Inventor

fittersmate

Does anyone else use cylindrical (round) applicators with slotted walls to apply pipe dope (or teflon paste or locktite or anti-seize compounds or other adhesives, lubricants or sealants)?  I have been working on this for more than 30 years, and I know from experience that the only physically possible way to apply 100% of the product to point of use (no waste) instantly (really fast) is with a round applicator. 

American industry hates the idea (it doesn't waste any) because they are in business to sell product (15 billion #/annually, according to ASI and Assembly).

The unions really hate it, because their revenues come from the hour bank, and they don't want workers doing any part of their job more than 10X faster than before.  I understand, but that does not make it OK.

Meanwhile, the taxpayers (You and I) and all consumers get to pay the bill.

I have been the fastest man in the world at this for 25 years, and nobody cares.

Mike "The Piper" Osborne

 

icesailor

Applying Pipe Dope or thread lubricant:

Mr Piper,

Your premise has as much value as trickle down economics. We all know about the down, we're still waiting for the trickle.

If whatever you have will do a better job of applying pipe joint compound/lubricant, it will be used because just one leak that needs to be repaired will cost far more to fix than any attempt to spend more time putting compound on with a brush.

And I resent the fact that you come here and suggest that WE, professionals, would rather do something that isn't (in your mind) as effective as the way most of us have been doing it.

I have personally been using Teflon Tape since the 1960's and use selected compounds with it because I find that I NEVER have leaks. It is straining my aged brain to figure out how I could wrap a thread with T-Tape with the cylindrical device you describe. But not only do I use T-Tape, I also paste the male threads with the T-Tape on it, I also put some inside the fitting.

It's like those special pipe cleaning brushes they make. They are an interesting novelty that wears off after a while. I have them, and I use them when I have a lot of tube to clean and solder. But for a couple of fittings, the sand cloth and wire burnishing brushes work just fine. And they have the added use of when they are worn out, they can be used to clean  out threads and such.

Your product sounds more interesting to the homeowner plumber/heater wannabe. Not to this old professional. Or at least I like to think I am.

Rich_L

What the???

"The unions really hate it, because their revenues come from the hour bank, and they don't want workers doing any part of their job more than 10X faster than before. I understand, but that does not make it OK."



I'm a proud Union Service Technician and I do everything I can to save time and therefore my customers money. The insinuation that Union workers would try to drag their feet or slow progress of any job is both ridiculous and insulting.



If you've genuinely built a "better mousetrap" I find it hard to believe no one would be interested.