Tightening wing nuts

A fair amount of the cheap toilets from the “Big Box” stores are being shipped with wing nuts to hold the tank to the bowl. Using your fingers to tighten the wing nuts leads to sore fingers and wing nuts that are not really tightened enough. You will find if you use the recess and slots of a tub shoe installation/removal tool, the wing nuts will effortlessly tighten up with no more sore fingers. There are many tub shoe removal tools, but the one I mention is aluminum and called a Dumbell wrench, which is made by Superior Tool.

Jim Quattlebaum

Pipe Dream Plumbing

Forest, Virginia

preventing sawdust clogs

Drilling holes through a floor or bottom plate with a hole saw can be difficult even for a sharp hole saw due to the cutting teeth becoming clogged with sawdust. One simple trick to help keep your saw clear and drilling efficiently is to drill down just enough to get a mark on the surface. Remove the hole saw and simply drill a few ¼-inch pilot holes through the floor on the circle left by the hole saw. This will keep it from clogging up and overheating which can dull the teeth, saving time and money!

Austin Borrell

Craig’s Plumbing & Heating

Topton, Pennsylvania

Perfect seal

If you are using the ProPress on a large pipe, such as a 3-inch, and it does not press all the way and still weeps a little, you can put cardboard inside the jaw and press it again. It will take up the space and seal all the way.

Dave Tourville

Mr. Rooter Plumbing

Springfield, Massachusetts