# Claw foot tub feet



## smellslike$tome (Jun 16, 2008)

I know very little, in fact virtually nothing about claw foot tub feet. The other day I am called out to look at a fiasco in a customer's home. Remodeling contractor supplied and installed a refurbished 6' cast iron tub about 6 years ago. Ho started having some leak problems and called out "Andy on Call" which is a handyman service. The bone head "handyman" in an effort to demonstrate that "the feet were not even necessary because the tub drain was what was supporting the tub", stood in the tub and jumped up and down and sprung the feet out even worse. The feet had been originally held in place with liberal amounts of silicone (I suspect this was done before the tub was even brought on site) and the weight of water over the years plus the weight of that idiot jumping up and down in it just caused everything to sag.

So I get there and not knowing anything about tub feet it takes me about 10 minutes to figure out that these are not the correct feet for this tub.

So my question is, can anyone refer me (yes I have already google searched) to a place that specializes in 50 year old tub feet. This seems to be a very simple design and the correct feet apparantly just slip into place and are held in place by the weight of the tub. No screws, no bolts, no anything. Cast into the bottom of the tub is a chamfored slot that receives an "arm" (I don't know what to call it) which is cast into the foot. When the arm slides into the slot there is a ridge cast into the bottom of the tub which aligns with a "groove" on the bottom of the "arm". The problem with these particular feet is that the "groove is on the wrong end of the "arm".

This is probably very confusing and I wish I could post pics but my mac makes that very difficult.

If someone would be able to point out a website that specializes in this old stuff I would appreciate it.


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## Titan Plumbing (Oct 8, 2009)

Some have bolts to hold them in place, normally the newer ones.

I understand what you are saying about the wedge thing slipping into place.

Feet are not a one size fits all thing, you can get the manufactuer of the tub and try searching that way. We have a supply around here that have a lot of different feet in stock, however you must know which ones you need.

Old Home Supply in Fort Worth, TX


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## smellslike$tome (Jun 16, 2008)

Yeah, I couldn't find anything on the tub top or bottom. I couldn't see everything clearly though with it in place. I think the tub came from a salvage yard but don't know which one. They may have the correct feet or maybe they just sold what they had. Somebody should have checked first.


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## TheMaster (Jun 12, 2009)

smellslike$tome said:


> Yeah, I couldn't find anything on the tub top or bottom. I couldn't see everything clearly though with it in place. I think the tub came from a salvage yard but don't know which one. They may have the correct feet or maybe they just sold what they had. Somebody should have checked first.


 Sme of those tubs had a base it sat in. Thats prlly why yours doesn;t have anything to attach legs to.


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## Plumber Jim (Jun 19, 2008)

Sounds like you would be better off selling them another tub. the time you spend trying to locate feet that may or maynot work may end up costing you more.


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## Phat Cat (Apr 1, 2009)

I'm thinking they need the Kohler 'Birthday bath.'


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## nhmaster3015 (Aug 5, 2008)

At one time I had about 80 claw foot tubs in the back yard but when the price of CI spiked I sold them all off for scrap.


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## Optimus Primer (May 20, 2009)

I've set a few and the feet were all bolt on. The numbers for those tubs were underneath on the backside of the drain. They were newer kohlers. Did you check there?


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## para1 (Jun 17, 2008)

I believe your dealing with a tub that was on a base (originally). This is our tub (pic). If you flip it over you will see the manufacturer and born on date.


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## TheMaster (Jun 12, 2009)

para1 said:


> i Believe Your Dealing With A Tub That Was On A Base (originally). This Is Our Tub (pic). If You Flip It Over You Will See The Manufacturer And Born On Date.


 Bingo...thats What I Was Speaking Of.


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## leak1 (Mar 25, 2009)

i use to set our claw feet tubs out back of the shop and the local farmers would use them for water troughs , now alot of people want them when renovating a old home, the last one i had i sold it to a guy from pa. it was in real good shape. $750.00!:thumbup:


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## Herk (Jun 12, 2008)

Some clawfoots had ridged C.I. wedges that could be used to adjust the legs. Of course, a little swooshing back and forth and they could come loose. My personal opinion, for what it's worth, is that all these tubs belong in the boneyard. We have better tubs now - they don't even have to be cleaned under.


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## gladerunner (Jan 24, 2009)

Have you considered trying to epoxy the feet that you have back on? Not the best approach, but maybe the easiest. There are some really strong epoxy's on the market today


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## where am i (Nov 14, 2008)

try this Tub Feet good luck


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