Weight Off

My tip concerns the setting of a one-piece toilet. They are too heavy and hang out over the bolt holes, making it difficult to set without messing up the wax ring.
My solution is to cut two pieces of 2-inch PVC, each about 14 inches long, and place them parallel to the wall, one in front and one behind the closet flange. When the toilet is placed on the pipes, it clears the closet bolts and the PVC takes all the weight off your back. Once you have it aligned, simply remove the front pipe and set the toilet down in the front. Then remove the back pipe and set the toilet down all the way on the flange.
Jim Mitcham
JIM’S Inc.
Rockville, Md.

Tough Clogs

When there’s a clog in a bathtub that has a trip-lever drain assembly, here’s a great idea. Keep an old, worn-out trip-lever plate assembly that you’ve replaced. Remove the lever part, spring, clip and cotter pins, and then use the center hole (where the lever was) as a guide.

Enlarge the hole to 1 inch with a hole saw. Put this plate onto the bathtub with the same screws that held the existing operational plate assembly and put the drain-cleaning machine’s sewer wire head through the 1-inch hole to clean the stoppage without disturbing the tubing of the bath waste’s overflow behind the bathtub.
Bob Wachtel
Bob Wachtel Plumbing & Heating
Croshen, Conn.

Disassembly Required

When loosening a single-handle Delta faucet bonnet nut, try using a soft cloth and two pair of slip-joint pliers. Place the cloth around the bonnet and then use one pair of pliers positioned at 12 and 6 o’clock, and the other pair of pliers at 3 and 9 o’clock. Different angles will allow you to use them both at the same time. Apply equal pressure as you loosen the nut. Works (almost) every time. This same principle of equal pressure to prevent egg-shaping will work on many difficult repairs.
Paul Tietze
Laroy Thomas Inc.
Texarkana, Texas

Send Us Your Tool Tips!

If you have an idea that has saved you time and money, Plumbing & Mechanical would like to share your tip with our readers. You can e-mail your idea directly to PM editor Steve Smith at smiths@bnpmedia.com, or mail it to him c/o PM, 1050 IL Route 83, Suite 200, Bensenville, IL 60106.

PM’s Tool Tips is sponsored by Ridge Tool Co. Reader tips chosen by our editors have a chance to win a RIDGID Tool Prize Package.