It is all preference. And Lowe's. Why on earth would you expect to get a gram of knowledgeable advice from their employees. I swear they only hire those that have no clue of their products. Irt sucks, that my wife has more knowledge of their products and their proper use.

Than their workers. She has also helped a few handy hacks that were trying to install a water heater. The employee was trying to talk them to use ferncos on the two inch supply pipe. After several minutes of sisde splitting laughter. She went over to the next aisle and asks what they were frying to do. They explained. She called them idiots. Told the employee to go look cute some where else, and while doing it grab a repair book sitting by the plumbing desk, and read it. If they are able to read. She was able to give the sorry are hacks some sound ad ice and help them pick out the materials .

The manger witnessed all of this. He suggested my wife apply for a job there. She did. Had her interview. Only to get an email saying she wasn't qualified enough to work on the plumbing department. Well I wonder how the idiot of that day got the job?

 

Lamp Wick

 

Teflon tape

 

Teflon tape and megalock (Thats a good one ask the lowes guy) ... you know how much incorrect advice i have be given over the years fro box stores/hardware stores not knowing i was a plumber. 1 time even had a 18 year old kid tell how to do it (All wrong) and i explained i'm a lic union trained plumber, and while walking away, He say's ok, but your doing it wrong. Now i just let them talk to see what weird way they would do it.

 

Rectorseal #5 is the gold standard. It's what your great grandpa used before electric pipe machines were invented. T+2 is pretty much the same thing, except it has this fancy new ingredient in it that they call Teflon. The T+2 also seems to be less messy and it stains less when you get it on your clothes. There is also Rectorseal #100, which is just like T+2, only it's more expensive. That's the kind I like to use when I'm mad at my boss about something. :grin2:

 

So basically Rectorseal 5 is the way to go every time? I didn't ask the Lowes guy, he saw me looking at them and said can I help you with anything? I said sure, whats the difference in the two? Pleasants hardware seems to be the worst. One time I asked where the wire staples are.... "huh? whats a wire staple? Why would you want to staple a wire?" Then today I asked where the nail plates are... "..... I dont know what that is, what is it used for....." LOL.

So there is no real difference except rectorseal 5 is the old, time tested formula and t plus 2 is a fancy new formula?

 

I prefer #5 for most things, although I find Hercules Pro Dope is better for steam lines.

Expando is best for specialty jobs.

 

i hate the smell of rectorseal products.

 

the problems I find with t plus 2 and rectorseal 100 is the Teflon it makes threads extra slick, just like slick tite on galvanized and black iron pipe fittings sometimes you end up over tightening the fittings and weaken the joint

 

Well... If you compare the two dopes on rectorseals website...... there are some slight pressure differences.... tp2 never sets up while 5 is slow setting..... and rectorseal 5 is not recommended for abs or cpvc pipe.... might be some more differences but thats all I saw...

Looks like the abs and cpvc pipe thing is the biggest diff.....

 

Yeah I saw those couple differences but I think your on to something with the set up. That must be it. Talked to some plumbers yesterday and got some more pipe dope info so apparently:

T plus 2 - never sets up
5 - soft set
Leak lock - hard set
Expando - never get it apart set

 

http://www.rectorseal.com/index.php/rectorseal-tru-blu/

 

I've mostly has rectorseal on the van/truck for years. does gas, steam, water, oil, which pretty much covers everthing I do. otherwise, teflon tape on plastic- drain pans, etc.

I've seen some olive green stuff on 50s pipes before, permanent.

 

That's probably KeyTite.

I still use it once in a while, pretty serious stuff.

 

I use rectorseal #5 "special" because thats what the local gas company uses.

All the stuff regular #5 has, but there is virtually no odor