Tool Tips ― August 2008

Getting proper tub fit

End to skid marks

Reach your tools

Flexible Fit

Ever get a leaking trip waste on an old tub or a tub that was re-fitted with a new liner, and when you install a new one, the telescope gasket never seems to fit the angle, no matter how you spin it?

Try this. It works every time. Use a tank-to-bowl kit gasket; it’s thick and the same size as the telescope. You can trim it with a sheet rock knife for any custom angle. This is also very good on steel tub installations; it prevents chipping and warping of the cover plate, unlike the hard rubber one that requires you to crank down for that watertight seal.

Michael Marvon
Lesco Plumbing
Fairfield, N.J.

Unlikely Cure

With the ever-decreasing amount of flushing water available for newer toilets, the frequency of bowl skid marks has increased. When I recently installed a new toilet in my own house, it became a major, personal problem. When the Domestic Commander-in-Chief gave the order to “Do something, Mr. Plumber,” drastic measures had to be taken. I could find no aftermarket products at my usual trade sources to eliminate the problem.

Enter the “cure.” I bought a bottle of Rainex windshield rain-and-bug repellant at the auto supply store. I cleaned and dried the interior surfaces of the toilet bowl and applied the Rainex as directed. Voila! It worked. The silicone base of the Rainex seems to do a pretty good job inhibiting the formation of the dreaded skid marks.

Steve Paul
Jack Doland And Sons Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electric
Somerset, N.J.

Stick It

Here’s a trick if you’re ever in tight quarters and you find yourself not being able to reach your tools. Stick a dab of Plumbers Putty on the surface in front of you. There you can stick your flashlight, tool or whatever you need to get the job done. Works great!

James Brown
Watchtower Plumbing
Wallkill, N.Y.

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, or mail it to him c/o PM, 1050 IL Route 83, Suite 200, Bensenville, IL 60106.

Our first-place winner will receive the following RIDGID® Prize Package, consisting of eight professional hand tools with a retail value of $200:

18-inch HD RAPIDGRIP™ Self-Adjusting Wrenches for easy, one-hand operation.
One-Stop™ Wrench, a compound tool for installing compression couplings.
10-inch Wide-Mouth Adjustable Wrench featuring tapered jaws for tight areas.
10 1/2-inch Plumber’s Tongue-and-Groove Pliers with extra-wide openings.
No. 117 Midget Tubing Cutter for use in confined areas.
No. 151 Quick-Acting Tubing Cutter for smoother operation.
6-in-1 Multi-Purpose Screwdriver with two Phillips heads, two flat heads and two nut drivers.
No. 395 Nightshade Torpedo Level for general use and work in tight and/or dark areas.

RIDGID is the sponsor of Tool Tips and does not necessarily endorse the readers' submissions.