# Little lead work.



## RealLivePlumber (Jun 22, 2008)

Well, kinda. Customer insisted that I repair this old concrete laundry sink. She wanted no part of a fiberglass sink. (I told her it'd be cheaper.)Was a lead s trap. The flange rotted away. My supplier had the funnel tailpiece and washer, but no flange. I was getting ready to head to Napa, for a flange for a car tailpipe, when one of the countermen there suggested a urinal flange:thumbsup:. That guy is pretty sharp.

Its a 17 ga. WB s trap, and long WB closet bolts, bolted to the ears on the iron drain on the lt. 

I have to admit it, I used a little silicone  :jester: on the iron drain, at the rubber washer. It was pretty pitted up.


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## ianclapham (Jan 10, 2011)

i like that, good job :thumbup:


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## RealLivePlumber (Jun 22, 2008)

Heres the old lead trap


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## U666A (Dec 11, 2010)

And the times... They are a-changing
(harmonica solo)


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## Widdershins (Feb 5, 2011)

Nice looking job -- I would have cheated on the lead work, though.

I would have used a CK115 to transition from the lead to plastic and then glued a trap adapter to the plastic.

I hate those concrete tubs -- Don't these folks realize that porous concrete is a breeding ground for bacteria?


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## RealLivePlumber (Jun 22, 2008)

Didn't you see my sig line?:yes:

Plastic traps are for.....................nevermind.


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

What is the material stubbed up from the slab? Lead? I have only see a few lead waste arms for lav drains in old 1920's houses. Lead waste piping is not common here.


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## RealLivePlumber (Jun 22, 2008)

Yes, it is lead. 1 1/2". The building drain is cast iron, under the floor. The lead most likely drops into a 2" cast iron branch, or a 4 x 2 wye.


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

Forgive my ignorance, (I don't work with lead, only the odd lead and oakum joint) but how did you connect the tubular brass to the lead? Is that a wiped joint?


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## Widdershins (Feb 5, 2011)

Tommy plumber said:


> What is the material stubbed up from the slab? Lead? I have only see a few lead waste arms for lav drains in old 1920's houses. Lead waste piping is not common here.


 We see it all the time here in Seattle.

Transitions to other materials can be a real pain in the butt sometimes.

What's kind of cool, though, is picturing how they were installed/fabricated in the first place -- Most of the wye's, tee's, low heel's, 90's, 45's etc we see were fabricated out in the field from sheets of lead.

Those guys back in the day were really something else.

Too bad most of 'em died from trade related illnesses, though.


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## U666A (Dec 11, 2010)

Just like apple's tagline... 
There's a fernco for that.


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## SlickRick (Sep 3, 2009)

Tommy plumber said:


> Forgive my ignorance, (I don't work with lead, only the odd lead and oakum joint) but how did you connect the tubular brass to the lead? Is that a wiped joint?


I don't know how RLP did it. I would have sanded the chrome off, "C" flux, a soft flame and some 50/50 solder.


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

SlickRick said:


> I don't know how RLP did it. I would have sanded the chrome off, "C" flux, a soft flame and some 50/50 solder.


Works every time. I'm the same way.


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

SlickRick said:


> I don't know how RLP did it. I would have sanded the chrome off, "C" flux, a soft flame and some 50/50 solder.


 



Oh OK, like when soldering a chrome plated brass p-trap into a DWV copper waste arm. OK, thanks Rick.


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## SlickRick (Sep 3, 2009)

Tommy plumber said:


> Oh OK, like when soldering a chrome plated brass p-trap into a DWV copper waste arm. OK, thanks Rick.


Same,same


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## smoldrn (Oct 4, 2010)

Widdershins said:


> We see it all the time here in Seattle.
> 
> Transitions to other materials can be a real pain in the butt sometimes.
> 
> ...


The old man I apprenticed under back in the 70's showed me how to make fittings out of sheet lead. I've never had to do it since


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## RealLivePlumber (Jun 22, 2008)

SlickRick said:


> I don't know how RLP did it. I would have sanded the chrome off, "C" flux, a soft flame and some 50/50 solder.


 
On the money, Rickey.:thumbsup:


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## RealLivePlumber (Jun 22, 2008)

Tommy plumber said:


> Forgive my ignorance, (I don't work with lead, only the odd lead and oakum joint) but how did you connect the tubular brass to the lead? Is that a wiped joint?


T, here is a picture of a wiped joint. (to a brass ferulle) The solder is melted into a cloth (wiping cloth) in your hand. You then carefully apply it to the joint, building it up as you go. Most would put a round of masking tape at each end, to keep it looking nice and limit the width of the joint.

You could also connect 2 pieces of lead. You would flare one end slightly, and insert the other end into the flare, and wipe away.


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## PLUMBER_BILL (Oct 23, 2009)

RealLivePlumber said:


> T, here is a picture of a wiped joint. (to a brass ferulle) The lead is melted into a cloth (wiping cloth) in your hand. You then carefully apply it to the joint, building it up as you go. Most would put a round of masking tape at each end, to keep it looking nice and limit the width of the joint. <snip>





RealLivePlumber said:


> Above a real tradesman speaks, Only one error ... lead is not melted -- that should read solder is melted.
> 
> On my antique blog there is some lead work shown.
> Take a look ...
> ...


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

RealLivePlumber said:


> T, here is a picture of a wiped joint. (to a brass ferulle) The solder is melted into a cloth (wiping cloth) in your hand. You then carefully apply it to the joint, building it up as you go. Most would put a round of masking tape at each end, to keep it looking nice and limit the width of the joint.
> 
> You could also connect 2 pieces of lead. You would flare one end slightly, and insert the other end into the flare, and wipe away.


 



Thanks Real Live Plumber. I have poured maybe a dozen lead and oakum joints; I've soldered I think (2) or (3) brass closet flanges and I've installed (1) lead shower pan. I've soldered many p-traps but never wiped a lead joint.


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## Richard Hilliard (Apr 10, 2010)

Really sweet job there real.


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## PeckPlumbing (Mar 19, 2011)

Nice work! I usually just condemn those old laundry tubs. It seems like 85% of those have other cracks in them.


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## jeffreyplumber (Dec 7, 2009)

Nice... Got it done pleased the custumer. I like to keep that old stuff in service too. Even though its not always cost effective for the custumer.


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## red_devil (Mar 23, 2011)

Speaking of lead. We were picking up paint to paint some gas lines and my boss says to the counter lady (boss being 70 years old) what ever happened to that lead paint, it was great? The counter lady says " all the guys who used it died" completely straight faced. It was pretty funny


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## bchplumbing (Oct 24, 2009)

When I mess with old cast iron I use a fernco rubber fitting to make the transition.


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