» By: Jack Hudson
How to distribute the water in your new log cabin In previous articles, I have told you how to get water. I left you pumping water into a pressure tank. The next problem is to get this water to the various fixtures. Before I tried to run any pipe, I'd be sure that the fixtures were in place. This includes the hot-water heater. By the way, there are many ways you can heat the water, including a coal range, oil heater, gas heater, electric heater--and I've even seen a fireplace used to heat water. Because of size and ease of connection, I would suggest a small electric water heater. This is small enough to fit under a sink, in a closet, or even under the cottage. The small units use 120 volts and therefore require no special wiring. I have mentioned polyethylene pipe for the cold-water lines from your water source to the pump. This type of pipe can also be used for the cold-water supply in your house. It is light and easy to handle and requires a minimum number of fittings, because it is so flexible. Soft copper is another type of pipe that is flexible. It has one drawback, however. It is easy to dent or crimp the tubing. Let's start with the cold-water piping. From the pump run a %-inch pipe to the hot-water heater. In this line insert a ¾-by-¾-by-½-inch T. To the ½-inch nipple of the T run a pipe to the various fixtures that require a cold-water outlet. Because there are a number of fixtures running off from the main line, it will be necessary to use a number of T's in order to accomplish this. The illustration shows how this is done. The hot-water system is similar to the cold-water, except that you will want to use copper, brass, or steel piping. The process is the same. One word of caution: Be sure that all the pipes are tilted for drainage and that there is a good way of getting the water out of the system. A couple of drain cocks are usually placed at low points in the piping. The water is usually allowed to run out onto the ground. With no heat in the wintertime, you will want to be sure that no water stands in the pipes. The tripod or three-legged stand is used to hold lengths of pipe when it is being driven into the earth. The drive assembly consists of a number of parts, including a nipple, coupling, and malleable iron drive cap. These parts are screwed to the end of the pointed piece that goes into the earth as you drive a well. When the drive cap is added, you can drive the pointed end of the pipe into the ground with a maul. A maul is a heavy hammer. Large mauls used to drive pipe usually are made with a hardwood head. A pipe or Stillson wrench is a large tool with adjustable head that can be used to hold pipe. A yarning tool is a rod with a flattened end used to push lead or other soft materials into a joint of pipe. A threader is used to make ends on pipe so that couplers may be screwed on. These have dies which come in various sizes from ¼ to 2 inches or more in diameter. Tubing cutters have a small wheel that cuts soft pipe. Each time you revolve the clamplike tool around the pipe, the handle is given another twist downward. This action eventually cuts the pipe. A plumbers' furnace is a type of gasoline stove with a melting pot for lead at the top. Ladles are spoonlike dippers used to remove lead from the plumbers' furnace to the joint that is being packed. Blow torches usually use gasoline for fuel. Be sure to keep the flame of this tool away from any combustible material. A holder consists of two boards connected together with bolts. It is used to hold lengths of pipe when lowering pipe into a well. A reamer is used to clean out the inside end of a pipe that has been cut. It is tapered and has a series of flutes. Flaring tools are used to force the end of copper pipe outward. They consist of a holder with various sizes of holes for pipe. A metal rod is inserted in the end of the tubing that is held by the holder, and hit lightly with a hammer to force the edges outward. Hack saws are thin-bladed saws used to cut pipe. In using the hack saw, hold it at a 90-degree angle to the pipe. Do not saw too fast. Use the reamer after making the cut. The earth auger is a shovel-type tool used to make a circular hole in the earth.