How can you replace tow in needlework? What is better for insulating a wooden house: foam or caulk. Positive aspects of thread
Everyday life quite often forces a person to spend minor repairs, during which winding is required. This could be a radiator, as well as plumbing fixtures. Every House master must learn to use tow correctly, as it will be useful to him sooner or later. can be made of metal, plastic, metal-plastic or nylon; each type of material has adapters for connecting other pipes. About similar connections and we'll talk below.
For reference
Quite often, home craftsmen have to decide how to wind flax onto the tap thread. If you want to hermetically connect the elements of the water supply and pipes, then perform work called packing. If it is necessary to pack two pipes at right angles using a coupling, it is best to cut threads at their ends. The coupling will contain internal thread and outer turns. Twisting them will not be enough; for a proper connection, the threads must be sealed.
Description of flax tow
Before you wind flax on a thread, you should become more familiar with what flax is. fibrous material, which is used to seal threads. The product is natural, it is made from the primary processing of fine, uniform and long-fiber flax. Area of use flax tow very wide. Depending on the manufacturing technology, the material can be tape, plumbing, jute or construction. In the latter case, we are talking about insulation, which can ensure reliable tightness of almost any connections. For its production, fully combed fibers are used, which are supplied in bales. This material is used for construction work for sealing seams, insulating the log house and laying wooden elements. It is natural, which is especially valued among those who build wooden houses. If construction tow is supplied in rolls, then it is called tape. This material is also used for caulking seams in log houses and laying crowns. The advantage of using flax is its cost. The material is much cheaper compared to any other. It is consumed economically; the fibers, although thin, have high strength. If you wind them correctly, they can be used for any type of work where any connections are used. These can be ceramic and cast iron pipes.
Additional benefits
Before you wrap flax on threads, you should know that it swells as it absorbs moisture. This allows you to increase the tightness, because the leakage has no paths. The mechanical stability of the material is quite high; it is this characteristic that makes it possible to adjust plumbing fixtures without losing the hermetic properties; connections can be unscrewed a full turn or half a turn.
Disadvantages of using flax
If you are thinking about how to wind flax on a thread, you should first become familiar with all the disadvantages of this material. The base material is organic, so it can rot when exposed to air and moisture. They can get inside during routine examinations. For this, tow is accompanied by additional material that can prevent rotting processes. This can be oil paint, sealing paste, lithol or solid oil.
In some cases, it is necessary to prepare the threads before winding, and if the material is laid in too thick a layer, this can cause damage to the connections, which is especially true for brass and bronze. If you are faced with the question of how to wind flax on a thread, you must remember that the seal being described requires the master to know the rules for winding. Related materials in combination with flax can significantly complicate disassembly, this applies to silicone or oil paint. Sometimes such additions make the installation process impossible. Flax is not suitable for use where temperatures can reach 90 °C. In such places, the material is welded and loses its sealing qualities. If you work with steel, you should definitely follow the winding technology. Otherwise, the threads may be subject to corrosion.
Winding flax onto a new thread
Before winding flax onto the thread, if it is new, you should prepare the turns. Many manufacturers today produce fittings that are already threaded, but the latter have notches that are intended for winding flax. The fact is that on a smooth thread the material can slip, it bunches up into a bunch, which leads to a violation of the seal. In order for the fibers to be able to hook, the turns must have serrations. If necessary, you can apply them with a file, a hacksaw or a file. Some craftsmen use a plumber's wrench or pliers: grasp the threads, and then apply notches with light pressure.
The main thing in this work is to achieve roughness on the turns. Before winding flax onto the thread, it is necessary to separate one strand from the whole braid. It is important to capture enough fibers so that the winding is not very thin, but it should not be thick either. Experts advise using a linen thickness that corresponds to two or one match. If there are lumps in the strands, they need to be removed, as well as small villi.
Work methodology
You can apply tow according to own technology, some experts twist it into a rope, some braid it into a loose braid, while others put it in the form of a loose thread. The order in which additional material is applied may also vary. In some cases, you can lubricate the thread by wrapping it with fibers, and then apply another layer. Sometimes the fibers are pre-impregnated and then prepared. Both options are considered correct. If you are thinking about how to wind flax on a thread - clockwise or counterclockwise - then you can listen to the recommendations of experts, some of them wind the strands along the thread, others do the opposite. In this case, the end of the strand should be clamped with a finger outside the turns, the first turn should form a cross, this will allow the material to be fixed. There should be no gaps; you need to lay one turn to another. If you are making a connection, then excess material will be squeezed out of the fitting, this is true if you are working with iron pipe and a steel coupling. Brass connections, which is important for those that are manufactured according to modern technologies, burst under strong pressure.
Around the wound flax it is necessary to apply plumbing paste or any other sealing material, the movements must be rotational. The work should be as neat as possible. The second end should be glued closer to the edge of the thread, and before tightening, you need to check whether the pipe hole is filled with sealing material. Now you know, you can see photos of these works in the article. However, from them you will not be able to understand that it is necessary to tighten the elements with moderate force. If the nut goes easily, then little flax was put in. The winding will be correct if the material does not come out and the surfaces around the joint remain clean. For gas connections It is not recommended to use organic tow, this is due to the fact that under the influence of gas it and the silicone, which is used additionally, are destroyed. Here it is most appropriate to use fum tape.
Winding flax on ecoplastic products
If you are thinking about how to wind flax on a thread, then you can use the technology that is used in the case of working on ecoplastic products. This material, like brass, can burst. The main thing is not to overdo it. Before starting work, both fittings should be connected and the number of revolutions counted. The flax is wound evenly, its surface is coated additional material, only then can the fittings be connected. If at idle you counted 5 revolutions, then after winding the tape it is best to make about 4.5 revolutions, but you do not need to reach the end. In this case, it is more advisable to use packaging paste instead of sealant.
Conclusion
Quite often, home craftsmen wonder how to wind flax onto a pipe thread. In this case, you should dismantle the connection and inspect the thread. You need to go through the coils with the tip of a knife or an awl; this method will allow you to get rid of accumulated debris. Before winding the tape, use a wire brush to clean the coils until you see a shine.
Dear master! Is it possible to use penofol instead of tow, flax, and jute in the construction of a house made of timber? At first glance, the advantages are obvious. Penofol is elastic, waterproof, windproof, good insulation, easy to use. And why not use it as a spacer between the beams? And what are the contraindications? Thank you in advance.
Evgeny Vladimirovich, Pereslavl district, Krasnogor village.
Hello, Evgeny Vladimirovich from Krasnogor!
Penofol is an insulation material made from two main components, namely polyethylene foam and aluminum foil. Whatever type, type or brand it is.
Polyethylene foam is not natural material and, despite the almost unanimous statements of manufacturers and sellers about its complete environmental harmlessness, in my opinion, it is not.
As an example, I always cite the well-known dust (DDT), full nameethane, which at one time was advertised as completely harmless. I remember how they generously sprinkled clothes in closets to prevent moths, how they diluted water and then watered the greens in the beds in order to destroy all sorts of bad agricultural pests. In short, it was a panacea for all, or almost all, troubles and misfortunes.
A little over fifty years have passed and I don’t remember that this substance was used so widely anywhere. It is so harmful to the human body and capable of accumulating in it that it is used only in the most extreme cases to combat mass epidemics. When “I don’t care about fat, I wish I could live.”
Neither you, nor I, nor anyone else can say with 100% certainty in about twenty years or so that polytilene, which does not completely decompose during the entire time it was produced, does not have bad properties that are not currently known.
I am not a supporter of rejecting technical progress when using ever newer materials in construction, but I still give preference to the old ones, tested for many decades, or even hundreds of years.
At the right technology construction tow (linen, jute, hemp) the most durable and environmentally friendly cushioning material - insulation between wooden crowns in residential construction. At the same time, they must be completely dry (as well as the wood of logs, beams, etc.), and on the outside, on the street side, ideally they should be covered with drying oil or other types of coatings that protect the insulation from absorbing atmospheric moisture.
Yes, sometimes it is used as insulation and when coven-makers do not have normal tow on hand. But I am not aware of any cases of using penofol to fill the inter-crown space.
In my opinion, this is also due to another factor. Have you noticed that in both stone and wooden houses, waterproofing layer placed only on the base of the foundation. That is, further from this waterproofing layer there are solid walls, creating an array. Why is this done? Then, even with local, concentrated ingress of excess moisture onto any section of the wall, this moisture is not retained in one place, but is redistributed in all directions. And over time, this moisture evaporates not with little, but with larger area. As a result, there is no rotting of the wood and destruction of the masonry.
If you put penofol, then layers of aluminum foil through each crown will not allow moisture to penetrate onto one log (or wooden beam), to others and be redistributed with faster further drying from large area surfaces. With all the ensuing consequences.
But this is more from the realm of theory.
Tightness threaded connections It depends entirely on the packaging. And although only at first glance, winding flax on a thread does not represent anything complicated, as in any other matter, there are also subtleties and secrets here.
For example, it often happens that the tow is cut off by the thread or, on the contrary, comes out. In this case, it is necessary to scrape the thread, making small notches on it.
So, how to properly wind flax on a thread and the best way to lubricate tow in the process of sealing the thread will be discussed below.
Today, there are two most popular materials for sealing threads: fum tape and flax - also known as tow. Both materials for packaging threaded connections have both their positive and negative sides.
The advantages of flax for winding threads are low cost, durability in use and some other advantages. For example, flax swells when in contact with liquid and it often happens that a small leak heals the next day.
It is more convenient to work with tow and you certainly cannot do without it when winding cast iron threads and other threaded connections with large diameters.
To know how to properly wind flax on a thread, you need to remember the following:
- Winding flax onto the thread is done clockwise, or in other words, along the thread, in the direction of its twisting.
- After sealing the thread with tow, its surface is lubricated with a special paste to prevent rotting during operation.
- To prevent the flax from slipping off the thread during the process of winding it, small notches are made on threads made of non-ferrous metals (bronze, brass, copper) using pliers or plumbing crabs. You don't have to scrape black metal.
If you don’t yet know how to lubricate tow for carvings, then you should understand that both special purchased pastes, such as Unipak or plumbing sealants, and other lubricants, in particular litol and grease, are suitable for these purposes.
It is not very convenient to work with the latest lubricants for tow, since you cannot wash your hands from them afterwards, and the effect on flax during its operation may not be as positive as when using special lubricants and sealants.
To properly pack a thread with flax, you need to take a small amount from the whole “braid”, and from the beginning of the thread, start laying flax in each turn clockwise. In this case, it is important to ensure that the flax is wound evenly so that each turn of the thread contains approximately the same amount of flax.
You should not wrap flax tightly around the thread, since in this case it will be very difficult to tighten it later, and the risk of the thread bursting increases significantly. This is especially true for threaded connections made of non-ferrous metals, which have very thin walls and low strength.
It is normally believed that after winding tow on the thread, its upper edges are barely visible. In this case, installing a threaded connection with your own hands can be done quite easily and without excessive effort.
As a rule, you should not skimp on the amount of tow when winding threads made of ferrous metal - cast iron or steel. This is especially true for cast iron threads, from which, after screwing, the tow simply comes off.
After the flax is wound onto the thread, its surface is lubricated with sealant, and the paste must be pressed into the tow, and that in turn into the thread. Just do this again clockwise, or in the direction in which the flax is wound.
As paradoxical as it sounds, most plumbers manage to seal threaded connections... with tow, or, to put it into common language, with flax fibers. Flax with sealant, just flax - the imagination of the workers of the "plumbing field" is limitless. However, this approach cannot be explained otherwise than by inertial thinking. Tow, being a natural fiber, inevitably breaks down over time. The use of tow was justified in times of ordinary metal pipes, the main method of joining which was welding - and tow was present only at the junction of the pipe and the mixer. The number of threaded connections for metal-plastic pipes is many times greater, and the service life is much longer. As a result, there is a huge likelihood of leaks in threaded connections after a few years.
To avoid troubles, we recommend that you clarify with the contractors what specific sealing materials they plan to use before starting work. As you already understood, flax and its derivatives are unacceptable - require the use of modern polymer sealing materials, only they guarantee the reliability, tightness and durability of the thread. A small digression: if you urgently need to change the faucet, you don’t want to run for a supply of polymer sealant, and you plan to carry out the work in person - you can use an ordinary thin packaging bag from the nearest supermarket (not paper), simply wrapping it around the thread. However, let’s return to professional materials: Italian, German, Polish materials, Chinese and naturally domestic brands are quite widely represented on the market. There is not much difference between them.
The main difference between new polymer sealing materials compared to traditional ones is the stability of their properties throughout their entire service life, high reliability, ease of use and tightness of joints. Polymer seals can be divided into two types: pipe winding and plumbing anaerobic sealants. They differ in “form factor” and method of application.
When choosing a material for sealing threads, you should take into account the conditions in which installation will take place (temperature environment above 15C or lower), connection operating conditions (heating, hot or cold drinking water, presence of antifreeze in the system), connection materials (metal-to-metal, plastic-to-metal and also type of metal), connection accessibility (easy access or difficult, need for subsequent connection access). To put it simply, for threaded connections that you do not plan to disassemble in the future (for example, heating), it is better to use an anaerobic sealant, but for systems that are periodically disassembled (faucets, showers, water filters, and water supply systems in general) It is better to use pipe winding. However, you can get by with just one type of polymer seal.
How to use a polymer seal? The diagrams for winding and sealing are different, so we will present them sequentially. So, if the choice fell on winding: it is necessary to clean the thread from obvious dirt, for which it is enough to wipe with a rag, then pull the recommended amount of thread out of the box and cut it with a built-in knife, the thread should be wound randomly, crossing the turns of the thread, crosswise (in the middle of the thread, it is advisable to wind several more than at the edges), then use keys to connect the threaded elements as tightly as possible. Connections assembled on threads can be checked for leaks immediately after twisting. Another option is to use FUM tape (tape made of fluoroplastic sealing material) - we wrap it tightly around the thread and cut off the edge, the rest is as described above.
If you decide to use a sealant, then: it is highly advisable to degrease the threads by wiping them with a rag moistened with an alcohol solution, glass cleaning fluid, etc.; Next, take a brush and carefully coat the threaded grooves, cover the entire outer and initial turns with a layer of gel inner surface threads in an amount sufficient to fill the threaded gap as a whole. After the composition is applied, it is necessary to twist and unscrew the connection several times without disconnecting the fittings. Running back and forth promotes proper distribution of the compound in the thread and eliminates air inclusions. No twisting force is required; contact of several threaded turns is sufficient for sealing.
Connections assembled on anaerobic gel at room temperature can withstand low media pressure sufficient to test for leaks after 1 hour. The system can be fully launched within 1 day. Heating the connection with a hairdryer can speed up the sealing process significantly. The main symptom is hardening and decreased transparency of the gel in the thread gap.
The author’s subjective opinion is that pipe winding is somewhat easier to use and saves a lot of time.
Linen - separately, impregnation - separately...
Even modern editions of SNiPs, developed in the 80s of the last century, do not exclude from circulation such thread sealant as flax strand; it is also often called “plumbing tow”. However, GOSTs require flax to be impregnated with red lead on drying oil. Modern paints do not contain the previous amount of lead, which protected threaded connections from corrosion, and lead lead on drying oil is a composite product, the components of which still have to be looked for. In addition, winding flax or plumbing tow requires a certain amount. Incorrectly wound linen plumbing strands or tow poorly impregnated (especially with the wrong product) will not create the required level of protection plumbing connection. Assembly on linen without impregnation is prohibited; plumbing tow must be impregnated! Impregnation with plumbing silicone thread sealant is also prohibited. What are the consequences?
– Early aging of the thread: due to the fact that the tow is impregnated with plumbing thread sealant, wear or corrosion of metal parts occurs.
- Leaks.
– Rupture of connection under pressure.
But this type of sealing also has its advantages:
– When tow or plumbing flax is impregnated with a special paste and experienced handling of flax, the connection will last for quite a long time.
– - cheap and widely available material for sealing threads. Tow can be found in any specialized plumbing store or market.
Flax is an environmentally friendly plant product that does not require certification, so connections on flax strands can be used to seal supply pipelines drinking water. Provided that the tow impregnation is also safe for use in sanitary conditions...
FUM-ido - plumbing code
Instead of flax or plumbing tow, a more modern thread sealant is often used -. Many people ask the question: what is better, fum tape or tow? The quality of the connection on the fum tape largely depends on the quality of the tape itself, so many craftsmen who have unsuccessfully tried to find a decent fum tape more than once prefer to use exclusively flax or tow. Cheap, low-quality winding does not stretch well and breaks easily. Even to an experienced master This type of thread sealant will cause a lot of trouble. Of course, in this case, he will not have a question about what is better for him to use: fum tape or tow; most likely he will prefer a more traditional and proven sealant. Calm, just calm...
When handling fum tape, experience with such a sealant is required, as well as with flax or plumbing tow. The correct winding of the fum tape or the thickness of the layer is selected experimentally, which is also similar to the technology for using tow. Therefore, a beginner will have to spend a lot of time sealing with FUM tape. In addition, when assembling assemblies that require positioning of parts relative to each other, a problem of inconsistency may arise, and unscrewing the fum connection means starting the whole work all over again.
– Fum tape is not used in heating systems due to the cold flow properties of fluoroplastic. Here fum tape is inferior to flax or tow.
– Does not withstand vibration loads, therefore this thread sealant is not used as a seal for pipelines subject to vibration during operation. Both tape and tow occupy the same positions here.
The advantage of this type of sealing material is its high chemical resistance. This allows the use of fum in aggressive environments and in pure oxygen environments.
The pipe will not “make you nervous”
Flax and fum tape are used for plumbing work several decades, so they can already be called “grandfather’s”. It is worth saying that each master decides for himself whether fum tape or the old, proven tow is better for him. An alternative to such “old-fashioned” methods using flax and fum tape is modern way sealing - plumbing thread impregnated with a special sealing compound. As you know, winding plumbing thread is much more pleasant and easier than using flax or fum tape for these purposes.
In addition, plumbing thread has a number of advantages:
– The synthetic fibers of this sealant (plumbing threads) do not dry out from high temperatures and do not swell under the influence of moisture during plumbing work.
– The plumbing thread is impregnated during production optimal quantity sealing composition, so you can be sure that it performs protective function fully.
– There is no need to clean the threads from sealant (from threads) in case of contamination during plumbing work.
– The material does not require special handling skills. The Record plumbing thread is easily and quickly wound in 10-15 turns, crossing the threaded projections crosswise.
– The thread can withstand pressure 2-3 times higher than plumbing threaded connections on flax.
– Forms quick-disconnect connections.
By the way, assembling a knot on plumbing thread is also several times faster than on flax, which is very important in conditions emergency situation, and it’s just more convenient.
How to wind plumbing thread?
Probably, everyone who picks up a winding machine for the first time asks the question: how to wind plumbing thread? Everything is very simple! To wind a plumbing thread you do not need to put in a lot of effort, as is inherent in winding a thread with flax and paste. This does not require special skills or labor. Even an inexperienced craftsman will adapt after the first time and will wind the plumbing thread on the next threaded connection without any problems the next time.
Here is a small instruction that will help you figure out the question: how to wind plumbing thread.
The first turn of thread is fixed closer to the edge of the thread, and the rest is applied in a cross pattern. Upon completion of winding, the connection is twisted. Thus, the wound plumbing thread will reliably seal the threaded connection.
We looked at the three most popular winding methods: linen strand, fum tape and synthetic thread. All of them have the right to use, since in each specific case it is necessary to take into account a number of features of the sealed systems.
| Linen strand | Fum tape | Thread "Record" | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | 80-100 rub./100 g. plus impregnation | 200 rub./50 linear m | 245 RUR/50 linear m |
| Ease of use | Experience required | Experience required | No experience required |
| conditions of use | Can't stand it high pressure, requires impregnation, biodegradable | Do not use in conditions of elevated temperatures, does not decompose | Universal material according to the conditions of use, does not decompose |
| Resistance to aggressive environments | − | + | + |
| Vibration resistance | Average | Very low | High |
| Cleanliness and quality of carving | With restrictions | Demanding | Unpretentious |
| Preparation of material | Requires impregnation treatment | Ready to use | Ready to use |
| Working temperature | Up to +150 | From °C -50 to +120 °C | From °C -60 to +150 °C |
| Connection life | From several months to 5 years | Up to 13 years old | More than 15 years |
The favorite in terms of price is, of course, flax or sanitary tow. His motto could be the slogan: “Cheap and cheerful.” Being quite demanding and not universal material, it can, nevertheless, claim to be a temporary thread sealant, which it is advisable to soon replace with a more modern one. However, the price of this sealing method may vary depending on the impregnation material (paint, paste, sealant, etc.). Fum tape at average price 3.5 rubles/linear. m is a less reliable method of sealing than synthetic thread (plumbing). It will work well for sealing cold “quiet” pipelines (without temperature fluctuations and vibrations).
Rewind "Record", which is a plumbing thread, perhaps best option seals from all presented. This is the most universal sealant, unpretentious and durable for plumbing work, which fully justifies its price.
However, if you need a truly durable and reliable connection, universal to all aggressive environments, what to choose? When choosing a sealant, it is also important to remember that in some cases it is better to seek help from an anaerobic sealant. For example, all windings - flax, fum and sanitary thread - are well suited for notched or roughly cut threads, but are not suitable for smooth and tapered thread- slip. European threads are often found "smooth". Here, winding or thread will no longer help; you need plumbing sealant.
A reliable connection is ensured by modern anaerobic sealants, which are easy to use and much more economical than other sealing methods per fitting. You can purchase such sealants from us directly from the manufacturer or from the nearest store, the address of which can be found in the “” section.
