does anyone else find it satisfying and some enjoyment
yes i know its not 100% but its hard macthing up 28-22-15
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Hello Shaun,
Very nice pipework and insulation.
As You know it is vital when installing Pipework that is going to be correctly insulated that the pipework is specifically installed to accommodate the insulation re. the separation and clipping of the pipes.
Even though insulating most exposed Heating and Hot Water pipework is mandatory many Heating Installers and Plumbers seem to not have the `method of working` where their pipework is installed to be able to receive correctly fitted insulation.
I have seen countless Heating and Plumbing pipework installations where that has not been done making insulating correctly impossible without removing the pipework and installing it again.
I have also seen many jobs where the pipework was installed very `neatly` and would have been a good job if it did not have to be insulated - BUT after pipe insulation had been applied as well as possible without the necessary clearances the pipework looked terrible.
I used to pride myself that I could insulate pipework
almost as well regarding the workmanship as a `professional pipe insulation fitter`
although nothing like as quickly - having installed the pipework to suit it being insulated.
However I am now not physically able to install Heating systems / major Plumbing systems / Hot Water Cylinders etc. - or even insulating pipework installed by others - so I will not have any photos to post on here.
When most of the professionals that I have seen work with `Foam Pipe Insulation` / Armaflex they use a couple of different length razor sharp knives and I have seen some who could cut mitres / birds mouths perfectly without using a Mitre box or Pipe Insulation joint cutting tool.
Obviously if someone is doing nothing but insulating pipework etc. every working day they would become an expert at such things as `freehand mitre cutting`.
In the mid 1970`s I was working as a Plumbing Foreman on a large New Build Housing site - 100 Houses & Flats being built as Council Housing where the Local Authority Heating & Plumbing Inspector was known to be a `nightmare` for both his really strict periodic Inspections / workmanship critic and his final completion snagging especially on the Pipework / Hot Water Cylinder Insulation.
Because of the contract specification that all exposed / roof space Heating and Plumbing pipework was to be correctly insulated in Armaflex [glued] - and that all Hot Water Cylinders had to be wrapped in sheet Armaflex the Company that I was working for engaged a Mechanical Services Insulation Contractor.
Seeing those operatives insulating the pipework at a very fast rate and with excellent workmanship including wrapping installed Hot Water Cylinders in Armaflex sheet in quite tight cupboards was nothing short of amazing.
To answer your question - I used to enjoy insulating pipework and found it really satisfying to make such a good job of it that it actually did insulate correctly and would often produce compliments from other Tradesmen.
As an aside - since participating on this Forum and seeing many photos from members I regret hardly ever taking photos of my own workmanship throughout my working life.
I have carried out Heating, Plumbing, Gas work and Leadwork on some very large / expensive properties in very expensive areas of London such as Kensington, Knightsbridge, Chelsea, Belgravia, Hampstead, St. Johns Wood and I have always been proud of the pipework etc. that I have installed - but for a lot of my working life it would not have even occurred to most Tradesmen to photograph their work and there were no Mobile phones with Cameras being carried every day - nor inexpensive Digital Cameras available.
If photos or video evidence were required regarding a dispute of some kind a Camera or a quite large Video Camera would be brought to the site but photographing works as a regular thing to do was not done in my experience.
At the end of my working life in terms of being physically unable to install entire Heating and Plumbing systems or even do the preparation works [large amounts of floorboards up etc.] it would have been nice to have had a `portfolio` of photos of some of my work through the decades to look back on.
Chris
