Plumbing Tools and Systems

• Plumbing is a system that conveys fluids for many applications, using pipes, valves, fixtures, and tanks.

Plumbing Tools

• Boring tools enlarge or modify existing holes, mainly for internal diameter machining, internal contour imitation, and hole enlargement.
• Cold chisels are made from hexagon or octagon-shaped steel; they are also known as cold chisel steel.
• Electric drills are power tools that rotate a replaceable drill bit to make holes.
• Hand drills use drills or bits found around the tang.
• Cutting tools remove material from a workpiece, shaping it into a desired form.
• Cross-cut saws cut the grain of wood.
• Hacksaws cut metal, plastic, or pipe.
• Pipe cutters are designed for cutting pipes and tubes.
• Pipe reamers clean the inside of pipes and tubes to remove burrs and chips.
• Pipe thread tools thread pipes.
• Driving tools insert and remove screws and nails, used mainly in woodworking and construction.
• Claw hammers pull and drive nails.
• Crowbars consist of a metal bar with a curved end and flattened points, often with a fissure, for removing nails.
• Screwdrivers insert, tighten, or loosen screws
• Holding tools securely position and grip workpieces during grinding, cutting, and machining.
• Adjustable spanners/wrenches loosen and tighten nuts and bolts with an adjustable angle head.
• Basin wrenches reach tight spots under sinks and basins.
• Bench vises use a mechanical screw to hold or clamp a workpiece, using an anchor.
• Clamps firmly grip and hold objects like wood, paper, plastic, and some metals temporarily.
• Pipe wrenches/Stillson wrenches adjust to turn soft iron pipe fittings with rounded surfaces.

Measuring and Testing Tools

• Measuring tools quantify physical properties like length, weight, angle, and volume.
• Inside calipers measure the internal size of objects.
• Outside calipers measure the external size of objects.
• Steel squares are used by carpenters and other tradesmen.
• Try squares are woodworking or metalworking tools for marking and measuring wood.
• Pull-push rules (tape measures) are flexible and available in lengths up to 50 feet.
• Testing tools evaluate the functionality, performance, and security of software systems.
• Plumb bobs/plummets test and survey to position a point on the ground that is not readily visible.
• Carpenter's squares, larger than try squares, are used by carpenters, consisting of two straight arms at right angles.

Plumbing Materials

• Pipes are tubular sections or hollow cylinders mainly used to convey substances that can flow.
• PVC (Poly Vinyl Chloride) pipes are the most common for plumbing systems.
• PE (Polyethylene) pipes are for long-span water systems.
• CI (Cast Iron) pipes are made by casting iron into molds.
• GI (Galvanized Iron) pipes are better for plumbing than steel pipes.
• Fittings join two sections of pipes.
• Adapters interface two dissimilar parts.
• Elbows change the direction of pipes by 90°, 45°, or 22.5°.
• Couplings connect two pipes; reducing couplings or reducers are used if the sizes differ.
• Unions connect two pipes and allow future disconnection for maintenance.
• Nipples are short stubs of steel, brass, CPVC, or copper pipe that connect two other fittings.
• Reducers decrease pipe size from larger to smaller bores.
• Tees combine or divide fluid flow and are the most common pipe fitting.
• Crosses have one inlet and three outlets, often solvent-welded.
• Caps are liquid- or gas-tight and cover open pipe ends.
• Barbs connect flexible hoses or tubing to pipes, with a male-threaded end.
• Valves stop or regulate the flow of liquids or gases.
• Plumbing fixtures are exchangeable devices connected to plumbing systems to deliver and drain water.
• Traps are U-shaped to trap liquid or gas, preventing sewer gases from entering buildings.
• Vent pipes allow gas to escape from the system.

Maintenance, Drawings and Tile Setting

• Liquid lubricants, like lanolin derived from wool grease, are safe alternatives to petrochemical-based lubricants.
• Symbols in drawings represent abstractions of plumbing components.
• Pictorial diagrams show the basic form or layout of plumbing components with pictures.
• Schematic diagrams show the basic form or layout of plumbing symbols.
• Common floats are wooden floats for spreading and leveling concrete.
• Grout floats are rubber-backed, rectangular trowels for spreading grout.
• Finishing trowels are steel versions of common floats.
• Pointed trowels are extensively used for straightening tiles, filling, and placing mortar.
• Notched and margin trowels spread concrete and create a wavy surface for tile adhesion.
• Tile spacers keep tiles equidistant.
• Plumbs and levels check vertical and horizontal alignment.
• Spacer pullers remove spacers after tile placement.
• Mallets, usually rubber or wood, with a large head are used to drive a beating block.
• Caulking guns apply caulk.
• Wet tile saws cut tiles quickly using a glass cutting blade and a water cooler.
• Utility knives mark cut lines, trim plastic or wood, or cut tape and cardboard.
• Beating blocks set tiles in place and are driven by a rubber mallet to seat the tile.
• Tile edge smoothing stones smooth rough tile edges, especially after cutting.
• Water buckets with sponges clean dirt or excess during tiling.
• Ceramic tile is an inexpensive tile setting material.
  • Glazed tiles have smooth, shiny surfaces.
  • Unglazed tiles are porous.
• Vinyl tile is inexpensive, easy to install, maintain, waterproof, and durable.
• Quarry tile rough surface is perfect for flooring providing a good grip.
• Granite tile is popular in kitchen design, it is porous so it must be sealed and polished regularly.
• Thin-set tile mortar suits floors and outdoor tiles and is spread in a thin layer.
• Brick mortar is coarser than thin set, ideal for brick walls and walkways.
• Epoxy thin set mortar is a resin-based mortar that sets quickly and strongly.
• Caulk typically includes silicone, polyurethane, polysulfide, and acrylic sealant.
• Protective membranes protect ceramic tile installations from external stresses.
• Glass tiles are mounted or unmounted.
  • Mounted glass tiles are pre-mounted on mesh backing.
  • Unmounted glass tiles are stained glass, usually without mesh backing.

Estimation of Tile Quantity Calculation

• To compute for the quantity:
  • Find the area of the floor (Length x Width (10m x 3m = 30 m²)).
  • Find the area of the tile (Length x Width; Convert the measurement; multiply the measurement with *60 cm=.6 m)
  • Divide the area of the floor by the area of the tile.