# Plastic Bag



## IrishPlumber (Jul 16, 2009)

Just had a quick look at the tools etc used for various jobs. Interesting stuff. I don't see no mention of the trusty plastic bag. I know its ideal to have all the tools for the jobs required but sometimes you don't have them.

All plumbers should have a roll of plastic bags in the van. The bigger the better, we call them refuge sacks here, its a long black plastic bag. 

Sometimes when your cutting into copper holding water, plastic, disconnecting wastes, rad valves, fittings etc its ideal to have everything completely drained but that doesn't happen all the time. Sometimes the locations are too tight to fit a bowel in, pipe works in a corner, theirs only a slight flow so the water runs down the pipe instead of into the bowel. In these situations I use a plastic bag and tuck it around the pipe to catch every drop of water. 

When we replace rads or valves here its impossible to to empty the system entirely. The water gunk's up in some systems and its messy. To save from damaging carpets and floors etc I rely upon the bag, you can tuck it into the tightest places to catch the water. Also these bags can hold some volume of water. You can carry out instant leak repairs without draining the system, even make quick connections to live pipework. Ive done this even at high pressures, you have just enough time to make the connection while catching the water in the bag. 

Also these bags can unblock toilets with out the need to disconnect the toilet or the use of plungers but its not for the faint hearted so I wont go into the details. 

Make sure the bag has no holes if your using one for any of the above. 

I see you sweat out solder fittings no problem. I have a way of sweating out waste pipe fittings which have been sealed by use of solvent cement, I am sure this method will work with most glues, solvents. Let me know if you've never tried and I'll write the process up.


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## TheMaster (Jun 12, 2009)

Sounds like you have good bags there. Make a video of the live connection method please!!!!


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## GREENPLUM (Jul 27, 2008)

Ive never tried, how do you do it with a trash bag?


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

They only have a few pounds of pressure on their water systems over there. It's all attic tanks at atmospheric pressure gravity feeding the potable water system. Maybe 15 psi at 1st floor level, less as you go up.

And yes irishplumber, I do keep trash bags on the truck.


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## Airgap (Dec 18, 2008)

IrishPlumber said:


> Just had a quick look at the tools etc used for various jobs. Interesting stuff. I don't see no mention of the trusty plastic bag. I know its ideal to have all the tools for the jobs required but sometimes you don't have them.
> 
> All plumbers should have a roll of plastic bags in the van. The bigger the better, we call them refuge sacks here, its a long black plastic bag.
> 
> ...


 :laughing::laughing::laughing:


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

Do go on about unclogging the toilet with the bags.


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## TheMaster (Jun 12, 2009)

And sweating out??? of solvent welded drain pipe with a torch??? brain cancer anyone?


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## Plasticman (Oct 14, 2008)

Did someone say plastic?


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## user823 (Feb 3, 2009)

Plasticman said:


> Did someone say plastic?


When clearing an obstructed toilet I prefer to use one of these, good luck with the plastic bag though I would like to hear more about it.:thumbup:


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## IrishPlumber (Jul 16, 2009)

Protech said:


> They only have a few pounds of pressure on their water systems over there. It's all attic tanks at atmospheric pressure gravity feeding the potable water system. Maybe 15 psi at 1st floor level, less as you go up.
> 
> And yes irishplumber, I do keep trash bags on the truck.


I have used this method on our mains and pumped cold from 14psi up to the 50psi mark. One example If you have to make a connection in a trench and you don't want it filling up with water. As your cutting into the pipe have someone open it up around your plastic cutters or pipe slice if copper. As you cut into it you will catch most if not all the water. You have to be confidant and do it fast. We use compression or push fit on small bore pipe so you can easily put the fitting on while live.

I used the bag today which gave me the idea to type it up. A friend of mine had a problem with a hot tap on a vanity basin. Its a basin resting on top of a press. The press underneath is used for storage. To save him from emptying the press I used the bag to catch the water. I shut of the supply and drew what ever was left in the pipe work out of the tap. His house is piped with pex so I knew there was going to be some water left in the pipe. I located the bag under the tap and spread it open over all the various products etc. I disconnected the supply to the tap and some water came out of the pipe. The bag caught all the water. 

Its best to send me a message if you like to know the un block the toilet with a plastic bag trick. I dont think its a great idea to put it up here for all the world to see. 

I can sweat out the piece of pipe glued into a fitting with a tub of glue and a match. Sometimes someone might glue a tee or a bend in wrong direction during a new installation. Most times the pipe and fittings thrown out but theirs a way to reuse the fitting. Can work in other instances too.


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## Airgap (Dec 18, 2008)

IrishPlumber said:


> I have used this method on our mains and pumped cold from 14psi up to the 50psi mark. One example If you have to make a connection in a trench and you don't want it filling up with water. As your cutting into the pipe have someone open it up around your plastic cutters or pipe slice if copper. As you cut into it you will catch most if not all the water. You have to be confidant and do it fast. We use compression or push fit on small bore pipe so you can easily put the fitting on while live.
> 
> I used the bag today which gave me the idea to type it up. A friend of mine had a problem with a hot tap on a vanity basin. Its a basin resting on top of a press. The press underneath is used for storage. To save him from emptying the press I used the bag to catch the water. I shut of the supply and drew what ever was left in the pipe work out of the tap. His house is piped with pex so I knew there was going to be some water left in the pipe. I located the bag under the tap and spread it open over all the various products etc. I disconnected the supply to the tap and some water came out of the pipe. The bag caught all the water.
> 
> ...


I'm all ears.


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

WTF!?



IrishPlumber said:


> I have used this method on our mains and pumped cold from 14psi up to the 50psi mark. One example If you have to make a connection in a trench and you don't want it filling up with water. As your cutting into the pipe have someone open it up around your plastic cutters or pipe slice if copper. As you cut into it you will catch most if not all the water. You have to be confidant and do it fast. We use compression or push fit on small bore pipe so you can easily put the fitting on while live.
> 
> I used the bag today which gave me the idea to type it up. A friend of mine had a problem with a hot tap on a vanity basin. Its a basin resting on top of a press. The press underneath is used for storage. To save him from emptying the press I used the bag to catch the water. I shut of the supply and drew what ever was left in the pipe work out of the tap. His house is piped with pex so I knew there was going to be some water left in the pipe. I located the bag under the tap and spread it open over all the various products etc. I disconnected the supply to the tap and some water came out of the pipe. The bag caught all the water.
> 
> ...


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## IrishPlumber (Jul 16, 2009)

Ok to sweat out a glued fitting, I call it sweating but maybe its different than how you call sweating. Works on glued waste fittings and plastic pipe here. I'll be interested to see if it works on your glued pipe and fittings. 

I have used this method to reuse fittings 3/4" up to 4". 

Lets say you made a mistake on a installation and you had to cut off the glued bend or tee etc. Some people might cut it back enough and reuse another time but you are stuck with a fitting and a small piece of pipe glued in, most cases it ends up binned. 

To save the fitting I leave about 5mm to 10mm of the glued pipe protruding. I take some solvent cement and apply it with a brush inside the fitting, all around the glued piece of pipe. Remember its inside the fitting. Since the solvents flammable I light it up with a match. The heat sets off the glue again. By leaving a few mm protruding the fitting is saved from being burnt by the flame shooting out. Just be careful. 

You might have to do this once or twice depending on the size of the pipe to set off the glue. With the glue now set off, I take a flathead screw driver and pry it out by forcing the flathead in between the fitting and pipe. Sometimes it takes a tap or two with a hammer on the flathead. Once you have inserted the flathead deep enough you can lever it a bit. The pipe will become unattached from the fitting, you repeat this process around the fitting in a few spots. Eventually the piece of pipe will lever out. There is a nack to it and must be done quick. 

You might damage or burn the fitting on the first few try's but once you get it, you can pop the pipe out quick with no damage. There is a small glue residue left inside the fitting but its not a problem and the newly glued pipe will take to it. 

Give it a go and let us know it it works.


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## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

Man you have to make a video of this procedure, I can't follow your directions very well.


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## GREENPLUM (Jul 27, 2008)

Have you seen the socket saver, they come in 1 1/2"-4". There not very expensive either.


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

I don't know if I'd trust the second joint after putting heat to the joint.
I'll make a video and you tell me if it was done right Irish. I assume your talking about plain PVC pipe (with plasticizers). I know they have u-pvc over there(no plasticizers, UN-plasticized) and it's a bit different.


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## IrishPlumber (Jul 16, 2009)

Ron The Plumber said:


> Man you have to make a video of this procedure, I can't follow your directions very well.


Video would be the best way of showing for sure. 

Protech. Its standard PVC plastic. I reused some mistake left overs for my kitchen sink and its been 2 years now and no problems. If you are really particular you can go over the inside with some sand paper to clean out all of the excess.

Just to note, I am not sure if your following me. I am taking about reusing the fitting cut from the installation.


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## IrishPlumber (Jul 16, 2009)

GREENPLUM said:


> Have you seen the socket saver, they come in 1 1/2"-4". There not very expensive either.


Is this tool used for expanding the plastic pipe? 

Over here we heat up the plastic pipe with a turbo torch until it becomes soft and then expand it with a pipe of same dia to create the socket. We even do slight bends and offsets by softening the plastic. We are thought how to do it in plumbing school. You can also insert a spring to eliminate kinks.


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## GREENPLUM (Jul 27, 2008)

It removes the socket out of the hub. Insert the socket saver into a drill, cut the pipe flush with the hub, run the socket saver into the hub and it will shave out the socket. No fire needed.


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

The tool shown in the picture shaves the pipe out of the hub. You put it on a drill. It's like an inside cutter....sort of.


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## IrishPlumber (Jul 16, 2009)

GREENPLUM said:


> It removes the socket out of the hub. Insert the socket saver into a drill, cut the pipe flush with the hub, run the socket saver into the hub and it will shave out the socket. No fire needed.


I understand now, its like a heli coil mechanics use to reuse striped bolt holes. That is a great tool you have there. I will look forward to seeing in use here when I retire.


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## Flush Gordon (Jul 23, 2009)

If you try the glue trick on pipe just make sure it isnt connected to the sewer...methane gas has a nasty habit of exploding when it gets a flame near it ....wouldnt want anyone to lose their eyebrows. 
I have done it before...but I prefer to use a new fitting & just sling the old one.


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## Optimus Primer (May 20, 2009)

I have those tools that greenplum showed. From 1 1/2 to 4 inch. Man those things are life savers. Especially if a mason dropped something and broke a lav stub out or something. The only thing is don't drop them. It will bend and you'll cut into the hub and wont be able to glue it back in.


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## para1 (Jun 17, 2008)

That's lunch guys, be back in 30......Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!


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