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.