. Twist the filaments together with a pair of pliers, and tin the twisted end by applying the hot iron and cored solder.
Clean up the point of contact on the terminal with emery cloth and crimp it
on to the wire with pliers.
Apply the hot iron and cored solder to the junction between the wire and the fitting encouraging the solder to flow. A good connection will look smooth and wet.
Soldering a lap joint
Lap or folded joints are used to join sheets of tinplate which need a large overlap. To make a lap joint, clean up the areas of contact with wire wool or emery. Dip the stick of solder in active flux and apply it to the area. Apply a hot 125 watt soldering iron and solder to both halves of the joint.
Assemble the joint holding it firmly in clamps or between wooden blocks in a vise. Tack the joint as shown above. Check the other side of the joint to see that the solder has permeated and solidified on that side. Wash the joint under running hot water.
Soldering the seam
Apply a bead of flux along the seam and work along it with the iron. It must be continuous for a good joint.
Propane Torch
SIZE: Burner diameter: 1/4 to 1-5/8in.
MATERIAL: Tubing: brass; Handle: plastic
USE: To provide a heat source or soldering and brazing
The propane torch can be used to join metals by soft soldering, hard soldering and brazing, as well as to burn off old paint.
The propane torch burns liquid petroleum gas which is pressurized in metal containers. Propane is the gas commonly used, as butane is used only where normal room temperature is constant.
Burners will produce a needle flame for precision soldering or a broad flame for heating pipework. A name spreader can be attached to produce a fan shaped flame suitable for burning off old paint and varnish finishes.
The torch is connected to the gas container by a hose. The hose connects to a large gas container through a valve or through a gas regulator which is used to maintain constant gas pressure when more than one burner is operating from the same container.
Lighting the torch
Open the control valve to release the gas, which mixes with air drawn through air intake holes at the burner to produce a combustible mixture. Ignite the gas with a naked flame or spark and adjust the flame to the required size.
The hottest part of the flame is approximately halfway along its length. Direct this onto the work for maximum efficiency.
Soldering plumbing joints
Copper plumbing can be easily and neatly joined by soldering the joints. The plumbing connector is flared to fit over the plain end of the pipe.
How to solder joints
1. Cut the tubing square,- clean off the burr. Use emery or steel wool to clean inside connector and outside pipe to the depth of the flared section on connector.
2. Brush a non-corrosive flux, preferably a paste, on the clean metal. Insert the tubing in the connector and rotate to spread the flux. Wipe off excess flux.
3. Heat the joint with a propane torch. A heat shield fixed to the end of the torch will enclose the area and protect material behind the work.
4. When the flux begins to bubble out, remove the torch and apply the tip of the solder to the edge of the connector where capillary action will draw the solder into the space whichever way the connector is facing. Do not apply flame to the solder itself. It is the heated metal which melts the solder, not the flame. Apply the solder to two or three places around the edge of the fitting until a line of solder shows around the entire joint.
Solder all joints while the connector is hot. Reheating the area will soften existing joints and weaken the seal.
Brazing
Higher temperature brazing will produce stronger load-bearing joints. Wire the joint together so it does not move and use a suitable flux and brazing rod. Enclose brazing area with a firebrick furnace.
Safety factors
Check your equipment regularly for leaks.
Do not use a naked flame to check a leak. It can usually be detected by smell and confirmed by brushing on a soapy water solution which will bubble where the gas is escaping.
Keep the container away from sources of heat and discard empty containers safely. Do not throw them on to a fire.
Do not leave a burning torch unattended. When you have finished working, turn off the supply at the container first so that all gas in the hose is burned off before disconnecting. Close the valve at the torch and disconnect from the container before storing.
