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Origin of odd names?

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DanHolohan
DanHolohan Member, Moderator, Administrator Posts: 16,525
in THE MAIN WALL
So why is it a street elbow?

Got more odd names?
Retired and loving it.
«1

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  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 9,637
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    Since it is also called a service elbow my guess is that name came from the ability to screw it in to a tapped main.

    Everything on the utility side of water, sewer, and power has names that have nothing to do with what their actual function is.

    Dresser coupling. Fernco. A hundred other tings I can't think of now but I just accept they have a weird name. Most of them are named for the manufacturer 100 years ago.
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 15,671
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    Closet bend is another one. It's obvious why, but it's still an odd name.
    Single pipe quasi-vapor system. Typical operating pressure 0.14 - 0.43 oz. EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Control for Residential Steam boilers. Rectorseal Steamaster water treatment
  • DanHolohan
    DanHolohan Member, Moderator, Administrator Posts: 16,525
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    There's no such thing as a "monkey" wrench even though we call it by that name.
    Retired and loving it.
  • John Ruhnke
    John Ruhnke Member Posts: 882
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    Do you have a drop ear elbow? Cause I have one.
    I am the walking Deadman
    Hydronics Designer
    Hydronics is the most comfortable and energy efficient HVAC system.
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 15,671
    edited October 2019
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    DanHolohan said:

    There's no such thing as a "monkey" wrench even though we call it by that name.

    I thought a monkey wrench was like a pipe wrench but with smooth jaws and the bottom one doesn't pivot?
    Single pipe quasi-vapor system. Typical operating pressure 0.14 - 0.43 oz. EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Control for Residential Steam boilers. Rectorseal Steamaster water treatment
    delta TJohnNY
  • John Ruhnke
    John Ruhnke Member Posts: 882
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    Do you want a short nipple or long nipple?

    I am the walking Deadman
    Hydronics Designer
    Hydronics is the most comfortable and energy efficient HVAC system.
    GroundUp
  • DanHolohan
    DanHolohan Member, Moderator, Administrator Posts: 16,525
    edited October 2019
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    It's named for its inventor, Charles Moncky. A fun mispronunciation gave it over to the monkies.



    Moncky's on the left. Stilson's on the right.

    Stilson has a good story: https://heatinghelp.com/blog/daniel-chapman/
    Retired and loving it.
    Roohollah
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 15,671
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    DanHolohan said:

    It's named for its inventor, Charles Moncky. A fun mispronunciation gave it over to the monkies.



    Moncky's on the left. Stilson's on the right.

    According to Wikipedia that isn't true. Who knows though, you know how Wiki works.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monkey_wrench


    Single pipe quasi-vapor system. Typical operating pressure 0.14 - 0.43 oz. EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Control for Residential Steam boilers. Rectorseal Steamaster water treatment
  • DanHolohan
    DanHolohan Member, Moderator, Administrator Posts: 16,525
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    I sure do. :o
    Retired and loving it.
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 9,637
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    my understanding was the wrench on the left was a monkey wrench although many call a crescent type wrench a monkey wrench as well
  • DanHolohan
    DanHolohan Member, Moderator, Administrator Posts: 16,525
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    It is.
    Retired and loving it.
  • Larry Weingarten
    Larry Weingarten Member Posts: 3,290
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    Hello, Any chance it's about who is using the wrench? o:)

    Yours, Larry
    CanuckerErin Holohan HaskellZman
  • DanHolohan
    DanHolohan Member, Moderator, Administrator Posts: 16,525
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    Hmmm.
    Retired and loving it.
  • JohnNY
    JohnNY Member Posts: 3,230
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    My father always called monkey/Stilson wrenches by those names.
    Contact John "JohnNY" Cataneo, NYC Master Plumber, Lic 1784
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  • HVACNUT
    HVACNUT Member Posts: 5,833
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    I think over the years, with no help by laypeople mind you, the names(s) have become generalized. Everytime someone calls a wrench the wrong name, they get a whack on the melon with one.

    A tool I could never understand was the "Duct Stretcher". If you needed it, things weren't going very well lining up the slips and drives. The tool was/is a piece of flat plate aluminum about 14" long and offset at the end. At the end there are 2 disc wheels spaced about 2" apart. Setting the wheels behind the drive ears and using leverage, drawing the ears together so the drive can be installed. Kind of a Tin knocker's version of
    the "Bigger Hammer".
  • DanHolohan
    DanHolohan Member, Moderator, Administrator Posts: 16,525
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    While in Germany, I saw a schmutzfänger. It sure looked like a wye strainer.

    Gosh, I love saying that word. .
    Retired and loving it.
  • Harvey Ramer
    Harvey Ramer Member Posts: 2,239
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    This is interesting to me.
    How about a DeSanko fitting. Who or what is a Desanko?
    Or a Schrader valve?
    Why do pipe fittings have genders?
    Why a "water closet" when there are 10,000 other titles describing the porcelain throne?
    Or the Zerk fitting; how fantastically strange?
    Intplm.
  • Intplm.
    Intplm. Member Posts: 1,946
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    Hmmm. "Bullhead" ??!!
  • Intplm.
    Intplm. Member Posts: 1,946
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    Harvey Ramer said:

    This is interesting to me.
    How about a DeSanko fitting. Who or what is a Desanko?
    Or a Schrader valve?
    Why do pipe fittings have genders?
    Why a "water closet" when there are 10,000 other titles describing the porcelain throne?
    Or the Zerk fitting; how fantastically strange?

    Desanco ? .......... Bow adapter....?
  • Intplm.
    Intplm. Member Posts: 1,946
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    DanHolohan said:

    While in Germany, I saw a schmutzfänger. It sure looked like a wye strainer.

    Gosh, I love saying that word. .

    I've seen some nice piping jobs look like a Glockenspiel. They sometimes even sound like one too.

    I love saying Glockenspiel.
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 9,637
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    schrader is a company that still exists and still is a supplier of valve stems to auto companies, many with tpms transmitters built in to them
    Intplm.
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 9,637
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    is "desanko" just the compression adapter or is it the compression fitting itself?
  • Intplm.
    Intplm. Member Posts: 1,946
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    It's my understanding that it is the entire fitting
    mattmia2 said:

    is "desanko" just the compression adapter or is it the compression fitting itself?

  • Larry Weingarten
    Larry Weingarten Member Posts: 3,290
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    Hi, To @Harvey Ramer ‘s question of water closet, I think it was to differentiate it from the earth closet, which came before. Basically it was a composting toilet. They could often be found by the dining room table B)

    Yours, Larry
    Intplm.
  • DanHolohan
    DanHolohan Member, Moderator, Administrator Posts: 16,525
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    @Intplm. I love saying gorgonzola and focaccia. The later sounds like I'm biting into a crisp apple. ForCACCia! Delicious!
    Retired and loving it.
    Intplm.
  • SeanBeans
    SeanBeans Member Posts: 520
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    I like saying Sfogliatelle... and eating it!
  • DanHolohan
    DanHolohan Member, Moderator, Administrator Posts: 16,525
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    @SeanBeans do you use your hands when saying it? I think that's required.
    Retired and loving it.
    Intplm.CanuckerSeanBeans
  • ScottSecor
    ScottSecor Member Posts: 855
    edited October 2019
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    @Harvey Ramer how else would we describe what we need while standing at the supply house?

    Never really understood pipe nipples or the shortened version -nip? "Give me two inch and a quarter x four inch nips."

    I worked at a large house near me that the owner had three phase power to his basement with a small machine shop. This older gentleman did not realize this was not typical for our built up area of NJ. After talking to him for a little while he mentioned he actually helped develop and patent the tire valve (his last name was not Schrader).

    I think the older grease fittings actually read "Zerk" on them.

    Screwdrivers, there's good old "flat head," makes sense to me. Then there's "Phillips head." Why not "cross head or "x head," I'm guessing Phillips wanted his name remembered? Today we have "square head," makes sense to be and "Torx head." I guess Torx also wanted his name on the tool.

    I am not a plumber (strictly heating), but a spud wrench always confused me. I thought spud was some sort of potato?
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 9,637
    edited October 2019
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    square heads are called robertson in canada.

    A spud is a little stubby fitting. various types of spuds with a gland type of gasket are common to connect pipes to various china fixtures
  • MikeL_2
    MikeL_2 Member Posts: 489
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    How about rainbow packing, hose bibb, or toilet bowl horn......
  • SeanBeans
    SeanBeans Member Posts: 520
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    Pookie.
  • Danny Scully
    Danny Scully Member Posts: 1,424
    edited October 2019
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    How about cock hole cover, or pet cock, or cock in general? :wink:
    GroundUp
  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 16,832
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    Danny Scully said:

    How about cock hole cover, or pet cock, or cock in general? :wink:

    @DanHolohan , wasn't there something about this in your book "Screwing Up"?

    >:)
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
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  • Canucker
    Canucker Member Posts: 722
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    > @mattmia2 said:
    > square heads are called robertson in canada.
    >
    > A spud is a little stubby fitting. various types of spuds with a gland type of gasket are common to connect pipes to various china fixtures

    It's an interesting story about the life of the screw head. Too bad for our American friends that he didn't sell the patent

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/P._L._Robertson
    You can have it good, fast or cheap. Pick two
  • Alan (California Radiant) Forbes
    Alan (California Radiant) Forbes Member Posts: 4,002
    edited October 2019
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    What about all those weird plumbing fittings: Figure 1's and Figure 5's and Figure 8's?



    P.O. Plug, S.O.T. hose bibb (thanks for clearing that one up, Dan), O.S. & Y. valve.
    8.33 lbs./gal. x 60 min./hr. x 20°ΔT = 10,000 BTU's/hour

    Two btu per sq ft for degree difference for a slab
  • SlamDunk
    SlamDunk Member Posts: 1,580
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    Flat **** file.
    mattmia2
  • HVACNUT
    HVACNUT Member Posts: 5,833
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    > @SlamDunk said:
    > Flat **** file.

    That's a nice one. Good name for a death metal band.
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 9,637
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    I never found anyone who could explain to me how files were described in general. these both say 2nd cut but this one has much larger teeth...
  • SlamDunk
    SlamDunk Member Posts: 1,580
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    Remember this oldie, moldy, goldie?
    .
    First morning on her new job in a hardware store a man approached her. “I need a flat ****.”

    “Cad!” She slapped him and he rushed out.

    The manager was aghast, but she explained the customer swore at her, so he just shook his head and went back to his business as another man approached her.

    “I need a flat ****.”

    “Cad!” She slapped him and he ran from the store.

    This time, the manager questioned her and she explained the offending language.

    “Ahh. It’s okay. They were asking for **** files. See,” pointing to a bin of files, “Those are called **** files.”

    She apologized, and he went back to work. Another customer approached her. “I need a file.”

    “How about one of these flat ****?” Glowing with new-found knowledge.

    “No, I think I’ll take this little round s.o.b.”
    Intplm.

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