Subject: Re: [Shop-talk] Helicoil for plastic?

From: Jim Stone <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2018 11:33:03 -0400

This is not an exact answer to your question , but I have done similar repairs - although non plumbing -  in the past with JB Weld. I cleaned the female threads well and then worked just enough JB into the threads. I put a light coating of oil on the male threads, screwed them together and then let it set.  Unscrewing the first time can be a little difficult, but I’ve always been able to and have been able to reuse the threads. 

While I’ve never done a plumbing repair this way, I can’t see why it wouldn’t work. My inclination would be to put a thin wrap of Teflon tape on the male portion and then just leave it alone and hope for the best if I ever had to remove it.  Worst case, you are back to your original plan. 

Sent from my iPhone

> On Sep 20, 2018, at 9:55 AM, Scott Hall <[email-masked]> wrote:
> 
> Background: all the sink and shower faucets in the house are an unidentifiable manufacturer. The house was sitting long enough that they're all "sticky"--don't want to operate. They pull "up and down" or "in and out" to control water flow, then rotate to control temperature, not the "ball" type that pivot up to control flow, then swivel. I've never seen the kind I have before.
> 
> They're all sticky (don't want to turn on/off), but the worst is the bathroom shower I'm using. I've pulled out the control knob several times. It is fastened to the control valve with a stainless screw into what looks like the phenolic valve. I suspect that I'm destroying the screw threads in the valve each time this happens.
> 
> My initial plan was to cut into the wall behind the valve and just replace the entire assembly. Advantage: I know how to do that. Disadvantage: yet another distraction.
> 
> However, maybe I can use a threaded insert to hold this handle into the valve for now. Googling "plastic helicoil" doesn't help much and I don't think I know the right vocabulary. Anyone have a suggestion for keeping this handle stuck to its valve and functioning as a shower for six months or so until its associated bathroom gets gutted anyway?
> 
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From: "Peter J. Thomas" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2018 11:41:43 -0400

On 9/20/2018 9:55 AM, Scott Hall wrote:
> Background: all the sink and shower faucets in the house are an 
> unidentifiable manufacturer. The house was sitting long enough that 
> they're all "sticky"--don't want to operate. They pull "up and down" 
> or "in and out" to control water flow, then rotate to control 
> temperature, not the "ball" type that pivot up to control flow, then 
> swivel. I've never seen the kind I have before.
>
> They're all sticky (don't want to turn on/off), but the worst is the 
> bathroom shower I'm using. I've pulled out the control knob several 
> times. It is fastened to the control valve with a stainless screw into 
> what looks like the phenolic valve. I suspect that I'm destroying the 
> screw threads in the valve each time this happens.
>
> My initial plan was to cut into the wall behind the valve and just 
> replace the entire assembly. Advantage: I know how to do that. 
> Disadvantage: yet another distraction.
>
> However, maybe I can use a threaded insert to hold this handle into 
> the valve for now. Googling "plastic helicoil" doesn't help much and I 
> don't think I know the right vocabulary. Anyone have a suggestion for 
> keeping this handle stuck to its valve and functioning as a shower for 
> six months or so until its associated bathroom gets gutted anyway?
>
I'd use a rigid thread repair, like TimeSert, over Helicoil because of 
the plastic.  Another option is to use epoxy thread repair.  You coat 
the screw with a release agent and then epoxy. P{ut the epoxy coated 
screw in all the way without the handle.  Auto stores sell kits or use 
cooking spray for the release agent and JB Weld.  Worse case, you have 
to go back and drill it out and add a TimeSert.

[email-masked]

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From: Jeff Scarbrough <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2018 12:43:55 -0400

Why not use a HeliCoil?  They come in 8-32 and 10-32...among other sizes...

Jeff Scarbrough
Corrosion Acres, Ga.
On Thu, Sep 20, 2018 at 12:35 PM Jim Stone <[email-masked]> wrote:
> Unsubscribe/Manage: http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/shop-talk/[email-masked]
>

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From: Doug Braun <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2018 12:53:05 -0400

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Why wouldn't a regular helicoil work in plastic?

But it sounds like you have a blind hole, and a regular helicoil tap might
not cut enough threads.

Does the valve have a replaceable cartridge that you can replace without
destroying the surrounding wall?

Doug

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<div dir=3D"auto"><div>Why wouldn&#39;t a regular helicoil work in plastic?=
</div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">But it sounds like you =
have a blind hole, and a regular helicoil tap might not cut enough threads.=
</div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">Does the valve have a r=
eplaceable cartridge that you can replace without destroying the surroundin=
g wall?</div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">Doug</div><div d=
ir=3D"auto"><div class=3D"gmail_quote" dir=3D"auto"><blockquote class=3D"gm=
ail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-le=
ft:1ex">
<br>
</blockquote></div></div></div>

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[email-masked]

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From: jonnic1947 <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2018 19:09:22 +0000

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Any mileage in something like this? https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/products=
/0278556/?grossPrice=3DY&cm_mmc=3DUK-PLA-DS3A-_-google-_-PLA_UK_EN_Fastener=
s_And_Fixings-_-Sheet_Metal_And_Panel_Fasteners%7CInserts-_-PRODUCT+GROUP&m=
atchtype=3D&pla-494253649177&gclid=3DEAIaIQobChMIt7eW26DK3QIVzb_tCh3Shw8gEA=
QYASABEgLvH_D_BwE&gclsrc=3Daw.ds Found by googling "threaded inserts for pl=
astic". Many alternatives available, this has the possible advantage of usi=
ng expansion force to retain it in position, as long as the plastic is stro=
ng enough. This is UK supplied but I've no doubt somebody like McMaster Car=
r can offer an equivalent. Nick Brearley ---- On Thu, 20 Sep 2018 13:55:35 =
+0000=C2=A0Scott Hall <[email-masked]> wrote ---- Background=
: all the sink and shower faucets in the house are an unidentifiable manufa=
cturer. The house was sitting long enough that they're all "sticky"--don't =
want to operate. They pull "up and down" or "in and out" to control water f=
low, then rotate to control temperature, not the "ball" type that pivot up =
to control flow, then swivel. I've never seen the kind I have before. They'=
re all sticky (don't want to turn on/off), but the worst is the bathroom sh=
ower I'm using. I've pulled out the control knob several times. It is faste=
ned to the control valve with a stainless screw into what looks like the ph=
enolic valve. I suspect that I'm destroying the screw threads in the valve =
each time this happens. My initial plan was to cut into the wall behind the=
 valve and just replace the entire assembly. Advantage: I know how to do th=
at. Disadvantage: yet another distraction. However, maybe I can use a threa=
ded insert to hold this handle into the valve for now. Googling "plastic he=
licoil" doesn't help much and I don't think I know the right vocabulary. An=
yone have a suggestion for keeping this handle stuck to its valve and funct=
ioning as a shower for six months or so until its associated bathroom gets =
gutted anyway? _______________________________________________ Shop-talk@au=
tox.team.net Donate: http://www.team.net/donate.html Suggested annual donat=
ion $12.96 Archive: http://www.team.net/pipermail/shop-talk Unsubscribe/Man=
age: http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/shop-talk/[email-masked]
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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"><html><head>=
<meta content=3D"text/html;charset=3DUTF-8" http-equiv=3D"Content-Type"></h=
ead><body ><div style=3D'font-size:10pt;color:#00000;'><div>Any mileage in =
something like this?<br></div><div><br></div><div><a target=3D"_blank" href=
=3D"https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/products/0278556/?grossPrice=3DY&amp;cm_=
mmc=3DUK-PLA-DS3A-_-google-_-PLA_UK_EN_Fasteners_And_Fixings-_-Sheet_Metal_=
And_Panel_Fasteners%7CInserts-_-PRODUCT+GROUP&amp;matchtype=3D&amp;pla-4942=
53649177&amp;gclid=3DEAIaIQobChMIt7eW26DK3QIVzb_tCh3Shw8gEAQYASABEgLvH_D_Bw=
E&amp;gclsrc=3Daw.ds">https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/products/0278556/?gros=
sPrice=3DY&amp;cm_mmc=3DUK-PLA-DS3A-_-google-_-PLA_UK_EN_Fasteners_And_Fixi=
ngs-_-Sheet_Metal_And_Panel_Fasteners%7CInserts-_-PRODUCT+GROUP&amp;matchty=
pe=3D&amp;pla-494253649177&amp;gclid=3DEAIaIQobChMIt7eW26DK3QIVzb_tCh3Shw8g=
EAQYASABEgLvH_D_BwE&amp;gclsrc=3Daw.ds</a><br></div><div><br></div><div>Fou=
nd by googling "threaded inserts for plastic". Many alternatives available,=
 this has the possible advantage of using expansion force to retain it in p=
osition, as long as the plastic is strong enough.<br></div><div><br></div><=
div>This is UK supplied but I've no doubt somebody like McMaster Carr can o=
ffer an equivalent.<br></div><div><br></div><div>Nick Brearley</div><div><b=
r></div><div class=3D"zmail_extra"><div id=3D"Zm-_Id_-Sgn1"><div><br></div>=
<div>---- On Thu, 20 Sep 2018 13:55:35 +0000&nbsp;<b>Scott Hall &lt;scott.h=
[email-masked]&gt;</b> wrote ----<br></div></div><div><br></div><bl=
ockquote style=3D"border-left: 1px solid #cccccc; padding-left: 6px; margin=
:0 0 0 5px"><div><div>Background: all the sink and shower faucets in the ho=
use are an <br></div><div>unidentifiable manufacturer. The house was sittin=
g long enough that <br></div><div>they're all "sticky"--don't want to opera=
te. They pull "up and down" or <br></div><div>"in and out" to control water=
 flow, then rotate to control temperature, <br></div><div>not the "ball" ty=
pe that pivot up to control flow, then swivel. I've <br></div><div>never se=
en the kind I have before. <br></div><div> <br></div><div>They're all stick=
y (don't want to turn on/off), but the worst is the <br></div><div>bathroom=
 shower I'm using. I've pulled out the control knob several <br></div><div>=
times. It is fastened to the control valve with a stainless screw into <br>=
</div><div>what looks like the phenolic valve. I suspect that I'm destroyin=
g the <br></div><div>screw threads in the valve each time this happens. <br=
></div><div> <br></div><div>My initial plan was to cut into the wall behind=
 the valve and just <br></div><div>replace the entire assembly. Advantage: =
I know how to do that. <br></div><div>Disadvantage: yet another distraction=
. <br></div><div> <br></div><div>However, maybe I can use a threaded insert=
 to hold this handle into the <br></div><div>valve for now. Googling "plast=
ic helicoil" doesn't help much and I don't <br></div><div>think I know the =
right vocabulary. Anyone have a suggestion for keeping <br></div><div>this =
handle stuck to its valve and functioning as a shower for six <br></div><di=
v>months or so until its associated bathroom gets gutted anyway? <br></div>=
<div> <br></div><div>_______________________________________________ <br></=
div><div> <br></div><div><a target=3D"_blank" href=3D"mailto:Shop-talk@auto=
x.team.net">[email-masked]</a> <br></div><div>Donate: <a target=
=3D"_blank" href=3D"http://www.team.net/donate.html">http://www.team.net/do=
nate.html</a> <br></div><div>Suggested annual donation  $12.96 <br></div><d=
iv>Archive: <a target=3D"_blank" href=3D"http://www.team.net/pipermail/shop=
-talk">http://www.team.net/pipermail/shop-talk</a> <br></div><div> <br></di=
v><div>Unsubscribe/Manage: <a target=3D"_blank" href=3D"http://autox.team.n=
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lman/options/shop-talk/[email-masked]</a> <br></div><div> <br></div></=
div></blockquote></div><div><br></div></div><br></body></html>
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