How to use flax correctly when connecting threads. Plumbing tow: technical characteristics, winding on threads. Description of flax tow
Prepare the materials you will need for work:
- tow,
- plumber's wrench
- and silicone.
Progress of work on winding flax on a thread:
Clean the elements that you plan to connect from rust with sandpaper. Do this carefully so as not to damage the threads.
Separate some of the fibers from the flax bundle and straighten them along the length, making sure that the flax is without lumps, shreds or tears. The fiber layer should not be too thin, but not too thick, otherwise a leak will form or the joint may burst when the temperature rises.
If the pipeline has a fitting with a smooth surface, then use a plumber's wrench to make it a little rough, with notches. Then the flax will hold up better.
Take the fiber and place the end of it against the edge of the thread. Wind the tow in the opposite direction to tightening the nut and so that one turn overlaps the other, pressing it very tightly. To prevent dry fibers from unwinding, wet the wound flax with water or pre-lubricate the thread with silicone.
Apply a layer of silicone to the fiber (you can use any other sealing paste). While the silicone has not hardened, which is about 10-15 minutes, connect both parts to each other.
It doesn’t matter if a small amount of flax comes out of the joint during twisting; the silicone will hold the remaining flax inside well. The fibers on the outside can be burned with a lighter.
Photo instructions:
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When repairing a pipeline, the main requirement is the tightness of the connections. The functionality and trouble-free operation of plumbing, heating, gas and other systems depend on them. How is tightness achieved?
Most often, when installing and repairing a water supply system, a threaded connection is used - it is inexpensive, fast and practical. Having only at hand wrench, the plumber can easily disassemble and reassemble the system and replace the failed unit. But the thread does not guarantee that the connection will be perfect; some other sealing component is needed.
What sealants does the building materials market offer?
There are several types of sealing materials that differ in cost, convenience and reliability of use:
- FUM tape (fluoroplastic sealing material)
- Sealing thread
- Linen thread
Among all the FUM proposals, the tape is quite capricious in use; the sealing thread has good qualities, but too expensive, and only flax is an impeccable remedy that has proven itself over many decades.
How to properly wind flax on a thread?
In order for the connection to be strong and tight, the threaded areas must be cleaned of rust using fine-grained sandpaper. At this stage it is important not to damage the threads. Then you should check whether there are notches on the thread - with them, the laid flax threads are fixed and do not move when connecting the parts. If there are no notches, they can be applied with a file or a plumbing wrench.
Proper winding of flax consists of several steps:
- Check the tightness of the connection with a clean, flax-free thread to understand how thick the winding should be.
- Take a bunch of flax and separate a strand of sufficient thickness from it to obtain a tight connection. The flax hairs should be the same length, without lumps, straw or debris.
- Twist the strand into a loose rope of such thickness that it can fill one thread groove.
- Holding the end of the flax rope at the edge of the thread, wind it in the direction opposite to how the nut is tightened. Each subsequent turn should fit tightly to the previous one. It is important here not to overdo it with the number of layers, there should be no more than two, otherwise the connection may burst when twisted or from hot water during operation. If the bundle turns out to be short, winding should be continued with the next bundle.
- Inspect reverse side winding and make sure there are no bald spots.
- Apply a layer of special paste or silicone on top of the flax and tighten the connection until the paste hardens. The use of a sealing composition contributes to the durability of the connection, prevents rotting of the flax, and makes it easy to disassemble the structure in the future. Sealant should not be used as a sealant; such a connection is difficult to disassemble.
Using a sealant when threading pipe systems is easy. This approach does not require the use of expensive equipment, and can be easily performed by both a professional and a home plumber.
Tow for pipes is one of the most popular sealants on Russian market. Linen winding has been popular for many decades due to its low price, availability and relatively good sealing of joints under special conditions. Winding flax onto threads is relevant for temporary threaded connections and those located in the public domain, i.e. are always in sight, leaks are easy to detect and fix immediately. Flax compounds work up to a maximum temperature of 120-140 °C, but sometimes this figure is reduced to 70 °C. It all depends on the quality of the material and an additional sealing agent - plumbing paste.
Let's talk about the technology and rules of flax winding. How to properly wrap tow on a thread so that the sealing is sufficient for the entire shelf life of the joint? What are the tricks and professional secrets for high-quality thread sealing?
This question is asked not only by the owner of an apartment where a faucet has suddenly leaked or the faucet needs to be replaced, but also by a plumber who has recently started his career.
Linen is indeed not the simplest and most convenient material. Linen does not look aesthetically pleasing, it fluffs up and tears easily, and flax fibers constantly cling to threads or clothing. Almost weightless, they scatter around the room and, having finished the work, the plumber has to spend time finding and collecting all the threads.
IN various videos from the series on how to wind tow on a thread, there are categorical tips on preparing the thread. They touch the notches. The notches prevent flax from slipping during winding, twisting and further use. However, not in all cases.
Firstly, notches are completely unnecessary when the diameter of the pipe is larger than the thread. The protruding part of the pipe will hold back the tow.
Secondly, it makes no sense to make notches if the master is a master at handling tow and has extensive practical experience.
Thirdly, the manufacturer makes the notches on special threads in advance. If you want, this is a kind of hint to the master.
How to wind flax and how much to measure? Also a controversial and frequently asked question. And here, too, there is no universal answer. Some people advise unwinding a strand equal to the thickness of two matches. Others call the figure 5 mm. In fact, only practice will show what length and width of the strand is suitable for a thread of a particular diameter. Before you finally wind the tow on the thread, practice.
Plumbing flax (tow). How to wind flax on a thread?
Unwind several different strands, try them on and find the best option.
There are several ways. Here's the fastest one:
1. Hold the tail of the thread at the end of the thread
2. Fasten crosswise
3. Move to the beginning of the thread and lay a strand in each turn
4. Then we return to the end of the thread, making another layer
5. Fasten the tail of the thread at the beginning of the thread
6. Apply plumbing paste
For those who know well how to wind tow, the number of layers is determined by eye. In most cases, 2-3 layers are enough. The main thing is that the thread is not visible under the linen, so that it completely covers the entire surface.
Before applying the paste, check the winding density. To do this, they try to scroll the flax. It should fit snugly against the thread and not move.
Twist the connection manually with with great effort and tighten with a wrench.
In theory - nothing complicated. In practice, it is unlikely that you will be able to make a high-quality connection the first time. We advise you to make several trial options. This way you will understand how to properly wind flax on the thread, and whether it is worth using this sealant at all.
What instead of flax?
Plumbing linen, in addition to being inconvenient to apply, has a number of disadvantages:
Short shelf life of the compound - 3-5 years
Instability to aggressive environments
Work with pressure up to 6-8 atmospheres
Risk of corrosion on threads
An alternative to tow is polymer threads and anaerobic gels. Anaerobic sealants are designed for sealing threaded and flanged metal connections, and threads (winding) are allowed to be used on plastic.
If you compare the price of flax and paste with an easy-to-use and effective modern sealant, the difference is almost unnoticeable. Just a few tens of rubles. And the connection quality, assembly speed and service life cannot even be compared.
Polymer plumbing thread and anaerobic sealants:
Allowed to work in aggressive environments and systems drinking water
Withstand pressure of 40 atmospheres and above, as well as vibrations and changes
Protects threads from corrosion and leaks for 20 years
Does not require training and is accompanied detailed instructions
They do not dry out and retain their properties for several years after opening the package.
Forms a connection stronger than the pipes themselves
Don't know how to wind flax onto a thread? Choose sealants with which such problems will not arise.
Flax plus paste: thread sealing in plumbing and heating
Linen and paste are such an easy-to-use thing that even a beginner won’t leak the first thread. So I used flax and paste when I sculpted my heating system for the first time, and not a single connection leaked. Why flax and pasta? Before that I used fulenta. And I must admit, it wasn’t always possible to get it right the first time without modifications.
What is plumbing paste
Paste is something like graphite lubricant. It’s a bit like automotive CV joint grease, but automotive grease is greasy and gets your hands very dirty.
How to properly wind flax on a thread
And the paste also gets dirty, of course, but can be washed off with soap without any problems. Linen + pasta sets are often sold in stores as a set in one package. Well, you can also buy them separately.
So let's get started. To begin with, I rolled out this flagellum from flax:
Then I coated the thread thin layer pasta. I smeared it directly with my finger (this is a combination coupling onto which control valves for connecting radiators were screwed):
After this, he began to wind a flax flagellum onto the thread, recessing it into the turns of the thread, trying to get the flax fibers smeared in the paste. When the second turn began, it was additionally coated with paste on top as it was wound.
In the end, this is what happened:
Only Unipak used the paste. There was another one in the store, I don’t remember what brand, half the price, but for some reason I didn’t dare buy it. The entire heating system took less than two small 65 gram tubes! And I didn’t save it, I spent as much as needed.
Each radiator has 3 1/2 inch threaded connections. There are 8 radiators in total, for a total of 24 connections.
2 plugs and 2 American plugs for a gas boiler with a 1 1/2 (one and a half) inch thread. Total 4 connections
Electric boiler: 2 adapters with threads 1 1/2 inches to 1 1/4 inches + two American ones to 1 1/4. Total 4 connections.
Two connections per dirt filter - 1 inch
Two connections per circulation pump— 1 inch.
And a little detail - a pressure gauge, safety valve, expansion tank, what else is there. That seems to be all.
For small threads (1/2 inch) very little paste is used, literally a few drops. The main expense was for boilers, filters, pumps, where there are threads of an inch or more.
The summary is this: working with flax and pasta is easy and convenient.
And the fact that your hands get dirty, and if you grab the white polypropylene pipe, then the pipe is nonsense. Hands are washed with soap, the pipe is simply wiped with a cloth.
You can give your rating by clicking on the appropriate arrow:
How to wind flax on a thread?
Hello dear homemade people.
Until now, the best winding for thread is linen. First, I will justify this statement, and then we will analyze the execution process piece by piece.
The first alternative to flax is fum tape. There are at least three reasons why it should be abandoned.
1. It is unknown who made it, despite what is indicated on the label, which means there are no guarantees of quality.
2. It takes a long time to wind it.
3. When tightening the thread, especially when installing valves, it is impossible to correct its position, that is, you can only tighten it forward. If you push it back a little, the connection on the gun will leak.
The second alternative is a Tangit unilock pipe with a lock. I won’t argue about the lock - it’s dead, but as for the key: consider that they screwed it up and threw the key away, so you can’t find it.
You can't unscrew it, you can only cut it.
Linen is a completely different matter.
Here are four reasons why it's worth using:
1. One hundred percent guarantee against leakage.
2. Speed and accuracy of execution.
3. The ability to adjust any connection back and forth, without the risk of leakage.
4. Easy disassembly, regardless of service life.
Now how all this is done.
Everyone knows that flax is not wound dry. Previously, it was impregnated with paint, but now, thanks to technological progress, silicone has appeared.
If the connection with paint looked very untidy, and you had to disassemble it with a blowtorch, then with silicone it was a completely different matter.
The main thing is to use solid silicones. These include: KimTek 101E, Olimp, Macroflex, since they, in addition to cushioning, also have adhesive properties. With other brands, the connection turns out to be too flexible, although it still does not leak.
So, we take a part with a thread, a flax braid, a syringe with silicone, and separate a small part from the braid for winding.
How much to pinch off from a braid? Each case is different. First you need to try wrapping the folder in a case. Sometimes it wraps very easily, sometimes it wraps tightly (just like in life), and depending on this, the amount of winding is chosen.
But in general, after the first time it will become clear. If it squeezes out too much, then take less.
First, we apply silicone to the thread, then, leaving a small tail, and pressing it with your thumb to the part, in the direction of the thread, we tightly wind the flax, trying to cover the entire surface with it, that is, so that it does not go in a strand.
If during the winding process you realize that there is already too much flax, simply tear off the rest. We also run the remaining tail in the direction of the thread.
After that, with your finger, we smooth the entire winding so that the hairs do not stick out on the sides, and most importantly, do not block the passage hole.
Now we wrap it, making sure that part of the winding is squeezed out. It can be easily removed with a rag, and the harder you press the rag against the part, the more accurate the connection will be.
This is how flax winding is done.
I wish you success in your work.
Section Construction >>>Subsection Heating>>>
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Not everyone knows that tow is also called plumbing flax, but the fact that it serves as an excellent sealed connector for any threaded element is familiar to many. In addition, a novice plumber may be confused by such a simple procedure as winding flax around butt joints. Let's consider the process of correctly winding tow, so that in the future you will not have to redo any work in which it was involved.
It doesn’t matter what needs to be connected to each other - when doing plumbing or any other work, the elements of the threaded connection must be sealed to create a tightness. IN in this case A classic and cheap option for winding is tow. It is suitable for absolutely any type of joint elements, if, of course, it is wound correctly. The advantages of this seal also include the fact that during service it swells and increases in volume. This ability will help close any leak, even if it forms immediately after connection. However, winding tow requires some skill, taking into account some points. This process will be discussed below. First, pay attention to the type of thread. They come in two main types - clean thread (without notches) and thread with serrations (notches). In the first case, tightness will not be achieved even by winding flax, because it will simply slide and bunch up in the process of fastening the elements. Therefore, first prepare the thread - take any available tool (hacksaw, needle file, pliers, etc.) and make notches on the smooth thread yourself. Now the flax fibers will cling perfectly to the artificially created notches.If the flax winding was carried out correctly, it was taken into account required thickness twisted rope, its uniform and careful distribution along the thread turns, without gaps - the threaded connection will serve you as long and stably as possible.
The debate about what is better to use as a sealant for threaded connections (windings) - flax or fum tape - has not subsided for years. This situation is explained by the fact that it is impossible to give an unambiguous answer to this question. For each type of work, either flax or fum tape is preferable. And often the recommendation of one does not exclude the use of an alternative sealant. If plumbers cannot come to a common opinion among themselves, what can we say about non-professionals? But even mere mortals sometimes need to connect something together. And it’s hermetically sealed. Let’s try to break down the recommendations “on the shelves”. About the properties of fum tape and its winding technology. And today our review is dedicated to flax, or tow, for plumbing work.
The content of the article: |
Plumbing flax: cheap and cheerful
Linen is a classic winding. Sometimes it is called tow in the old fashioned way.
Advantages of flax for plumbing work:
- Low price. Cheaper than any other winding. When purchasing, you need to pay attention to quality. Good flax is sold in a braid or loose coil, has no lumps, and is clean (light in appearance).
- Versatility. Suitable for any type of connection. Of course, with proper winding.
- The ability to increase volume during swelling. That is, if immediately after the connection there is a small leak, it very soon “closes” itself. Flax fibers get wet and, swelling, cover small leaks.
- Mechanical resistance. The only material that allows you to more accurately orient plumbing fixtures. You can, if necessary, make a half-turn back without losing the tightness.
But there are also disadvantages:
- It is mandatory to use accompanying materials with it (litol, grease, fum-leta, sealing paste, silicone, Oil paint). Linen is of organic origin. And like any organic matter, it has a tendency to rot, especially under the combined influence of water and air. And air enters the water supply or heating systems during repairs or preventive inspections, which must be carried out annually. The accompanying material is designed to prevent rotting.
- Requires special thread preparation. Many manufacturers of fittings make their threads already prepared for winding with flax. The threads have notches. If they are not there, then they need to be applied to plumbers (with a file, pliers, or less often with a hacksaw). They are needed so that the flax, during the joining process, does not slip along the turns of the thread and does not come together in a bundle.
- Requires caution in brass and bronze connections. Too much thick layer may break the thread and cracks will appear.
- Plumbing linen is the only material that is very demanding in terms of compliance with winding rules. In addition to the already mentioned preparation of the thread, you need to prepare the flax itself: soak it with the accompanying material to prevent rotting. Then wind, observing the direction of the thread turns, that is, against the winding. Bring the ends of the fibers outside the thread area, pull them and, holding them with your finger, screw the connection onto the thread and tighten.
- Disadvantages include the fact that the accompanying materials (not all) prevent the dismantling of connections (for example, to replace part of the system, connect new elements, or in the event of a leak). Silicone and paint glue the parts of the connection to each other in such a way that the process of separation can be quite difficult, sometimes simply impossible. The same problems arise when disconnecting steel elements, when incorrectly wound flax (or without accompanying material) as a result of rotting allows rust to occur in the threaded connection.
Which is better: linen or fum tape?
When it comes to sealing threaded connections, the first thought that comes to mind is plumbing. When installing a water supply system for cold water from steel pipes Neither flax nor fum tape have obvious advantages. The main thing is to wind the seal correctly. But when this water supply is installed from or, fum tape is preferable. Its advantage in this case is explained by speed. Non-metallic water pipes are installed faster than steel ones. And reducing the installation speed just because of winding (and winding flax is more difficult and takes longer) is not effective. In addition, the threads of the fittings are smooth and neat, and in such conditions fum tape is more effective. But it should be remembered that when connecting fittings with a diameter greater than 20 mm, fum tape is inferior in sealing quality. In such connections, plumbing flax turns out to be more effective.
Installation of plumbing for hot water and heating dictates its own requirements. Including in terms of winding. In addition to the presence of water in the pipes, you need to consider that it is hot. That is, the winding must not only be airtight, but also resist the effects of temperature. Fum tape has not proven itself to be the best in this regard. At the moment of connection, the fum tape splits into fibers and they clog the voids of the connection, blocking the passages for water. Under influence high temperatures, which must be present in the heating system and are possible in the hot water supply system, these fibers are compressed. Often this is enough to cause a leak. Linen is temperature resistant.
If we take into account the other properties of these materials, it is worth noting the low cost of flax, even taking into account the accompanying material. Fum tape is more expensive. Not by much, but when carrying out large-scale work this difference can be significant. But the use of fum tape, as already noted, increases the installation speed.
There are also cases when the most effective is a combination of flax and fum tape. The turns of the fum tape are laid with flax fibers. Or vice versa, one or two turns of fum tape are wound over the flax winding. This decision is not often made by plumbers, due to the peculiarities of the installation or operation conditions of the pipeline.
And lastly, winding flax requires a certain skill from the plumber. Fum tape is not so demanding on this process.
Photo: depositphotos.com
How to wind flax on a thread?
Before you start winding flax, you need to prepare the thread. The fact is that on a clean and even thread, the flax during the joining process may not hold on, slip, or get bunched up. Of course, in this case there can be no question of any sealing. The threads should have serrations that will catch the flax fibers. This will allow the winding to stay in place and provide a seal. These notches are made with a needle file, a file, and, if possible, with a hacksaw. In extreme cases, you can use pliers to strongly squeeze the thread in a circle; the ribbed jaws will leave nicks on the thread turns. Manufacturers of fittings often produce threads already prepared for plumbing linen.
Then a strand of fibers is separated from the flax braid. It is important to choose a strand of suitable thickness so that the winding is neither thin nor too thick. There should be no lumps in the strand: if there are any, they need to be removed. Some plumbers twist a strand of flax fibers before winding, some braid thin braids, and some wind the strand as is, loose. It doesn't matter what suits you. This does not affect the final result.
Then there are two options for subsequent actions. You can apply the accompanying material to the thread, wind dry flax fibers and then apply another layer of material. Or you can rewind flax strands already soaked in the accompanying substance. In terms of efficiency, there is no difference between these methods. The result will be the same.
In any case, you need to wind the flax turns in the direction of the thread. The end of the strand is clamped with a finger outside the thread, the first turn is made as a “lock”. That is, it is applied with a cross to clamp the end. Then the strand is wound as tightly as possible, turn to turn, without gaps. After winding is completed, the end of the strand is glued to the accompanying material closer to the edge of the thread.