Struggling with measurements with bathtub drain and overflow

[BelowNovice]

I'm putting in a new delta acrylic bathtub and I am trying to do the plumbing for the drain. I have failed twice thus far.

I cannot seem to get the measurements right to save my life. I eyeball the cuts, cut it, dry fit it...and it seems to fit. Then I cement them all together, and they don't fit. I am making sure that they are seated all the way, but cannot figure out what I am doing wrong. Once the laughing stops, can someone give me some pointers so I stop wasting money on pipe and joints?

 

[Jeff H Young]

dry fit and wet fit never match the fit is somewhat precice I goue mine up and if its long i quickley take it apart wack a 1/4 or 1/8th inch and reglue. no big deal we all been there of cource fittings arent 75 cents each are they?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[BelowNovice]

dry fit and wet fit never match the fit is somewhat precice I goue mine up and if its long i quickley take it apart wack a 1/4 or 1/8th inch and reglue. no big deal we all been there of cource fittings arent 75 cents each are they?

I paid $35 for the whole "tub drain kit", then bought two short pieces of 1.5" for like $8 each...and then a new bag of tub drain fittings for $12 lol now I have to buy another section of pipe

 

[Terry]

I assemble the drain and overflow the tub first. Then I can place the tee on the long piece and take my measurement. With those pieces in place I can take the short measurement.
Now gluing. The short pipe gets glued to the drain, then the long pipe gets the tee glued on and then glue to the top into the overflow and the tee to the short piece.
Now after that is all glued, if needed I can remove it, in case I'm installing in the floor first and dropping the tub down over it.

 

[Fitter30]

Measuring pipe can be confusing. With end to end, center to center, end to center, make up and thats just the beginning. There is some utube videos that show how to measure. Make up is how far the pipe is inserted into a fitting if it doesn't go all the in to the socket can be 1/8" off or more. Marking the pipe depth with a pencil helps and beveling the outside end with a file.

 

[BelowNovice]

I followed your advice by hooking the over and drain to the tub and then 'connecting the dots' and was successful thank you for that.

I'm attaching a bonus picture of the drain assembly with a piece of wire ran through it. Since I have to install the drain assembly into the floor and put the tub on top, this will help aid in lining everything up and pulling it close.