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Ulophot
4-Jan-2025, 10:36
Hi, folks, I’m looking for help on the following little project: creating a Y out of silicone tubing.

I have one faucet in my darkroom sink. Now that I have a vertical print washer, I would like to be able to have the water going into the washer—unless I need the stream for rinsing, cleaning etc. while the wash is going. That is, I’d like two streams from one faucet.

I have decided against the readily available inverted Y dual garden hose adapters after examinihow one would fit my situation. I can purchase a divertor such as this (https://www.amazon.com/Polished-Diverter-Splitter-Showerhead-Replacement/dp/B074FV1J21/ref=asc_df_B074FV1J21?mcid=3cc707d1740830a99d143d354f0a25b8&hvocijid=17575868201533138498-B074FV1J21-&hvexpln=73&tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=692875362841&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17575868201533138498&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9007567&hvtargid=pla-2281435178298&psc=1)that has the regular opening plus a side one that I can turn on/off/partially open. Smaller and better for me. That’s the easy part, which I am in the process of getting.

The problem arises from my desire, if possible, to subdivide the single flow to the washer into two, by creating a Y, like an inverted stethescope, so that from the single tube from the washer, I can feed both into the washer’s built-in side inlet and also a tube resting on top of the tank, to improve flow (à la Doremus’s recent mention). Unfortunately, the diameter of stethescope tubing doesn’t seem to be large enough; it would be a great solution.

I have settled on silicone tubing, just under ½” internal diameter to stretch over ½” nipples and the ½” washer inlet. I have found that there is a glue made for gluing silicone -- not the same, as far as I can tell, as silicone-based sealants. But how do I cut the tubing to create the y? One way or the other, to my little brain, it seems clear that I need to cut a circular or elliptical hole in the side of one piece and securely glue in the tube coming from the faucet without obstructing the flow. It’s exactly the kind I thing I excel at imagining will be easy and then utterly fail to accomplish satisfactorily.

I’m open to suggestions.

ic-racer
4-Jan-2025, 10:43
A "Y" in tubing is usually made with this:

256152

Drew Wiley
4-Jan-2025, 10:48
You buy a appropriate "Y" or "T" insertion fitting, or make one from brass or stainless parts. Trying to glue silicone reliably is hopeless.

Joseph Kashi
4-Jan-2025, 11:01
You buy a appropriate "Y" or "T" insertion fitting, or make one from brass or stainless parts. Trying to glue silicone reliably is hopeless.

+ 1 Been there, done that. Drew is right. The only clean, reliable solution is a metal Y fitting on to which the tubing is pushed. Might as well save yourself a lot of wasted time and frustration.

Drew Wiley
4-Jan-2025, 11:40
There are all kinds of inert plastic fittings too. Where I formerly worked, there was an big industrial pipe & fitting warehouse directly across the street. The selection of fittings and varieties of chemical-resistant plastic was astounding - all the way from micro-pipette size to huge drainage culverts.

Ulophot
4-Jan-2025, 15:42
How delightful! Thank you all. I have spent half the day at three hardware stores trying to fit pieces with conversion fittings to my divertor. After some well-meaning concatenations, I found the part I needed at Home Depot with the help of an unusually astute sales assistant.