When it ain't one thing it's another

[Snowy Rivers]

Yes bear $$$$

We have the poly bute pipe.
Same OD but slightly different ID and takes a different inner plastic stiffener piece.

Quality all the way.

The issue I had yesterday was a shut off valve that just cracked right through the center of the casting for no apparent reason.

When I installed them a year ago, the first one I installed had a pin hole in it at nearly the same spot as this one cracked, and began spraying water all over when we pressured it up.

A bad omen.

Yesterday while soaking up the mess the other valve began dripping at the packing nut, again for no reason.

JUNK
PLAIN AND SIMPLE

I would never buy a pellet stove made in China.

 

[Bioburner]

LOL and we call Camel Snot Bear chit here

When I was squeezing miles of pipe together we were calling it penguin poop.

 

[F4jock]

Yes bear $$$$

We have the poly bute pipe.
Same OD but slightly different ID and takes a different inner plastic stiffener piece.

Quality all the way.

The issue I had yesterday was a shut off valve that just cracked right through the center of the casting for no apparent reason.

When I installed them a year ago, the first one I installed had a pin hole in it at nearly the same spot as this one cracked, and began spraying water all over when we pressured it up.

A bad omen.

Yesterday while soaking up the mess the other valve began dripping at the packing nut, again for no reason.

JUNK
PLAIN AND SIMPLE

I would never buy a pellet stove made in China.

But you buy Chinese food made in America.

 

[SidecarFlip]

But you buy Chinese food made in America.

Huh???

 

[F4jock]

Huh???

I keep pitchin' 'em and you keep missin' 'em son!

 

[Snowy Rivers]

I hate that stuff too.

Makes my guts crawl

 

[SidecarFlip]

I keep pitchin' 'em and you keep missin' 'em son!

Son? I bet I'm old enougt to be your dad...... Medicare is my co-pilot.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Yes bear $$$$

We have the poly bute pipe.
Same OD but slightly different ID and takes a different inner plastic stiffener piece.

Quality all the way.

The issue I had yesterday was a shut off valve that just cracked right through the center of the casting for no apparent reason.

When I installed them a year ago, the first one I installed had a pin hole in it at nearly the same spot as this one cracked, and began spraying water all over when we pressured it up.

A bad omen.

Yesterday while soaking up the mess the other valve began dripping at the packing nut, again for no reason.

JUNK
PLAIN AND SIMPLE

I would never buy a pellet stove made in China.

Here's hoping I've bought my last pellet stove..............

 

[tjnamtiw]

Yea, you'd be surprised how much food comes from China, INCLUDING BABY FOOD! We've thrown out several items for our grandkids when I saw MADE IN CHINA on them. What is really worrysome is when the label just says 'distributed by' an American company like WalMart. I thought they HAD to say where it was made. Check out the frozen fish. China, Taiwan, etc. I bet no one worries about how much mercury or PCB'S are in the water where they are raised!

 

[F4jock]

Son? I bet I'm old enougt to be your dad...... Medicare is my co-pilot.

Like I said, I keep pitchin' 'em. . . . . . .

 

[Bkins]

I had a contractor pitch all American made parts for our furnace/water heater conversion that was done this summer. He was $400 more expensive then any of the other bids I had, which was 4. The parts to hook up the 2 appliances was what he was talking about. Steel pipe for the gas line was installed along with the related fittings and 2 different types of PVC pipe was used for the venting and air intake. Our guy brought in boxes of fittings that said "Made in USA" but I don't remember the brand. He said he will not buy from suppliers that don't carry the US stuff as he has had to many call backs and it wasn't cost effective in his eyes. We had a lot of gas pipe run and I'm sure he was happy to be done here as I peppered him with questions about whatever came to mind and watched everything that was done. Straightened out a few items after he left because I wasn't happy with the way one of his guys did the work. The owner was on site every day.

The other contractor that quoted the higher price was planning on using the flex, yellow gas pipe. My guy said he wished he had used that in the end because he under estimated the time to run the steel pipe with all the cutting and thread cutting that was needed. I would of run it differently but that is a whole nother topic.

I don't know about others but I find it very hard to cover all bases when dealing with and getting quotes from contractors. I think I have everything covered but find something that I missed even though I make a list and look at things step by step. Used to do all this myself but can't physically do it any more and that's the worst part. The mind knows how but the body refuses.

 

[tjnamtiw]

Yea, you'd be surprised how much food comes from China, INCLUDING BABY FOOD! We've thrown out several items for our grandkids when I saw MADE IN CHINA on them. What is really worrysome is when the label just says 'distributed by' an American company like WalMart. I thought they HAD to say where it was made. Check out the frozen fish. China, Taiwan, etc. I bet no one worries about how much mercury or PCB'S are in the water where they are raised!

Just got this reply from Gerber. At least we can rest more easily with Gerber, I hope.

''
Thank you for your e-mail.

Gerber® baby food sold in the US is manufactured in the US. If you have additional questions or concerns, please call 1-800-284-9488 and refer to File No. 041345537A. Our representatives are available any time day or night to assist you.

Best wishes from your friends @ gerber.com.




041345537A
HENDRME1/cl''

 

[Bioburner]

Wheat gluten was imported by a firm into Canada for pet food and how many dead and injured because of that? I would make a bet that a lot of the fish oil is as well. I couldn't believe that Canada had to import any wheat product

 

[SidecarFlip]

Wheat gluten was imported by a firm into Canada for pet food and how many dead and injured because of that? I would make a bet that a lot of the fish oil is as well. I couldn't believe that Canada had to import any wheat product

Sounds likie someone made a pile of money...

I know my wife will not buy any dog treats not made here, she actually makes her own treats in the dehydrator for out diabetic pup....

 

[Snowy Rivers]

Yuppp $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ all about the bucks.

I sawed the valve that cracked in half, the casting is full of sand, slag and porosities

Crap looked like rice cakes inside. Arrrrrrgh

WE are currently shopping for a new faucet for the kitchen, NO China stuff NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO WAY.
I am still drying out the closet carpeting and pad where the water leaked into.

Likely be another good day to get it all dry before I lay it back and tuck it into the tack strips.

The new Sharkbite ball valves are all in now and work sweet.

Some pix now and a shot of the broken valve.

Keep in mind that this valve had been in place for about a year and was on the cold water side, with a max of 60 psi WP

The crack is easy to see between the sharpy marks.

This tiny crack was really putting out a buttload of water too.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Thats cast brass. Probably cast in some backyard pot... Hard to find forged brass stuff, but thats what you want.

 

[Snowy Rivers]

Used to be able to go into the HRDWR store and buy good quality parts, not no more China on nearly everything.

I really love the AUSIE shark bite. Top notch stuff

 

[tjnamtiw]

Those shark bite fittings are pure MAGIC.

 

[F4jock]

Those shark bite fittings are pure MAGIC.

Love 'em!!

 

[funflyer]

Parker fittings are what I use. They're made in the USA and are the best. I'd use a Parker with compression fittings before a Sharkbite. Sharkbites are good but I would only use them where they could be inspected periodically or where there is no room to use a Parker.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Parker fittings are what I use. They're made in the USA and are the best. I'd use a Parker with compression fittings before a Sharkbite. Sharkbites are good but I would only use them where they could be inspected periodically or where there is no room to use a Parker.

All my high pressure fittings in the shop and on the farm equipment are Parker, not cheap but the best. Aussies are good for smokless powder too.

 

[Snowy Rivers]

Well now.

The WET chapter is all fixed now, carpet dried and things all back to a dull roar again.

Tore into the kitchen sink and installed an entire new faucet from Delta

Doing this stuff is tough enough when you have new stuff to work with, but getting the old corroded used junk out can be a real PITA

All better now.

Decided to replace every faucet set in the house one by one, and now we have the kitchen and one tub done.

Next comes the master bath tub.

In the mean time, back to doing pellet stove things.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Actually, PBlaster works just as well on corroded plumbing fixtures (scale corrosion) as it does on rusted automotive fasteners.

 

[Phoenix Hatchling]

Haaaaaaaaaaaaaa

There is far less troubles with the out house for sure.

We had one here when I was youngster (up to about 6 yo)

Having a few standard items that can patch up a crisis and get thing operational is handy though

I have real become fond of the "SharkBite" fittings

They fit copper, pvc, cpvc and poly butylene.

Trim and debur the pipe, STUFF THE FITTING ON and your done.

Requires a little hand held tool to release the fitting.

The are top notch and so easy to use.

My idea of spares spans my two stoves as well as the plumbing.

Having a complete "kit" for one toilet (includes parts kit for the tank) water shut off at the floor, flex hose and a wax unit.

Easy to store all these in a plastic snap lid storage box in the utility room cupboard, right by the boxes that have parts for the two Whitfields.

Another box has a selection of circuit breakers that fit the house and the out buildings.

Just a selection of things that can and do go south at very inopportune times

Nooooo, you can't be prepared for every eventuality, but you can be ready for many of the common ones.

If the dish washer quits, ahhhh well, shut the water off, unplug it and do dishes manually for a few days till repairs can be effected.

You can't have parts for everything ?????

I have spare controls for the washer and dryer stuck in the same cupboard, yessss a spare set of drive belts too.

These new appliances have touch pad controls.

Spent one Sunday morning with the dryer controller torn apart on the dining room table patching up a burned trace on the circuit board and soldering in a new relay.

Could not get the real deal, but found one rated for the load and hard wired it in and secured the little critter to the outside of the board with silicone RTV

5 YEARS AGO, it's still in there too.


A box with stove gaskets (the odd stuff you can't buy locally) plus a fresh tube of RTV (Swap it yearly)
Door rope gaskets
Feed motors (2 spares)
Draft fans for each stove
Room air fan (common part)
Igniter for the Quad
Thermocouple for the Quad

Various sizes of wire (rolls)
Fuses
Crimp connectors
Butt splices

Common electrical parts that are used on each.

When the refit is all done and both stoves are running on my design of panel, the relays timers and such will all be backed up with spares.


Nooooo, I don't have a spare roof on hand, but generally keep a couple cans of "Through the roof" (Camel snot) roof sealer on the shelf.

BE PREPARED

Only time and my health issues have slowed me down.

Used to be hell on wheels

I don't like inconvenience, and a lack of parts to fix stuff really sets me off.

In business, with all that money tied up in inventory you would be closed up in a heartbeat. And just think if you took that money that's sitting there waiting for you to MAYBE use one day, and invested it. You would have made a pretty buck or two, and had more living space for let's say firewood, pantry supplies, wine collection (which may appreciate as well if chosen wisely) etc...... Just my view

 

[Dune]

Welcome to the false economy of globalization where the sweetness of low initial cost is soon replaced by the bitterness of poor quality.