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Discussion Forum

I need some dope

etherhuffer | Posted in General Discussion on February 4, 2007 08:19am

Or teflon tape. What do you guys think is better for sealing black pipe threads? I am installing a gas flex line and the pipe fittings need to be leak free. I have used both products, and used dope on the water tank gas line. My experience with tape is that its good for water fittings but dope is better for air/gas lines. Any thoughts?

Those who can make you believe in absurdities can make you commit atrocities- Voltaire

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Replies

  1. Piffin | Feb 04, 2007 08:34pm | #1

    I am not a pipe fiter, plumber, or gas man, but I think a certain kind of dope is a definite requirement, not just 'better'.

    But somebody will correct me and add to that soon, I'm sure.

     

     

    Welcome to the
    Taunton University of
    Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
     where ...
    Excellence is its own reward!

    1. andybuildz | Feb 04, 2007 08:42pm | #2

      MAybe thats why they keep calling me over to help...LOL

      Greek poet Archilochus said: "The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing"!  From The Hedgehog & The Fox ~~~~ An essay on Tolstoy's view of history ~~   by Isaiah Berlin

       

      http://WWW.CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM                                   

       

      1. oldbeachbum | Feb 05, 2007 10:28am | #32

        myself, I kind of chuckled when I saw the screen name with this particular question...maybe I'm just a half bubble off......The unspoken word is capital. We can invest it or we can squander it.  -Mark Twain...

        Be kind to your children....they will choose your nursing home.

         

        1. andybuildz | Feb 05, 2007 03:43pm | #34

          maybe I'm just a half bubble off<<<<<yeh me 2..but fear not...I've seen too many people w/being bubble dead on...but they always seem so dead off 2 me....must be us : )~

          Greek poet Archilochus said: "The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing"!  From The Hedgehog & The Fox ~~~~ An essay on Tolstoy's view of history ~~   by Isaiah Berlin

           

          http://WWW.CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM                                   

           

    2. User avater
      MarkH | Feb 04, 2007 08:54pm | #4

      Yeah, I think it's dope only, and I recall only a certain type is appropriate.  Blue colored I think.

  2. SBerruezo | Feb 04, 2007 08:52pm | #3

    Not sure I'm qualified in the plumber dept either, but pretty sure I'm a good fit for the dope. They have a gas line teflon tape(kinda yellowish), and I've seen guys use both that and rectum seal. Not sure if both is needed or even better, but it seems to make those guys feel a bit better.

     

    1. bigal4102 | Feb 04, 2007 09:04pm | #5

      I thought we were the only ones who called it rectum seal...nasty sticky yellow stuff. ;).We use Rector Seal for Anhydrous ammonia fittings, and it specifies for gas also which is not at as high a pressure as Anhydrous.My plumber just used liquid teflon on all the connections on my iron pipe, the gas (lp) company has some different stuff for the copper connections they use.

  3. MSA1 | Feb 04, 2007 09:07pm | #6

    To join the masses, i'm not a plumber either but lately i've been reaching for the pipe dope over "T" tape. Last dishwasher I installed with t tape leaked a little. I put some dope on and it was all good.

  4. segundo | Feb 04, 2007 09:17pm | #7

    i are a plumber, and a few other things as well, and i worked for a company that specialized in gas appliance's as a young man.

    we would always use rectorseal pipe dope for black pipe fittings, it is much superior to teflon tape in this application.

    there is also now teflon pipe dope on the market that works equally as well, but the good old yellow soft set rectorseal is what they have been using for decades with no problems. (affectionately referred to as rectumseal by the old timers, don't turn your back on it!)

    you know why everybody loves the plumber? they bring the dope!

  5. Kgmz | Feb 04, 2007 09:33pm | #8

    For years we always used Rector Seal, but now use the teflon pipe dope.

    Our company does a lot of different things. And one thing we do once in awhile is install and plumb underground gas tanks for service stations. We did a retrofit last year of new pumps, computer, etc.  for a station, and had problems with leaks in the 2" black pipe threads under the pump/dispenser. We switched from using Rector Seal to the teflon dope and no more leaks.

    In the custom homes we build, our gas/propane pipe installer sub also uses teflon dope.

  6. User avater
    IMERC | Feb 04, 2007 10:11pm | #9

    use at least Rectorseal 5 or go all the way and use Rectorseal Blue w/ teflon...

    skip the tape...

    Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming

    WOW!!! What a Ride!
    Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!

  7. atrident | Feb 04, 2007 10:18pm | #10

      Sometimes a small piece of tape will come off and can plug a valve or jet. Same reason NASCAR engine builders dont use tape on threaded fittings.

    1. etherhuffer | Feb 04, 2007 10:45pm | #12

      Geez, I thought the teflon based dope was the basic stuff. Didn't know about proctology yellow dope! I have pulled apart fittings that were doped and just didn't like cleaning them up to refit. kinda messy. Thanks for input though!Those who can make you believe in absurdities can make you commit atrocities- Voltaire

    2. davidmeiland | Feb 04, 2007 10:48pm | #13

      You need to be careful to start the tape wrap just a hair back from the tip of the threads. If it's hanging out to start with then you may get some hanging chad.

  8. davidmeiland | Feb 04, 2007 10:45pm | #11

    I use the same Rectorseal 5 as 'Merc does, OVER a couple of wraps of yellow PFTE tape. No white teflon....

  9. plumbbill | Feb 05, 2007 12:12am | #14

    Cost is not an option for me, leaks are expensive.

    On all my iron, steel, & brass screwed fittings I use teflon tape & pipe dope.

    Tape first with dope over tape.

    As Diamond Dave from the Island said "hold back the tape from the end of the thread".

    & as far as rector seal #5--- I throw it right back at the supply guys or truck driver if they are trying to sell or give it to me----- I absolutley hate that stuff.

    Rectorseal "blue" & "white" I like

    True blue works well too.

    My favorite is Megaloc¯ by Hercules

    & ever since I started using megaloc on CSST fittings I haven't had a leak-----knock on wood.

    "For instance, Hillary Clinton said in a recent visit that ethanol is 'a perfect example' of how we can wean ourselves from foreign oil. Of course, she has voted against measures promoting ethanol production not once, not twice, but 17 times during her six years in the Senate." The Federalist Patriot

    1. Jemcon | Feb 05, 2007 12:32am | #16

      I just looked up Hercules and that is a great product. I am going to find a distributer and get the Megaloc. 

       

       

      Headstrong, I'll take on anyone!

      1. plumbbill | Feb 05, 2007 12:47am | #17

        I've been using it for about 10 to 12 yrs now, I really like that it will wash out of any clothes that it gets on, verses rector #5 which I think is still imbedded in my carhart coat when I rubbed against a sprinkler pipe on the job."For instance, Hillary Clinton said in a recent visit that ethanol is 'a perfect example' of how we can wean ourselves from foreign oil. Of course, she has voted against measures promoting ethanol production not once, not twice, but 17 times during her six years in the Senate." The Federalist Patriot

        1. MVAgusta | Feb 07, 2007 05:24pm | #45

          I use Megalock on my steam pipe fittings, no odor when you fire the system up again and with tape underneath it I can make changes easily in the future. #5 smells for months, I hate it.

    2. davidmeiland | Feb 05, 2007 01:26am | #18

      I accidentally got some #5 on my dog and he had it for several weeks, this big rock-hard booger of yellow slag on the back of his neck. Keller has that Megaloc at their counter, so I'll give it a try... but honestly, we'll still love ya' if you get some sh!t on yer coat. My daily Carhartt has #5, Sikaflex, Gorilla Glue, ABS and PVC cement, Simpson epoxy, a couple of kinds of wood primer, a couple of burned spots, and other things I can't remember. My wife complains if I wear it out to dinner or the movies.

    3. Piffin | Feb 05, 2007 01:51am | #19

      Where I was going with my first comments - is there a dope or tape that is code forbidden for gas? Or to put it another way, will gas bypass any kind of sealant or destroy it over time?You've got all this time off and now we're calling you in as a consultant already! Go enjoy the game.
      LOL 

       

      Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

      1. User avater
        BillHartmann | Feb 05, 2007 02:52am | #22

        I tried using this Rectorseal tape on gas fittings and they all leaked like a seave.http://www.rectorseal.com/firestopping/blzseal.htmSerious I don't know of any type of product that is prohibited for use with gas (except for O2).Rather it is what is approved.Looking at this chart is appears that a Rectorseal pipe sealants are approved for natural gas. And all for water. But some other gasses and liquids are limited to certain sealants.And Hercules list two TFE tapes. Both indicate that they can be used with natural gas. AND BOTH ARE WHITE.IE, read the labels instead of just looking for a brand name or color of a product..
        .
        A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.

        1. etherhuffer | Feb 05, 2007 04:04am | #23

          Where do get your Megaloc in Seattle area? WhooHoo! All these posts for what appeared to be a simple question!Those who can make you believe in absurdities can make you commit atrocities- Voltaire

          1. plumbbill | Feb 05, 2007 04:11am | #24

            Keller supply @ 6th & Stacy street"For instance, Hillary Clinton said in a recent visit that ethanol is 'a perfect example' of how we can wean ourselves from foreign oil. Of course, she has voted against measures promoting ethanol production not once, not twice, but 17 times during her six years in the Senate." The Federalist Patriot

      2. plumbbill | Feb 05, 2007 04:16am | #25

        Hey it's half time & I'm not at a party------&^%$%$^%$^&

        Tape & dope are lubricants not sealants----- before I start an argument about that------

        Yes they help seal, but their intention is to lubricate the threads so you can screw them together with out binding so the taper on the threads will make the seal.

        Haven't had a code issue on nat gas, but when I get into "clean" work then the specs decide on what I'm aloud to use for different gasses."For instance, Hillary Clinton said in a recent visit that ethanol is 'a perfect example' of how we can wean ourselves from foreign oil. Of course, she has voted against measures promoting ethanol production not once, not twice, but 17 times during her six years in the Senate." The Federalist Patriot

        1. segundo | Feb 05, 2007 04:55am | #26

          i will agree on that point, being a lubricant not a sealant, it is the tightness of the pipe into the fitting (torque) that creates the seal mechanically, thats the way the threads are designed.

          the old man who taught me was a big fan of getting threaded joints nice and tight, one more time around for wesley we would say.

          i was very fortunate to apprentice at mcglashans heating and gas appliance in santa barbara ca, the cool thing was for about three years it was just my winter job, i did the carpentry thing in the summer. wes harrison was with norm mc glashan as the head serviceman when norm started the business in 1946, the smae year the gas company stopped doing service work. (both were at the gas company) 

          the wealth of knowledge that those old guys had was incredible, i will never forget the lesson on rebuilding thermostat from an oven built in the 30's, or the conversion of an old natural gas refrigerator to LP. (its all in the turbulator pin and the orofices)

          it is with great respect for these craftsmen of another era that i hope people will start saying "one more time around for wesley" what a great way to be remembered!  

          1. moltenmetal | Feb 05, 2007 03:43pm | #33

            segundo and plumbill:  not quite.  Both tape and paste are lubricants to prevent "galling" (seizing or cold-welding), but they're also sealants.  NPT threads are NOT designed to seal without a sealant- NPT is not a "dry seal" design!

            The only way you'll get an NPT joint to seal long term is to think of it properly:  it's a long spiral path connecting what's in the pipe to the outside world.  That gap has to be filled with something:  yielded metal from the joint, or a sealant, or there will be a leak.  And as the metal of the joint heats up and cools down, the sealant had better not just stay there, but expand and contract with the metal enough to maintain the seal. 

            You can get by with tape alone, but only if installed properly.  Improperly-installed tape plugs up jets, buggers up valves etc.  And because it's not as compliant as the paste, taped joints are far more likely to develop leaks LATER than those sealed with paste.

            For small joints, a good anaerobic pipethread sealant (a "dope" or "paste") ALONE is the way to go.  It's pretty idiot-resistant if you DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN- a split fitting doesn't seal sh*t, and an over-tightened joint may be impossible to disassemble.   For larger joints, or difficult materials like stainless, a high-density teflon tape top-dressed with paste is best.  The tape provides large gap filling and better extreme pressure lubrication than paste alone.  Contrary to what some say, the tape does not interfere with the "curing" of the paste.

            As to which brand of paste to use- Henkel Loctite makes quite a few good ones, but there are lots of others. Only a few things to watch out for:  if you're using it on plastic fittings, make SURE it says "safe for plastic fittings" on the can or tube- the ones that don't say that AREN'T safe for plastic fittings- they DO cause cracking especially of PVC/CPVC parts.  And don't think of this stuff as "liquid teflon"- most dopes these days are an acrylic resin that thickens but does not set.  They don't have anything near the corrosion resistance of pure teflon.  If you're using it with anything other than air or water, check with the manufacturer as they all have materials selection charts.

          2. plumbbill | Feb 05, 2007 05:34pm | #35

            OK time to bore the he!! out of everyone else here ;-)

            Agreeing with your post, as I said tape & dope will help seal, but also with them being a lubricant, as you agreed to also.

            Tape & or dope will only help a tapered thread, & won't do squat on a non tapered thread.

            Both of my grandfathers & my great grandfather on my moms side were screwing pipe together before Plunkitt invented teflon in 38' IIRC.

            Back then the weapon of choice was FELLS_NAPTHA holy crap they still sell this stuff. So much for the bar I have in the garage making me rich on Ebay.

            Yes teflon tape improperly applied will clog something in the system down stream of the joint, as will pipe dope that is applied to the female threads--- the only thing that does is get pushed into the fitting when a pipe is screwed into it.

            I'm pretty sure we agree that metal on metal makes a lousy seal, that is why I dope any metal on metal joints---- ground joint unions, csst fittings, compression fittings, etc......."For instance, Hillary Clinton said in a recent visit that ethanol is 'a perfect example' of how we can wean ourselves from foreign oil. Of course, she has voted against measures promoting ethanol production not once, not twice, but 17 times during her six years in the Senate." The Federalist Patriot

          3. moltenmetal | Feb 06, 2007 04:15pm | #40

            Plumbbill: 

            I just wanted to make sure nobody out there interpreted your post to mean that NPT threads were designed to seal "by means of the taper" of the threads, and that all you needed to do was grease them up enough so you could get them tight enough and they'd seal metal to metal.  NPT threads are NOT designed to seal dry, and grease is not a sealant- not long-term anyway!

            Not all paste sealants are good lubricants.  Xpand-o is a perfect example.  Ever used that stuff?  For hot oil there's nothing better- but it's not for the faint of heart as joints are pretty damned difficult to get apart again afterward.  With Xpand-o you want the threads to be pulled up just past hand tight, otherwise there won't be enough sealant left in the joint to work reliably- and it's such a poor lubricant that if you tighten the joint up normally you'll gall it for sure.

            Though you're right that straight threads need gaskets to seal properly, there are cases where you can get away with tape/paste depending on service pressure, temperature etc.  Case in point:  I had a Honda CRX that after ~ 300,000 km snapped two exhaust manifold studs off clean where they joined the head.  I got one out, but nicked a coolant passage in the head when the drill wandered on the 2nd one and got a p*ssing coolant leak.  I re-tapped the head (one size up on the stud) and applied full density tape and Loctite 567 paste. I drove the car without a drop of coolant leakage for another ~ 70,000 km.  Those were straight threads, and they sealed just fine!

            Around here the choice thread sealant of old was plumber's putty.  Sealed like a b*stard but you needed a torch to get the threads apart again!

          4. segundo | Feb 06, 2007 05:37pm | #41

            i do not have your technical knowledge of dope, clearly you are my superior when it comes to dope, but i do know that rectorseal no 5 (despite the fact that it is messy and it stains) was used for gas lines for years with excellent results.

            i think the analogy of house wrap is an excellent example, the more i read about that stuff, the more confused i am, that last discussion about the definition of the word "vapor" really had me going.

            i know that you can properly apply asphalt impregnated felt, either 15# or 30#, and it will work. it has worked for years, it will continue to work for years. as my old mentor Wesley used to say, "tread the beaten path"

            when someone asks about advice for what dope to use for gas lines i think the best advice is to reccomend the most reliable most used product over time. don't get me wrong i appreciate your intimate knowledge of the inner workings of dope, but for john q public, if he uses rectorseal # 5 for gas lines, everybody will say "thats OK"

            you make an excellent point about not overtightening, but you do want to get them good and tight. a properly installed gas line will be tight, and if you have a questionable fitting in your system (it happens you get bad ones now and then) you want to find out about it when you are installing and testing a gas line, not down the road when it has gas in it and it fails because it was bumped in the crawl space etc. i would rather have a new installer more worried about not getting it tight enough (they'll find out most riki tik if it fails at test, huge leak) than overtightening (a sometimes difficult to pinpoint slow leak from being not just tight enough)

          5. plumbbill | Feb 06, 2007 05:55pm | #42

            How tight is tight enough?

            It's a loaded question, depends thread cut, type of material, etc...........

            When I was a lad & learning to use a pipe machine we were taught that 3 turns by hand of the fitting meant the threads were cut to the right depth.

            Interesting, that I had a Shrek looking apprentice that with a glove on could do by hand what I needed an 18" wrench to be equal.

            Here's one that just cracks me up---- We use a lot of Swedgelok¯ SS fittings when doing specialty gasses. They give you a thickness gauge to determine if the fitting is "tight" or not. Here's what is stamped on the gauge.

            One one side that has a certain thickness it says " 1 & 1/4 turns from finger tight" & on the other end it says " 1 turn from snug"

            Yup that exact science of "finger tight" & " snug""For instance, Hillary Clinton said in a recent visit that ethanol is 'a perfect example' of how we can wean ourselves from foreign oil. Of course, she has voted against measures promoting ethanol production not once, not twice, but 17 times during her six years in the Senate." The Federalist Patriot

          6. moltenmetal | Feb 07, 2007 04:39am | #43

            My company is one of Swagelok's major customers in my area.  It's a great system, but you pay for it!  Spendy stuff, but it works.  What they don't mention on the pull-up gauge is that it takes most folks a wrench to get them "finger tight", and that the 1 1/4 turns is only to swage the fitting and not to re-make the joint after you've disassembled it.  I've seen plumbers gall them to ratsh*t making that mistake!  1 turn from "snug" is a bit of a laugh.  And the gauge is no guarantee of a good joint- most often people don't bottom out the tube in the fitting before they swage and that leads to a weak joint.  We have to disassemble a specified number of joints and visually inspect to ensure it's done right.

            Gotta admit- we do a lot of dope too.  Threaded joints are great if they're done properly.  They get a bad rap because so many clowns use threaded joints improperly, without understanding how they work.  From my few short years participating in Breaktime, I can see that it's no different for threaded plumbing joints than it is for a thousand other construction techniques!

             

          7. segundo | Feb 07, 2007 06:05am | #44

            i am curious to know more about your company and the work you do. i am not familiar with the swagelok or swedgelok and would like to know more.

            i am curious as to the applications of the specialty gasses as well. my experience is from residential and light commercial gas and water, some DWV, and some fire protection.

            specifically curious about the "pull up gauge" and the applications for that system, hospital?, nuclear?

            i realized as i was reading that my understanding of how threaded joints work could benefit from improvement of technical understanding. ( i guess what i am trying to say is can you please help educate me so i am not a clown) i think i have a pretty good understanding of what to do and how to do it but there is always more to learn especially in my case about the why. please do tell. 

          8. moltenmetal | Feb 08, 2007 05:00am | #46

            Hey Segundo- feel free to send me a message via my profile.  I'm a chemical engineer working for a company which designs and builds small chemical plants.   We use every material and joining method you can imagine for piping and tubing systems.  We build plants for such a wide variety of processes, which operate across just about as wide a pressure range as you can get, from hard vacuum to 60,000 psig, and at temperatures from cryogenic to about 1800 degrees C.  I've got some guys working with me who are absolute artists with stainless tubing, and brilliant welders and pipefitters.

            By no means do you sound like a clown!  Just like you, I monitor this site to learn.  There are people here who have an awesome level of practical knowledge on such a wide variety of subjects that it's a great place to pick up not just mere information, but distilled wisdom.  If I can contribute, to the conversation, I try to- the very least I can do to pay back in part the vast amount I've learned here.

            Swagelok is a brand of tubing compression fittings- a good brand, but not the only one.  Have a look at their website (http://www.swagelok.com).  Their two-ferrule compression fittings are good to ~6,000 psig at ambient temperature, depending on tubing material, diameter and wall thickness etc..  The fittings are rated to the maximum allowable working pressure of the tubing, and stay in place up until the burst pressure of the tubing when installed properly, though we've found that the claim is not true for some materials of construction.  You need to go to other systems (cone and thread compression fittings, Autoclave Engineers Slimline and SpeedBite etc.) for pressures beyond the ~ 6,000 psig limit. 

            The two-ferrule compression fittings are suitable for "general fluid service" in accordance with most pressure piping codes- that means when these fittings and appropriate tubing are selected, designed and installed properly, they can be used to carry any fluid which isn't defined as "lethal service" or "high pressure".  So you can use them with most gases, liquids and vapours including some really nasty ones like hydrogen etc..  There are some restrictions:  these fittings don't like severe vibration or thermal cycling, they can't be disassembled and re-made an infinite number of times etc. 

            The fittings are "gaugeable", which means that with a simple gauge made out of a piece of plate of the right thickness, you can tell whether the fittings have been "pulled up" (swaged) by the minimum required amount.   But that won't tell you if the ferrules are swaged too close to the end of the tube, or are missing, or installed the wrong way around etc.- so you still need to disassemble and do visual inspections periodically to make sure they're being done properly.

            Like all compression fittings, the threads connecting the nut to the body of the fitting are straight threads and do not seal.  Putting teflon tape or paste on these is a poor substitute for what you should really use:  anti-seize compound.  Swagelok plates the interior of their nuts with silver to act as an anti-galling agent, but nickel anti-seize paste works more reliably and for longer.

            As to threaded piping, we've got lots of tricks up our sleeves.  It's an under-rated technique in my view- with modern sealants it can be used across a wide range of conditions and represents a good balance between sturdiness and ease of alteration later. 

          9. segundo | Feb 09, 2007 12:45am | #48

            very interesting, thanks for the tutorial and invitation.

          10. BrianWI | Feb 09, 2007 12:09am | #47

            Ever tried gasolia. never had a leak with it besides faulty fitting. i stopped using rectorseal along timeago either because it reacted with pvc or was not suitible for potable water I dont remember wich.

            I just reread the lable. suitible for natural gas to 125 psi.

            This will not come out of clothes either; I would be suspect of anything that does.

            I was once told that tape reacted with natural gas. gasolia has ptfe in it. i could not read the wrighting on the side of the tape. Since I trusted the credentials of the one who told me about the tape I havent used it on gas since. everything else (npt) gets tape and dope (male only)

          11. Catskinner | Feb 09, 2007 01:30am | #50

            Gasoila is good stuff. I use the red to seal the inside of aluminum castings (old HD motors). I think alchohol thins it.This thread is not at all what I thought it was going to be about. <G>

          12. plumbbill | Feb 09, 2007 04:59am | #51

            Can't say that I have.

            I have never had a problem with tape & dope on natural gas, but I have seen problems with tape & dope clogging jets, ports & screens, not only in gas but many other sensitive systems aswell."For instance, Hillary Clinton said in a recent visit that ethanol is 'a perfect example' of how we can wean ourselves from foreign oil. Of course, she has voted against measures promoting ethanol production not once, not twice, but 17 times during her six years in the Senate." The Federalist Patriot

          13. BoJangles | Feb 09, 2007 05:53am | #54

            I suggested using that brand the last time this topic came up.  The pipefitters at the mills here tell me it's the best there is and my experience backs that up.

            I use it all the time on boiler piping and have never had a leak since I started using it.

          14. segundo | Feb 09, 2007 12:53am | #49

            hey one more thing on the Fels Naptha, i am terrible alergic to poison oak, and i was told to try bathing with Fels Naptha and i have to say it works like a charm. your skin will be dryer than a popcorn fart from bathing with it but that is exactly what you want when you have poison oak.

            i get poison oak so bad i have had to go to the doctor for it on two different occasions, one time i was riding my mountain bike on the trails and crashed. i landed in a poison oak bush wearing a pair of bike shorts and shoes. at least it kept me from going over the cliff. a few days later i went to the emergency room and when i got up to the counter to talk to the triage nurse she asked me what was wrong. i told her i had a bad case of poison oak and wanted to see the doc, she told me to get some calamine lotion and go home and....i lifted up my shirt and she stopped talking for a few seconds and then after the pause said " I'll get you right in"

          15. plumbbill | Feb 09, 2007 05:01am | #52

            Oh yeah the many cures of fells naptha---- I don't think it cleans you I think it just removes the dirty or conaminated skin."For instance, Hillary Clinton said in a recent visit that ethanol is 'a perfect example' of how we can wean ourselves from foreign oil. Of course, she has voted against measures promoting ethanol production not once, not twice, but 17 times during her six years in the Senate." The Federalist Patriot

          16. segundo | Feb 09, 2007 05:40am | #53

            wow, i never thought of that. it may be that it does remove skin. i expect to hear that it is not good for you to get it on your skin like i suggested, but i don't think cortisone shots are good for you either, if thats what you need to get rid of poison oak.

            i think it says on the label that its for removing stains from laundry. and if it really has naptha in it, i think thats an ingredient in gasoline, or used to be.

          17. BillBrennen | Feb 09, 2007 05:59am | #55

            Plumbbill,Was the Fels-Naptha soap trick of your youth used to seal threads on gas piping? Being water-soluble, I suppose it would fail on water pipes, but want to hear the straight scoop from you. Thanks.BTW, we always kept a bar around when I was a kid, only used for removing the oils from poison ivy. On that link you gave I read that there are people still using it for laundry soap in washers by shaving it and mixing with borax and washing soda. How wonderfully retro!Bill

          18. plumbbill | Feb 09, 2007 06:10am | #56

            I found that link expecting to get a Wiki link about history I didn't know it was still available.

            As far as using it on threads predates my childhood, it was industry standard all the way back to my great granfather with local 32 plumbers & pipefitters.

            I have never made up joints with it on the job when I had either tape or dope available, I have used it when there was nothing elses around.

             I have also used salted candle wick on an iron joint that would not hold------ instant rust sealed that galv vent up in a heartbeat.“Well, the election campaign in the country is picking up speed... All the candidates are talking about health care now. Don’t they realize that it’s their campaign speeches that makes us sick?” —Bob Hope

          19. segundo | Feb 10, 2007 06:32pm | #57

            instant rust, ingenious

            why if it weren't fer plumbers we'd still be in the stone age

          20. plumbbill | Feb 10, 2007 08:59pm | #58

            Ingenius--- yes

            Credit to me----no

            That is another trick that predates me by atleast 50 yrs.“Well, the election campaign in the country is picking up speed... All the candidates are talking about health care now. Don’t they realize that it’s their campaign speeches that makes us sick?” —Bob Hope

          21. dovetail97128 | Feb 10, 2007 10:26pm | #59

            ""salted candle wick""
            Can you explain what this is? I am at a total loss to picture what it may be.

          22. plumbbill | Feb 12, 2007 01:43am | #60

            Cotton string dipped in salt water.

            Wrap tightly into the male threads.

            Only works for iron pipe.

            Was common on old galvanized waste & vet piping.“Well, the election campaign in the country is picking up speed... All the candidates are talking about health care now. Don’t they realize that it’s their campaign speeches that makes us sick?” —Bob Hope

          23. dovetail97128 | Feb 12, 2007 01:50am | #61

            Dang, Thats interresting. Thanks for the education.

    4. User avater
      dedhed | Feb 06, 2007 02:28am | #39

      Me Too!!! LOL

  10. Jemcon | Feb 05, 2007 12:21am | #15

    I use Great White alot. According to the tube it can be used on water,gas,steam and other stuff that I can't remember. It's rated at like 10,000 psi and 500*F.

     

     

     

    Headstrong, I'll take on anyone!

  11. MisterT | Feb 05, 2007 01:53am | #20

    AndyC is your man...

     

    Welcome to Breaktime

    Home of

    The Aristocrats

  12. danski0224 | Feb 05, 2007 02:29am | #21

    Sprinkler fitters in my area use tape over dope.

    I have had good luck with Harvey's dope with the yellow label- good for metal and plastic fittings. I do not use tape.

    Only time I had a leak it was a casting flaw on a Chinese fitting. Never again.

  13. jako17 | Feb 05, 2007 05:07am | #27

    My favorite for gas and heating lines is Masters Metallic .It may be hard to get in some parts as it has plenty of lead in it (hence old gas fitters are often a few sandwiches short of a picnic !!<G> .Second is Masters Pro Dope both are certified for gas.The danger of teflon tape is that small pieces can come loose and if you are really unlucky make it into the gas valve and wreck it(most gas valves are not servicable).Many gas codes expressly forbid the use of teflon tape for this reason

  14. Manchine66 | Feb 05, 2007 05:34am | #28

    Teflon tape has fallen out of favor with me. I use RectorSeal 5 for most everything. It is good for gas lines (not oxygen). I like teflon paste for plastic fittings at times. And if you got one shot at not having any leaks and don't plan on taking it apart in your lifetime Blue Block can't be beat but it is sticky-messy. I rarely use teflon tape, had too many failures, but there are times. 

  15. Omah | Feb 05, 2007 05:57am | #29

    For gas we were taught to dope both the male and female threads, tightenup so you can't go no more, and give it one last turn.

    1. etherhuffer | Feb 05, 2007 06:03am | #30

      What a bunch of dopers!Those who can make you believe in absurdities can make you commit atrocities- Voltaire

  16. borgward | Feb 05, 2007 09:10am | #31

    A lot of plumbers know how to roll a joint, but how many of them know how to wipe a joint?

    I would guess that teflon would be great for gas. Afterall, NASA began using it for oxygen lines. Thats when I first heard about it.

    On another note, an old plumber I worked with always mixed a little portland cement with his pipe dope. Never had any call backs. I pity the poor soul that tries to unscrew one of those joints now.

    1. plumbbill | Feb 05, 2007 05:40pm | #36

      A lot of plumbers know how to roll a joint, but how many of them know how to wipe a joint?

      LOL

      Guilty, although I haven't rolled a joint since Reagan was president.

      But my dad, 2 grandfathers & great grandfather had that as part of their apprenticeship. I think a coke bottle was the weapon of choice to smooth out the lead."For instance, Hillary Clinton said in a recent visit that ethanol is 'a perfect example' of how we can wean ourselves from foreign oil. Of course, she has voted against measures promoting ethanol production not once, not twice, but 17 times during her six years in the Senate." The Federalist Patriot

      1. borgward | Feb 05, 2007 08:51pm | #37

        You Wrote:
        >For instance, Hillary Clinton said in a recent visit that ethanol is 'a >perfect example' of how we can wean ourselves from foreign oil. Of >course, she has voted against measures promoting ethanol production not >once, not twice, but 17 times during her six years in the Senate." There is not enough agriculural land in the US to produce enough corn or other plant to supply our current fuel demand.It is true that Brazil is completely independent because they use bio fuels. Of course this may explain why a lot of the people there go hungry.

        1. plumbbill | Feb 06, 2007 01:30am | #38

          Uh oh my tag line getting involved in "above the belt" threads.

          This would be more apt to discuss down in the tavern."For instance, Hillary Clinton said in a recent visit that ethanol is 'a perfect example' of how we can wean ourselves from foreign oil. Of course, she has voted against measures promoting ethanol production not once, not twice, but 17 times during her six years in the Senate." The Federalist Patriot

  17. buildingbill | Feb 13, 2007 12:33am | #62

    The code calls for dope in Ma on all gas connections if my memory serves me right. Do not use teflon tape.

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