Dark and Light Cutting Oil

Dark and Light Cutting Oil


Black Swan is one of the leading manufacturers of plumbing chemicals and accessories. We have over 250 products in our line. One of our more popular items is Cutting Oil.

In some metal piping systems, the pipe and fittings are sometimes connected by "screwing" the pipe into the fitting. In order to do this, there must be threads on the pipe. Many times the pipe comes with threads already on the pipe. But, there are many situations where there are no threads on the pipe and the plumber or end user will have to machine the threads onto the pipe.

The machine that is needed to cut these threads is called a thread cutting machine. What a good name! Now, this is the best part. You just can't use the machine to cut the threads. If you use the just the machine, you will have problems. You won't be able to cut good threads with the dies and the dies will get so hot that the dies will melt and weld themselves to the pipe. It just won't work. So, you will need cutting oil to help the dies make better threads and this cutting oil will also cool down the whole operation so the dies won't get so hot.

We say this is the "best part" because this is why you will need Black Swan Cutting Oils. The thread cutting process can't work without our great products.

Black Swan produces a Dark Cutting Oil which is to be used when using high speed machines to make threads in metal pipe. Black Swan also produces a Light Cutting Oil which is use when working with a hand threading machine. Both formulas are very similar but the Dark Cutting Oil has more additives because there is more heat generated when you use a high speed machine than when you are just using a hand threading machine.

If you go to our web site you can get lots of information on both of these fine products. The link to both products is below:

www.blackswanmfg.com/DARKCUTTINGOIL.htm
www.blackswanmfg.com/LIGHTCUTTINGOIL.htm


Black Swan Cutting Oils are outstanding products and have been on the market for many years. You can purchase these products at the leading plumbing wholesalers accross the nation. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

We look forward to hearing from you.


Jeffrey Lichten
President

Pipe-Lube, Adhesive-Lube and No-Hub Sealant

Pipe-Lube, Adhesive-Lube and No-Hub Sealant



Black Swan manufactures three outstanding products that are used in connecting cast iron soil pipe-Pipe-Lube, Adhesive-Lube and No-Hub Sealant. We will discuss all three products in this article and give you a little idea about these products.


Pipe-Lube

The Black Swan Pipe-Lube has been on the market for many years. This product is basically a soap and is used to slip gaskets into place when you are trying to connect cast iron soil pipe. Without a lubricant, it will be very difficult to slip the gaskets into place and you will have trouble making good connections.

There are many lubricants on the market and some plumbers even use any liquid soap they can find to use as a lubricant. You must be very careful in choosing which product to use. You don't want to use a product that will soften or swell the rubber gasket. If this happens you will have leaks in the future. You will also want to choose a product that does not freeze in the cold weather. There is nothing worse than going out on a job and finding that the lubricant won't work because it has frozen. (The reason some lubricants freeze is because the formula has too much water in it. There is a lot of water in these formulas to make the product cost go down. Yes, sometimes people cut quality to have a sharper price.) You also don't want to use a lubricant that will liquify in hot weather because the lubricant will fall off the pipe before you can slide the gasket into place. One last feature-you do want to have a lubricant that is slippery and that it will work.

Thus, we recommend that you use the Black Swan Pipe-Lube. It is an outstanding product and it is NSF Certified.



Adhesive-Lube

Sometimes just slipping the gasket into place is not enough. This is especially true in large diameter pipe. If you just slip the gasket into place, there is still some potential to have some leaks. In this situation it is nice to have a product that is both a lubricant and a sealant. Thus, the Black Swan Adhesive-Lube was invented. This product is a black liquid that acts as a lubricant to slip the gasket into place and, after it is applied, will start to dry and act as an adhesive. It will improve the seal between the gasket and the soil pipe. This is a great product.

Now, the Black Swan Adhesive-Lube is for use on service weight gaskets. It is not formulated for use on no-hub couplings. The reason is because the solvents in the Adhesive-Lube can possibly attack the no-hub couplings and cause them to swell. This could cause leaks. Despite this fact, Black Swan knows that many plumbers are using the Adhesive-Lube on no-hub couplings with great success. We have never had a complaint that the Adhesive-Lube has caused a failure.

When in doubt, use Black Swan Adhesive-Lube when working with large diameter soil pipe. It will make your life better.


No-Hub Sealant


Since the Adhesive-Lube is not recommend for use on no-hub couplings, Black Swan decided that we should come out with a product that can be used on no-hub couplings. We thought very hard of a name and we did a tremendous amount of research, did market surveys and asked every plumber we knew for a name. After spending thousands of dollars, we finally arrived at the name "No-Hub Sealant". We like this name.

This product is an amber color product and contains no solvents that can attack no-hub couplings. Thus, we can strongly recommend this product. It is a good lubricant and it is a great sealant.

One last point is that the No-Hub Sealant is an excellent product to use when your connections have to pass an air test. Passing an air test is very difficult and just using the no-hub couplings might not work. The Black Swan No-Hub Sealant will help you pass this test.




Thank you for taking the time to read this article and if you have any questions, please feel free to give us a call at 1-800-252-5796.

PTFE Tape

PTFE Tape


PTFE Tape stands for polytetrafluoroethylene. Just thought you should know.

PTFE Tape is used when connecting threaded pipe. The tape serves two purposes. First, it serves as a lubricant and allows the user to tighten the pipe and fittings a little tighter. Second, if there are any imperfections in the threads of the pipe and fittings (which would allow leaks), the PTFE Tape will plug these imperfections and stop the leaks.

PTFE Tape is one option to connect threaded pipe. The other option is to use a pipe joint compound. Many people prefer PTFE Tape because it is less expensive, not messy to work with and it gives you 100% coverage of the threads. Sometimes by using pipe joint compounds you do not get 100% coverage over the threads.

Judging quality on PTFE Tape is difficult. The standard in the United States that most companies mention is MIL-27730A. This is an old military specification that requires a minimum thickness of 3.5 mils and a minimum purity of 99% . But, a PTFE Tape that meets the above specification can still be a poor quality tape.

The other quality consideration is the density of the tape. You can have a tape that is 3.5 mils thick, but it could be filled with "air" and not much PTFE. This is where density comes into play. The PTFE tapes in the market seem to range from .37 g/cc (.37 grams per cubic centimeter) up to 1.6 g/cc. This is a big difference. In one PTFE Tape there is over four times the amount of PTFE than in the other tape. This represents a big quality difference. The more PTFE present, the beter chance you have to make a good seal.

The standard color of PTFE Tape is white. Over the years other colors have been introduced into the market for special purposes. Yellow tape is for gas lines, pink tape is for water lines, green tape is for oxygen lines and gray tape is for stainless steel lines. It is Black Swan's opinioin that this more of a marketing stategy than anything else.

Most of the PTFE Tape sold today is imported tape. There are a few domestic manufacturers remaining in the United States. They produce high quality tape at very high prices. The imported tape can be very good quality tape at very competitive prices. And, price is very important.

Black Swan is a major distributor of PTFE Tape. We offer tape from the U.S. ,Malaysia and China. We offer tape that is classified as low density and high density. We also offer all of the different colors.

The next time you have any questions on PTFE Tape or if you need to make a large purchase of PTFE Tape, please give Black Swan a call.


Jeffrey Lichten
President

Black Swan Mfg. Co.
4540 W. Thomas Street
Chicago, IL 60651

Tel: 800-252-5796
Fax:773-227-3705
E-Mail info@blackswanmfg.com

Solvent Cements For Plastic Pipe-No. 2

Solvent Cements For Plastic Pipe-No. 2



Over the years Black Swan has manufactured a tremendous amount of solvent cement for plastic pipe. We can't even begin to guess how many joints have been put together with our products.

Black Swan has had very few complaints over the years about the solvent cements not working.
But, every year we do get a few complaints. We usually ask to get a sample of a leaking joint so we can evaluate the joint and see why there was a failure. It is a very rare moment when the cement has been the cause of the problem. The problem generally has been that the person making the installation has made an error.

Below we will list the most common reasons why a solvent cement joint has failed. If you can avoid these problems, you will surely be able to make a good solvent cement connection:


1. Make sure the solvent cement is in good condition. The cement should be liquid and not
of a jelly consistency. If the cement has a jelly consistency, this means the cement is going bad and will not be able to do it's job. The cement will not be able to attack the plastic and allow the end user to make a good connection.

2. Make sure the pipe is cut square and not at an angle. If the pipe is cut at an angle, you will be reducing the bonding area. The less bonding area you have, the greater the chance of having a leak.

3. When you cut the pipe, make sure there are no burrs at the end of the pipe. If there are burrs at the end of the pipe, these burrs will scrape away the solvent cement on the inside of the fitting. If there are areas that contain no cement (because the burrs wiped away the cement), you will have no connection being made and you will have leaks.

4. Make sure the pipe and fittings are clean and that there is no grease, dirt, moisture, etc. on the pipe and fittings. If there is grease, moisture or dirt on the pipe and fittings, the cement will not be able to make contact with the plastic and will not be able to do it's job.

5. Make sure that there is a good fit between the pipe and the fitting. If the fitting is too large or the pipe is too small, the cement will not be able to connect the two together. Too large a gap between the two pieces of plastic and you will never be able to make a connection.

6. When using solvent cement to connect the pipe and fitting, you have to make sure that you do apply the cement. Yes, you heard correctly. There have been many complaints that the cement did not work and upon inspection you find that no cement was ever applied.

7. You also have to make sure that you apply enough cement to make the connection. If you apply too little cement, there will not be enough cement to attack the plastic and bond the pipe and the fitting together. You also have to apply enough cement to fill any gaps between the pipe and the fitting.

8. You also have to make sure that you do not apply too much cement. By applying too much cement, you can weaken the structure of the pipe and the fitting. This could cause leaks in the future.

9. When you apply the cement to the pipe and the fitting, you only have a short time to work before the cement will dry and will no longer be able to bond the pipe and fitting together. The amount of time you have depends on the temperature and other weather conditions. The cement must be wet in order to make the connections. So, you have to apply the cement quickly and then put the pipe and the fitting together quickly. Again, if you wait too long and the cement dries, there will be no connection.

If you use too small an applicator, by the time you apply all of the cement to the pipe and fitting, the first cement applied may already be dry. Make sure you have the correct size applicator.

If it is extremely hot outside, the cement will dry very quickly. And, if the cement dries quickly, you will not be able to make a connection.

10. When you apply the cement and you push the pipe into the fitting, you should give the pipe a slight turn and hold the pipe for 30 seconds. If you don't do this, the pipe will push out and you will not have enough area being bonded together. You will have leaks. The slight turn helps spread the cement around to improve your chances of a good connection.

11. And last, it is always a good idea to use a Primer when working with plastic pipe and fittings. The Primer will clean the pipe and then it will start softening the plastic in advance of the cement being applied. Many problems can be avoided if the end user would just use a good, strong Primer.


Black Swan is a leading manufacturer of solvent cements and primers. Always ask for our products when you are getting ready to connect plastic pipe and fittings. If the wholesaler or retail store does not carry our products, immediately walk out and never return to that location until they start stocking Black Swan products. That is our advice to you.

Thank you for reading this article and if you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact Black Swan directly. We will try and help you as best as we can.

And remember, Black Swan has over 200 other products in our line. Always use Black Swan for all of your plumbing chemical needs.

Solvent Cements For Plastic Pipe-No. 1

Solvent Cements For Plastic Pipe
No. 1


There are many things to discuss on solvent cements and primers for plastic pipe. You can discuss directions on how to make a good connection, special directions for making a good connection in hot or cold weather, set times, cure times, warnings for working with solvent cements, shipping information, and much more. In this particular blog, we will discuss none of the above. Today we will answer the most popular questions that Black Swan is asked every week. Hopefully this information will be helpful.


1. Why are there different thicknesses of solvent cements?

Generally there are three different thicknesses of solvent cements-regular bodied, medium bodied and heavy bodied. Solvent cements work by attacking the plastic, connecting the pipe and fitting, and then the solvents evaporate. These solvents evaporate very quickly. On small diameter pipe (up to two inches), you can apply the cement very quickly because you do not have a big area to apply the cement and primer. Thus, you can use a thin (regular bodied) product and you can make a good connection. On larger diameter pipe, you will need more time to apply the cement. A slightly thicker cement will dry slower and allow you time to make a good connection. On pipe up to six inches in diameter you can use a medium bodied cement. On pipe sizes larger than six inches, you should use a heavy bodied cement. This cement will dry the slowest (because it is the thickest) and you will have enough time to apply the cement and primer properly to make a good connection.

The other feature of cements is that the cement does fill the voids betweent the pipe and fittings. On smaller size pipe, the voids are small. A regular bodied cement works fine to fill these voids. As the pipe size gets larger, the voids are larger and a thicker cement fills these voids better. Medium bodied cements works great on the pipe sizes between two and six inches and the heavy bodied cement works great on pipe sizes from six inches and twelve inches.


2. Questions are asked if a certain cement can be used with a certain ingredient running through the piping system.

Solvent cements are basically solvents with a resin. PVC Cement contains PVC resin which is the same resin as the PVC pipe and fittings. CPVC Cement contains CPVC resin which is the same resin as the CPVC pipe and fittings. The same concept for ABS Cement. After the cement is applied and the connection is made, the solvents evaporate. The only thing left of the cement is the resin.

So, the question should not be will the cement be able to be used with a particular ingredient running through the system. The cement is gone and only the resin is left. The question should be will the pipe and/or fittings be acceptable for a particular ingredient. That is the question.

3. Does primer need to be used to make a good connection?

There is no question that a good connection can be made without using a primer. Many professionals use this technique with great success. We know this because Black Swan sells a lot more cement than primer. However, you will have a much better chance of making a good connection if you use a primer. A good primer will clean the pipe and fitting and will soften the pipe and fitting prior to applying the cement. With a clean pipe and fitting and a softened pipe and fitting, the chances of making a good connection have improved dramatically.

Black Swan's advice-use the primer and avoid problems later. Also, remember it is usually important to use a primer if you want to follow the local plumbing codes.

4. What can I do if I spill purple primer on the floor, bathtub, etc?

This is a very difficult question. The purple dye is very difficult to get out. Some suggestions are to use clear primer and apply it to the purple stain. This does work in many situations. Sometimes using water and baking soda works. Sometimes a good household cleaning agent will work. It really depends on the surface that the purple primer has been dropped on.

The best advice is to be very careful in advance of using the purple primer. Cover up the area where you will be using the primer. Also, if you can use Clear Primer and not have to worry about the local code, definitely use the Clear Primer.


5. Can PVC Cement be used on CPVC pipe and fittings?

The answer is negative. The strongest (or hardest plastic) is CPVC plastic. The next step down is PVC plastic. The weakest plastic is ABS plastic. So, the strongest cement is the CPVC Cement. This product has the most THF (the main ingredient that attacks the plastic). The next strongest cement is the PVC Cement. This product has less THF. The weakest cement is ABS Cement. This cement has no THF in it.

So, the CPVC Cement could be used on CPVC plastic and PVC plastic and even the ABS plastic. The reason is because it is a very strong cement. The PVC Cement can be used on PVC plastic and the ABS plastic. But, this cement can not be used on the CPVC plastic because it is just not strong enough to attack the CPVC resin.


These are the most popular questions regarding solvent cements that Black Swan answers. If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact us and we will get the answers.

Good luck in making your next plastic pipe connection.

Pipe Joint Compounds

PIPE JOINT COMPOUNDS


There are many different types of piping systems in the market place. There is steel pipe, copper tubing, plastic pipe, soil pipe, and more. Depending on which system you are using will determine how you connect the piping sytem together.

When the pipes are threaded (meaning that you connect the pipes by screwing the fitting onto the end of the pipe) there are two things to be aware of. First, if the threads are not made perfectly, there is a chance that there could be a leak. Threads could be imperfect if the cutting dies used to make the threads are imperfect. The second thing to be aware of is that the tighter you can screw the pipe into the fitting, the better chance you have to make a leak-free connection.

This is where pipe joint compounds come into play. Pipe joint compounds are generally a soft paste. The compound can be applied to the male threads of the connection and will serve two purposes. First, if there are any imperfections in the threads, the pipe joint compound will fill these imperfections and will hopefully prevent any leaks. If the threads are really bad, pipe joint compound will not help. But if the imperfections are not too bad, the pipe joint compound should prevent a leak.

The second purpose of the pipe joint compound is that the compound will serve as a lubricant and will allow you to tighten the connection as tight as possible. This will also help prevent leaks.

Now we know the purpose that pipe joint compounds serve. The next thing you need to know is how do you choose which pipe joint compound to use.(Of course, you always need to use a Black Swan pipe joint compound. That is the only intelligent choice.) The end user needs to know what type of pipe is being used and what product will be running through the piping systems.

Threaded pipes are usually made of metal or plastic. Most pipe joint compounds can be used on metal. However, many pipe joint compounds can not be used on plastic. The reason is because these pipe joint compounds have ingredients that will soften the plastic and cause the pipe and fittings to deteriorate. This is not a good thing and leaks will follow. Always read the label to see if the pipe joint compound can be used on plastic.

The next concern is what ingredients are running through the pipes. The ingredients that run through the pipe could attack the pipe joint compound and cause the product to deteriorate. If you have ammonia or an acid running throught the pipes and these ingredients cause the pipe joint compound to deteriorate, you may have leaks. This will not be pleasant. Make sure the pipe joint compound you choose will work with the ingredients that they will have contact with.

Black Swan currently has five different pipe joint compounds. The first product is PIPE JOINT COMPOUND. This is our basic, inexpensive product. It can be used on metal only and should be usd with air, water, steam and natural gas. The other four pipe joint compounds are ALL PURPOSE PIPE DOPE, SWAN SEAL, BIG BLUE, and BIG WHITE. These four products can be used on metal or plastic and can be used with a wide variety of ingredients running through the pipes. These four products are all outstanding.

For more information on the Black Swan pipe joint compounds or any of our other 200 products, please go to our web site at www.blackswanmfg.com. Or call us at 1-800-252-5796. Ask for Jeffrey Lichten. He is a really, really great guy.

Plumbers Putty

Plumbers Putty


Most people would agree that the world is a better place because of the existence of plumbers putty. Black Swan invented plumbers putty. Thus, the world is a much better place because of the existence of Black Swan. Please remember this when you go out next time to purchase any of your plumbing chemical needs.

A quick history. During World War II the federal government came to Black Swan and described
a product that was needed. They asked if Black Swan could manufacture this product. Harry Lichten, the owner of Black Swan, responded, "Yes!" Of course, Harry had no idea how he would be able to accomplish this. But, a few months later, the first batch of plumbers putty was made.

Black Swan never knew how this new product was being used. But, for a few years, this new proudct was a very big seller. After the end of the war, the government no longer needed this new proudct. But, Harry Lichten knew he had a great product but he did not know what he could use it for.

After doing extensive research, Harry Lichten realized that the world had no good method for setting a toilet bowl. Plumbers were using linseed oil and powder, mixing them together by hand and then using the end result to make a seal between the toilet bowl and the floor. This was a very sloppy operation and the end result was not very good.

Harry Lichten sold this new putty into the plumbing trade to set toilet bowls and it became an immediate success.

Today plumbers putty has many different uses. It is used wherever a watertight seal needs to be made. This includes setting toilet bowls, fixtures, faucets, stainers, basin cocks and sink frames.

Always be careful where you use plumbers putty. Plumbers putty does contain some petroleum oils and it could soften or discolor some surfaces including marble, granite, plastic, etc.

Remember, always ask for Black Swan's Stay Soft Plumbers Putty when you have a need for plumbers putty.


Jeffrey Lichten
President

Black Swan Mfg. Co.