Old school plumbing

[Bingy man]

while sorting through some scrap brass and copper I noticed a compression joint that I’ve never seen before or at least not had the time to take a closer look. So having cleaned the pipe and fitting a little I came across a makers name - on the edge of the compression nut it reads ( the fyffe coneor joint ) a search on line led me here:-

Arrow@TU Dublin
https://arrow.tudublin.ie › cgiPDF
The Irish Plumber and Heating Contractor, March 1962 (complete ...
https://www.google.com/url?q=https:...EQFnoECBEQAQ&usg=AOvVaw2l4T-fWW74jXJGRj_dpq9X
I’ve never been much of a history nerd but found this interesting as the house it came from is old and having dug down to approx 1.2 meters the house appears to built without footings . These fittings and several meters of pipe were installed about 600mm underground with no obvious protection. The pipe is in good condition on the outside but inside the pipe is lots of green verdigris or corrosion. It’s clearly old 1/2 “ as it’s heavy compared to modern 15 mm by tube . I was quite impressed with the copper tube flared ends -a far cry from the push fit world of today . Many older plumbers and pipe fitters have heard of connex fittings but I’ve never heard of this Irish company..interesting to hear if anyone else has especially those from Ireland..

 

[ChaiLatte]

I wonder how much swearing they generated from people realising the nut had to go on before the flare was formed.

 

[Bingy man]

Used something similar about 35+ years ago for 42mm + copper water mains on a prison build every time you joined another length of pipe to the run and slipped the compression joint nut over the pipe , flared the end , and then tightened up the fitting it would undo the previous fitting . We then had a labourer holding that joint together and we would attempt the connection again but the same would happen at the 3 rd fitting. In the end after running out of labourers and plumbers we had to cut the lot out and use capillary joints .

 

[brocher]

I the house where it came from in the Midlands? I was wondering if the fact that this is an irish company fitting, that somehow one of the large Irish contingent in the Midlands had connections back in Dublin, etc and procured their plumbing fittings for work here? It's very interesting and history of stuff is always fascinating. The publication you found is fascinating and I see that there is a brief reference to a merger between Fyffe and Sanbra.

Sanbra is still very much in business - see Sanbra Fyffe - The Makers of Instantor Superior Plumbing Products

 

[Bingy man]

I the house where it came from in the Midlands? I was wondering if the fact that this is an irish company fitting, that somehow one of the large Irish contingent in the Midlands had connections back in Dublin, etc and procured their plumbing fittings for work here? It's very interesting and history of stuff is always fascinating. The publication you found is fascinating and I see that there is a brief reference to a merger between Fyffe and Sanbra.

Sanbra is still very much in business - see Sanbra Fyffe - The Makers of Instantor Superior Plumbing Products

Yes - the house is in bilston( Wolverhampton) I don’t know much about the history but as a young lad I worked for many a Irish builder in the early 80,s for a few pounds . I’ve heard of connex / sanbra but untill today not of fyffe sanbra .. what I,m impressed about is given these fittings were underground they were actually in good condition. There is a club in Wolverhampton near where I live still going I think frequented by members of the Irish community called the emerald club .. I’ll try to find out how old the house is but it’s possible this pipework was installed after the main house as it was part of the extension and the water main is of course lead . I do know that the original waste pipes to the bathroom etc was in copper .. I’ll try the link you posted when I have a bit more time but thanks for the input .

 

[carpenteire2009]

I'm Irish and I've read about those manipulative compression fittings in old trade journals and building technology books,but never seen one til now, so thanks for sharing! That company are very much still on the go, in Santry, Co. Dublin if I'm not mistaken. Prior to globalisation they probably would have been the only brand of fitting available in most merchants here, "Irish Instantor" being one of their most recognisable brands.

 

[carpenteire2009]

Just a quick google tells me those fittings are a Type B manipulative compression fitting, whereas the more familiar fitting is a Type A non-manipulative with an olive!

 

[Dave Moore]

Just a quick google tells me those fittings are a Type B manipulative compression fitting, whereas the more familiar fitting is a Type A non-manipulative with an olive!

Hi,
Worked with these at college as an apprentice in the early 70’s, the other type of manipulative fittings we worked with were manipulated using a device which was inserted in the end of the pipe(after putting the nut on) , then the device was turned which put bead on the outside which made the seal.
Regards,
Dave

 

[Bingy man]

Just a quick google tells me those fittings are a Type B manipulative compression fitting, whereas the more familiar fitting is a Type A non-manipulative with an olive!

I’ve been a bit busy of late wrestling with modern day plastic push fit fittings ( yuk ) so thanks for your input . Having taken that joint you can tell that they were made apart for a lifetime of conveying water and the fact they were unprotected underground is what I’m impressed with ..