Print PDF
Favorite
Email
Step 10B) Pedal Control: Materials and tools
The valve I used is a spring-loaded valve that is actually intended for showers such as poolside or beach showers. I ordered it from Kings Supply. $38 sounds kind of expensive but it's nicely made and finished, and sells for nearly twice as much elsewhere.
For the arrangement I used, the other plumbing parts I needed were two 1/2 inch "street elbows" (a 90 degree bend with male threads at one end and female threads at the other end), and one short threaded piece of pipe (male threads at both ends, sometimes called a "nipple"). I used the length of the valve to move the showerhead up vertically because I'm tall and wanted more headroom under the showerhead, but if you don't want that, or there isn't room, you can also turn left or right, or come straight out, instead of turning upward. I used standard zinc-plated steel fittings, which looks kind of grungy. If you want to dress it up, you can use chrome fittings. One other part that might be useful in some situations is this adjustable shower arm.
The pedal is connected to the valve with a polyester cord. The cord needs to be something that doesn't stretch too much, so that stepping on the pedal opens the valve rather than just stretching the cord. The less stretchy it is, the better control you have. Polyester (Dacron) is much less stretchy than nylon. I used some polyester cord that I ordered from REI, but they don't seem to stock it anymore. You can often find polyester cord locally at hardware stores or boating stores; you can also get it from "The Rope Guy" on ebay . Manilla (hemp) rope is pretty good at not stretching too, but the rustic brown color might look a little dingy in a shower, and it might be more prone to rotting. A chain is another option, but a steel chain would be prone to rusting, and chains might be hard to clean.
The pedal itself can be a thin plank of wood or a sheet of Plexiglas. Plexiglas is easier, since you don't need a waterproof finish, but I used wood since I had some nice oak scraps from another project. The exact dimensions aren't critical, but mine is 5/16 inch thick by 3 inches wide by 13 inches long.
Other materials needed are Teflon tape for threaded pipe connections and a waterproof wood finish if you use a wood pedal. (I used pure tung oil and dewaxed shellac, because I like non-toxic natural materials, but you could also use any marine varnish. See step 25 for an appendix on the tung-oil/shellac finishing process.)
Tools needed include pliers, a rag, scissors or a knife, a saw (unless you buy Plexiglas for the pedal cut to size), a drill, and supplies for wood finishing if you use a wood pedal.
For the arrangement I used, the other plumbing parts I needed were two 1/2 inch "street elbows" (a 90 degree bend with male threads at one end and female threads at the other end), and one short threaded piece of pipe (male threads at both ends, sometimes called a "nipple"). I used the length of the valve to move the showerhead up vertically because I'm tall and wanted more headroom under the showerhead, but if you don't want that, or there isn't room, you can also turn left or right, or come straight out, instead of turning upward. I used standard zinc-plated steel fittings, which looks kind of grungy. If you want to dress it up, you can use chrome fittings. One other part that might be useful in some situations is this adjustable shower arm.
The pedal is connected to the valve with a polyester cord. The cord needs to be something that doesn't stretch too much, so that stepping on the pedal opens the valve rather than just stretching the cord. The less stretchy it is, the better control you have. Polyester (Dacron) is much less stretchy than nylon. I used some polyester cord that I ordered from REI, but they don't seem to stock it anymore. You can often find polyester cord locally at hardware stores or boating stores; you can also get it from "The Rope Guy" on ebay . Manilla (hemp) rope is pretty good at not stretching too, but the rustic brown color might look a little dingy in a shower, and it might be more prone to rotting. A chain is another option, but a steel chain would be prone to rusting, and chains might be hard to clean.
The pedal itself can be a thin plank of wood or a sheet of Plexiglas. Plexiglas is easier, since you don't need a waterproof finish, but I used wood since I had some nice oak scraps from another project. The exact dimensions aren't critical, but mine is 5/16 inch thick by 3 inches wide by 13 inches long.
Other materials needed are Teflon tape for threaded pipe connections and a waterproof wood finish if you use a wood pedal. (I used pure tung oil and dewaxed shellac, because I like non-toxic natural materials, but you could also use any marine varnish. See step 25 for an appendix on the tung-oil/shellac finishing process.)
Tools needed include pliers, a rag, scissors or a knife, a saw (unless you buy Plexiglas for the pedal cut to size), a drill, and supplies for wood finishing if you use a wood pedal.
| « Previous Step | Download PDFView All Steps | Next Step » |
 |
Add Comment
|
