Belfast sinks and tap maintenance
Mr B
a friend mentioned that the taps can be a nightmare to maintain after
they are fitted.
The problem apparently is that the taps become inaccessible, since
they are underneath the (fixed) worktop and the belfast sink support
(cupboard underneath) doesn't provide any access method to the back of
the sink - other than by having to rip the back of the cupboad off.
:-( This is contrast to suspended sink units where you can reach
underneath to get round the back etc.
Does anyone have any good ideas how to make these BS installations
more maintainable?
--
Mr B
Dave Fawthrop
wrote:
The sheds all sell flexible pipes for this purpose. Both short for sinks
and long for baths.
--
Dave Fawthrop <dave hyphenologist co uk>
Freedom of Speech, Expression, Religion, and Democracy are
the keys to Civilization, together with legal acceptance of
Fundamental Human rights.
Capitol
I find this fashion interesting. We managed to dump Belfast sinks half
a century ago, as they were and still are, a nightmare to maintain a
cleanable, watertight joints between the sink and the wooden surface.
Not to mention that, they chip, and are death to any pottery which you
happen to have. They do seem to be in demand however as garden plant
containers. Not much use as a reply I suppose, but a warning to others
who may be tempted by the "fashion" trend. A friend's designer label
resin sink, which is also a nightmare to keep clean (hard water area)
has just split, as a result of standing a hot saucepan on the draining
board. I didn't know this could happen.
Regards
Capitol
Mary Fisher
"Capitol" <cap...@spamfree.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:dsqki9$o3l$1...@newsg4.svr.pol.co.uk...
>
> I find this fashion interesting.
It's worse than that, it's bizarre!
> We managed to dump Belfast sinks half a century ago, as they were and
> still are, a nightmare to maintain a cleanable, watertight joints between
> the sink and the wooden surface.
We were talking about this yesterday, ours was taken out atthe first
opportunity, together with its smelly drainingboard. That was in 1964.
Somehow we've acquired another eight of different sizes, they live in the
garden because we can't be bothered to move them and one's a pond, begun by
a son when doing GCEbiology in 1980. But a friend said that they were
fetching Ł90 apiece on Ebay.
I can't be bothered with either the sinks or Ebay.
> Not to mention that, they chip, and are death to any pottery which you
> happen to have. They do seem to be in demand however as garden plant
> containers.
And sinks, apparently.
> Not much use as a reply I suppose,
Interesting, though,
Mary
> Regards
> Capitol
Christian McArdle
>> still are, a nightmare to maintain a cleanable, watertight joints
>> between the sink and the wooden surface.
>
> We were talking about this yesterday, ours was taken out atthe first
> opportunity, together with its smelly drainingboard. That was in 1964.
I confess we got one when we redid our kitchen. I don't know what your
problems with them are. I find it much superior to a standard steel/plastic
kitchen sink. The deepness is great for washing pans and filling buckets.
Christian.
John Stumbles
I think it depends on the design of the units. Obviously a Belfast/Butler
sink is deeper so it's that bit harder to reach the tap connections
from underneath, but it shouldn't be impossible: that would be plain bad
design. (To put it in context I've come across a conventional sink where
it was just plain impossible to get at the taps from below, too.)
Phil
Mr B wrote:
> Does anyone have any good ideas how to make these BS installations
> more maintainable?
> --
> Mr B
Yes. To be authentic, the taps should be fixed by an elbow to the wall
above the sink with exposed plumbing. Maintenance couldn't be easier!
Phil.
Mary Fisher
"Phil" <philip_b...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1139917710.7...@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
LOL!
The piping to ours was in the wall over the sink, they were tiles over. The
outlets for the taps are still there, threaded brass. But disconnected.
I don't think they would be easy to maintain but they were part of the tidy
thirties fashion when piping wasn't to be seen.
My godfather was a master plumber, when I was a child the bathroom in his
large Victorian house was terrifying, he had heated copper towel rails, a
fancy shower system, hot and cold water - all with exposed and beautifully
shiny copper pipes (polished by the housekeeper, not him). His bath was huge
... probably porcelain. I didn't understand the controls, the piping was a
labyrinth.
At home we had one sink in the scullery with cold water until my mother put
in an Ascot geyser. Outside lav and warm baths at the municipal facilities
next to the communal wash house, so UncleBill's fancy plumbing was a child's
fantasy.
Mary
>
> Phil.
>
Mr B
utility room where a large deep sink is great for filling buckets,
washing large items etc. Also it doesn't look bad in a hard water area
- unlike stainless steel.
Back to the original problem, I think the design just has not been
considered. I'm not sure how flexible pipe connectors solve the issue,
it's the accessibilty to the underside of the taps that is the main
problem. I think that having some sort of detachable back to the
supporting cupboard underneath is the only sol'n.
--
Mr B
Chris Bacon
> Back to the original problem, I think the design just has not been
> considered. I'm not sure how flexible pipe connectors solve the issue,
> it's the accessibilty to the underside of the taps that is the main
> problem. I think that having some sort of detachable back to the
> supporting cupboard underneath is the only sol'n.
How often do you need access to the taps? Fit them with the
sink unmounted, with extra long pipework ending in a compression
coupling, mount the thing, and connect up.
Christian McArdle
> considered. I'm not sure how flexible pipe connectors solve the issue,
> it's the accessibilty to the underside of the taps that is the main
> problem.
In my case, I found it easier to access via holes cut in the units either
side of the Belfast unit, rather than from underneath. I used flexies, too.
Christian.
Andy Hall
<mary....@zetnet.co.uk> wrote:
>
>The piping to ours was in the wall over the sink, they were tiles over. The
>outlets for the taps are still there, threaded brass. But disconnected.
Are they clean? As we all know, "where there's muck, there's brass".
Is the reverse true?
>
>I don't think they would be easy to maintain but they were part of the tidy
>thirties fashion when piping wasn't to be seen.
>
>My godfather was a master plumber, when I was a child the bathroom in his
>large Victorian house was terrifying, he had heated copper towel rails, a
>fancy shower system, hot and cold water - all with exposed and beautifully
>shiny copper pipes (polished by the housekeeper, not him).
Quite right too.
> His bath was huge
>... probably porcelain. I didn't understand the controls, the piping was a
>labyrinth.
>
>At home we had one sink in the scullery with cold water until my mother put
>in an Ascot geyser.
Was she CORGI regsitered, or was this in the sense of Brunel building
bridges?
>Outside lav and warm baths at the municipal facilities
>next to the communal wash house, so UncleBill's fancy plumbing was a child's
>fantasy.
>
>Mary
>
>>
>> Phil.
>>
>
--
.andy
Andy Hall
wrote:
>For the Belfast sink nay-sayers ;-) it is actually going into a
Why the problem?
- Fit taps, plumb and test first.
- Fit sink and connect waste.
--
.andy
Mary Fisher
"Andy Hall" <an...@hall.nospam> wrote in message
news:c4m3v1tverno2ti3i...@4ax.com...
> On Tue, 14 Feb 2006 12:29:27 -0000, "Mary Fisher"
> <mary....@zetnet.co.uk> wrote:
>
>
>>
>>The piping to ours was in the wall over the sink, they were tiles over.
>>The
>>outlets for the taps are still there, threaded brass. But disconnected.
>
> Are they clean? As we all know, "where there's muck, there's brass".
That's a southern thing. In Yorkshire we use the alliterative, "Where
there's muck there's money". Southerners have heard of muck and brass so
connect the two, I suppose they think it's witty. Daft I call it.
> Is the reverse true?
They're not clean. They're very dark and full of some kind of web. And dust.
Life's too short to clean embedded brass plumbing fittings. We left them
because we can't replace the tiles and anyway we had a feeling that Belfast
sinks would become fashionable again and if someone wanted to be a real
purist they'd need the tap connections. Somewhere he has the taps. Trendy
southerners are moving up here in droves. And 4 x 4s.
>
>>
>>My godfather was a master plumber, when I was a child the bathroom in his
>>large Victorian house was terrifying, he had heated copper towel rails, a
>>fancy shower system, hot and cold water - all with exposed and beautifully
>>shiny copper pipes (polished by the housekeeper, not him).
>
> Quite right too.
Indeed. He was very busy plumbing and buying antique musical automata, hewas
a widower and his two motherless sons needed to be well cared for. The sons
went to Australia or SA to mine precious metals, made a lot of money and
came back, one became a famous cartoonist, the other a plumber.
>
>>
>>At home we had one sink in the scullery with cold water until my mother
>>put
>>in an Ascot geyser.
>
> Was she CORGI regsitered,
It hadn't been invented in the 1940s, there was still sanity around. Or the
government was otherwise occupied recovering from the war. She did what my
dad didn't have time to do because he was busy doing shift work to provide a
living for us. Quite right too. Someone needs to, just as someone needs to
clean copper pipes and make meals.
> or was this in the sense of Brunel building
> bridges?
er - ?
Mary
>
Mary Fisher
"Christian McArdle" <cmcar...@nospam.yahooxxxx.co.uk> wrote in message
news:43f1b6fa$0$276$4d4e...@read.news.uk.uu.net...
>>> We managed to dump Belfast sinks half a century ago, as they were and
>>> still are, a nightmare to maintain a cleanable, watertight joints
>>> between the sink and the wooden surface.
>>
>> opportunity, together with its smelly drainingboard. That was in 1964.
>
> I confess we got one when we redid our kitchen. I don't know what your
> problems with them are. I find it much superior to a standard
> steel/plastic
> kitchen sink. The deepness is great for washing pans and filling buckets.
Well, our steel sink is an old one (2nd hand in 1964) with integral double
drainers, which don't harbour anything nasty, they're very easy to clean.
It's way big enough to clean the biggest pan (I have and use several) and
buckets aren't a problem either.
That's because, as has been explained before on this ng, we have two
swivelling swan necked laboratory taps under which the deepest bucket or
watering can could be filled. Not that we often have buckets in the sink and
the watering can is filled from the butts outside these days.
Steel is kinder on crockery, it doesn't chip and, if necessary, is easier to
move.
I wouldn't have plastic for the world though and modern double sinks are
simply mad. Well, they wouldn't suit me, I like to have plenty of room to
accommodate equipment too.
Mary
>
> Christian.
>
>
Christian McArdle
Ah. Crockery goes in the dishwasher. The Belfast is only for pans, really.
Christian.
Mary Fisher
>> Steel is kinder on crockery,
>
> Ah. Crockery goes in the dishwasher. The Belfast is only for pans, really.
Yes, most of our crockery goes in the dishwasher, unless it has a special
surface. Perhaps I should have included glasses -we don't trust the
dishwasher with them.
Why don't your pans go in the dishwasher?
Mary
>
> Christian.
>
>
>
Christian McArdle
really.
>
There's normally no room and they're no hassle to wash manually. Although
I'll bung one or two in to make up the space if there happens to be any when
I'm kicking it off.
Christian.
John
easily disconnect the drain and slide it out for access to the taps.
John
Andy Hall
<mary....@zetnet.co.uk> wrote:
>
>"Andy Hall" <an...@hall.nospam> wrote in message
>news:c4m3v1tverno2ti3i...@4ax.com...
>> On Tue, 14 Feb 2006 12:29:27 -0000, "Mary Fisher"
>> <mary....@zetnet.co.uk> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>
>>>The piping to ours was in the wall over the sink, they were tiles over.
>>>The
>>>outlets for the taps are still there, threaded brass. But disconnected.
>>
>> Are they clean? As we all know, "where there's muck, there's brass".
>
>That's a southern thing. In Yorkshire we use the alliterative, "Where
>there's muck there's money". Southerners have heard of muck and brass so
>connect the two, I suppose they think it's witty. Daft I call it.
Well I don't know. It seems that they're all called Postlethwaite
anyway.
>
>> Is the reverse true?
>
>They're not clean. They're very dark and full of some kind of web. And dust.
>Life's too short to clean embedded brass plumbing fittings. We left them
>because we can't replace the tiles and anyway we had a feeling that Belfast
>sinks would become fashionable again and if someone wanted to be a real
>purist they'd need the tap connections. Somewhere he has the taps. Trendy
>southerners are moving up here in droves. And 4 x 4s.
>>
But where are they going? t'pennines?
>
>>>
>>>My godfather was a master plumber, when I was a child the bathroom in his
>>>large Victorian house was terrifying, he had heated copper towel rails, a
>>>fancy shower system, hot and cold water - all with exposed and beautifully
>>>shiny copper pipes (polished by the housekeeper, not him).
>>
>> Quite right too.
>
>Indeed. He was very busy plumbing and buying antique musical automata, hewas
>a widower and his two motherless sons needed to be well cared for.
Ah. He spread his Maker's image around a bit then?
>The sons
>went to Australia or SA to mine precious metals, made a lot of money and
>came back, one became a famous cartoonist, the other a plumber.
SA would be good. Oz is just for crims.
>>
>
>>>
>>>At home we had one sink in the scullery with cold water until my mother
>>>put
>>>in an Ascot geyser.
>>
>> Was she CORGI regsitered,
>
>It hadn't been invented in the 1940s, there was still sanity around. Or the
>government was otherwise occupied recovering from the war. She did what my
>dad didn't have time to do because he was busy doing shift work to provide a
>living for us. Quite right too. Someone needs to, just as someone needs to
>clean copper pipes and make meals.
>
>> or was this in the sense of Brunel building
>> bridges?
>
>er - ?
You can read about Brunel building bridges and Bazalgette building
sewers. Did this mean that they rolled up their sleeves? Doubtful.
>
>Mary
>>
>
--
.andy
Matt
<mary....@zetnet.co.uk> wrote:
>That's a southern thing. In Yorkshire we use the alliterative, "Where
>there's muck there's money". Southerners have heard of muck and brass so
>connect the two, I suppose they think it's witty. Daft I call it.
reet funny bit o' Yorksha thars bin browt up i' then. ars 'eard
"wheear ther's muk ther's brass" reet cross t' areeur 'n even intoa
foreign lands across t' 'ill. most o' t' usage will av bin fram those
naw aged atwixt 60 'n 90.
--
Mary Fisher
"Andy Hall" <an...@hall.nospam> wrote in message
>>>
>>> As we all know, "where there's muck, there's brass".
>>
>>That's a southern thing. In Yorkshire we use the alliterative, "Where
>>there's muck there's money". Southerners have heard of muck and brass so
>>connect the two, I suppose they think it's witty. Daft I call it.
>
> Well I don't know. It seems that they're all called Postlethwaite
> anyway.
What - the southerners?
>
>
>>
>>> Is the reverse true?
>>
>> Trendy
>>southerners are moving up here in droves. And 4 x 4s.
>>>
>
> But where are they going? t'pennines?
Sadly no, Leeds mostly.
>
>
>>
>>>>
>>>>My godfather was a master plumber, when I was a child the bathroom in
>>>>his
>>>>large Victorian house was terrifying, he had heated copper towel rails,
>>>>a
>>>>fancy shower system, hot and cold water - all with exposed and
>>>>beautifully
>>>>shiny copper pipes (polished by the housekeeper, not him).
>>>
>>> Quite right too.
>>
>>Indeed. He was very busy plumbing and buying antique musical automata,
>>hewas
>>a widower and his two motherless sons needed to be well cared for.
>
> Ah. He spread his Maker's image around a bit then?
?
>
>>The sons
>>went to Australia or SA to mine precious metals, made a lot of money and
>>came back, one became a famous cartoonist, the other a plumber.
>
> SA would be good.
Not in those days.
> Oz is just for crims.
Don't be daft.
>
>>>>
>>>>At home we had one sink in the scullery with cold water until my mother
>>>>put
>>>>in an Ascot geyser.
>>>
>>> Was she CORGI regsitered,
>>
>>It hadn't been invented in the 1940s, there was still sanity around. Or
>>the
>>government was otherwise occupied recovering from the war. She did what my
>>dad didn't have time to do because he was busy doing shift work to provide
>>a
>>living for us. Quite right too. Someone needs to, just as someone needs to
>>clean copper pipes and make meals.
>>
>>> or was this in the sense of Brunel building
>>> bridges?
>>
>>er - ?
>
> You can read about Brunel building bridges and Bazalgette building
> sewers. Did this mean that they rolled up their sleeves? Doubtful.
Perhaps they wore pinnies.
>
Mary Fisher
"Matt" <pa...@duluxthesh.aggydog.com> wrote in message
news:h906v1pr7lj2j1dpu...@4ax.com...
Some do think it's clever, therefore posh.
>
>
>
>
> --
Andy Hall
<mary....@zetnet.co.uk> wrote:
>
>"Andy Hall" <an...@hall.nospam> wrote in message
>news:ivo4v1db1gtp2vji9...@4ax.com...
>>>>
>>>> As we all know, "where there's muck, there's brass".
>>>
>>>That's a southern thing. In Yorkshire we use the alliterative, "Where
>>>there's muck there's money". Southerners have heard of muck and brass so
>>>connect the two, I suppose they think it's witty. Daft I call it.
>>
>> Well I don't know. It seems that they're all called Postlethwaite
>> anyway.
>
>What - the southerners?
You mean Sheffield people?
>>
>>
>>>
>>>> Is the reverse true?
>>>
>>> Trendy
>>>southerners are moving up here in droves. And 4 x 4s.
>>>>
>>
>> But where are they going? t'pennines?
>
>Sadly no, Leeds mostly.
Hmmmm.....
>
>?
>>
>>>The sons
>>>went to Australia or SA to mine precious metals, made a lot of money and
>>>came back, one became a famous cartoonist, the other a plumber.
>>
>> SA would be good.
>
>Not in those days.
'tis now.
>
>> Oz is just for crims.
>
>Don't be daft.
SA wines are better though.
>>
>>>>>
>>>>>At home we had one sink in the scullery with cold water until my mother
>>>>>put
>>>>>in an Ascot geyser.
>>>>
>>>> Was she CORGI regsitered,
>>>
>>>It hadn't been invented in the 1940s, there was still sanity around. Or
>>>the
>>>government was otherwise occupied recovering from the war. She did what my
>>>dad didn't have time to do because he was busy doing shift work to provide
>>>a
>>>living for us. Quite right too. Someone needs to, just as someone needs to
>>>clean copper pipes and make meals.
>>>
>>>> or was this in the sense of Brunel building
>>>> bridges?
>>>
>>>er - ?
>>
>> You can read about Brunel building bridges and Bazalgette building
>> sewers. Did this mean that they rolled up their sleeves? Doubtful.
>
>Perhaps they wore pinnies.
>>
>
That could be....
--
.andy
Mary Fisher
"Andy Hall" <an...@hall.nospam> wrote in message
> On Wed, 15 Feb 2006 12:22:43 -0000, "Mary Fisher"
> <mary....@zetnet.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>
>>"Andy Hall" <an...@hall.nospam> wrote in message
>>news:ivo4v1db1gtp2vji9...@4ax.com...
>>>>>
>>>>> As we all know, "where there's muck, there's brass".
>>>>
>>>>That's a southern thing. In Yorkshire we use the alliterative, "Where
>>>>there's muck there's money". Southerners have heard of muck and brass so
>>>>connect the two, I suppose they think it's witty. Daft I call it.
>>>
>>> Well I don't know. It seems that they're all called Postlethwaite
>>> anyway.
>>
>>What - the southerners?
>
> You mean Sheffield people?
Look, the south starts at the other side of the river. The River Aire. So
your geography is right - which I'd expect from such a well travelled man.
I don't know anyone called Postlethwaite.
>
>>>
>>>
>>>>
>>>>> Is the reverse true?
>>>>
>>>> Trendy
>>>>southerners are moving up here in droves. And 4 x 4s.
>>>>>
>>>
>>> But where are they going? t'pennines?
>>
>>Sadly no, Leeds mostly.
>
> Hmmmm.....
Quite. We don't want 'em. We want to keep what we have to ourselves.
>
>
>
>
>>
>>> Oz is just for crims.
>>
>>Don't be daft.
>
> SA wines are better though.
That depends on what you're eating.
>
>