# Haven't posted in forever. Heres a little underground I've been busy doing



## PlumbusC37 (Oct 19, 2018)

The big stuff towards the end is outside in a parking lot of the building. Changed some of the main and reconnected area drains. Mix of gaskets and lead joints. Couldn't find enough 10 inch gaskets for some reason. Inside underground plumbing work is all lead and oakum.


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## PlumbusC37 (Oct 19, 2018)

Just gonna link to imgur because I'm not uploading 30 pics individually. 


http://imgur.com/a/X5yaFis


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

that musta been fun, I cant believe some one didnt plan ahead and get enough rubber tight seals that you had to do leaded joints....but nice looking work...


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## Plumbus (Aug 4, 2008)

I assume you plumb in Chicago. I didn't know they allow gaskets? If so, why use lead at all? 
I went back and took a close look and didn't see any gaskets.

Why the 1/8 bend offsets in the horizontal runs? Somebody trying to avoid a little digging?


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## PlumbusC37 (Oct 19, 2018)

Plumbus said:


> I assume you plumb in Chicago. I didn't know they allow gaskets? If so, why use lead at all?
> I went back and took a close look and didn't see any gaskets.



Philadelphia. Gaskets are allowed outside only. We called 5 supply houses and nobody had enough 10 inch gaskets. Inside is still lead and oakum underground.


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## PlumbusC37 (Oct 19, 2018)

Plumbus said:


> I assume you plumb in Chicago. I didn't know they allow gaskets? If so, why use lead at all?
> I went back and took a close look and didn't see any gaskets.
> 
> Why the 1/8 bend offsets in the horizontal runs? Somebody trying to avoid a little digging?



Floor drains I didnt account for during sawcutting. Kicked the main over so I didn't have to sit a trap on top of it.


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

Here's the pics. Batch 1


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

Batch #2


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

Batch #3


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

Batch #4


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

Batch #5


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

Batch #6


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

Looks really spectacular man and I envy you getting to do this. Although I am sure day in and day out pouring joints is tough work. I think it's insane to be installing leaded cast iron still. Really, what benefit does this have over plastic? Especially underground. The one thing you could argue is fire resistance but in a modern building fire risk is practically nil. Masonry walls and fire retardant sprays make cast iron an expensive relic. Besides, they make fireproof pvc.





What do you use to stop your brass clean out plugs from rusting in place? I usually use some silicone grease and teflon tape.












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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

skoronesa said:


> Looks really spectacular man and I envy you getting to do this. Although I am sure day in and day out pouring joints is tough work. I think it's insane to be installing leaded cast iron still. Really, what benefit does this have over plastic? Especially underground. The one thing you could argue is fire resistance but in a modern building fire risk is practically nil. Masonry walls and fire retardant sprays make cast iron an expensive relic. Besides, they make fireproof pvc.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



the only reason some of the big cities still use cast or lead joints are the unions..it takes much more time to install, so you need more employees( union members) todo it...


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## breplum (Mar 21, 2009)

Georgous, fine work.
Nobody in the western states have used lead joints(other than for repairs) in over 45 years.
Even though I am retired, haven't had the guts to divest of my full set of caulking irons.


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## rooterboy (Jul 16, 2009)

Fine job Plumbus37, thanks for posting the pictures Skoronesa. Not to sound too green I assume the string lines are to locate walls to make sure the plumbing is in the wall or away from the wall the correct distance like a WC rough?


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## PlumbusC37 (Oct 19, 2018)

breplum said:


> Georgous, fine work.
> Nobody in the western states have used lead joints(other than for repairs) in over 45 years.
> Even though I am retired, haven't had the guts to divest of my full set of caulking irons.



Thank you! Im in my early 30s and I have a almost a full set. I dont have any irons for digging lead out of the joint. But I have all the others. Hard to come by. Mine were gifted to me from an old timer. They make new ones but they aren't as good as the old HOOD irons.


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## PlumbusC37 (Oct 19, 2018)

rooterboy said:


> Fine job Plumbus37, thanks for posting the pictures Skoronesa. Not to sound too green I assume the string lines are to locate walls to make sure the plumbing is in the wall or away from the wall the correct distance like a WC rough?




Yes the string lines were walls marked by the carpenter. I spray clear marking paint on all his lines. Then drill 1/4 inch anchors into the corners and circle them with red paint. I tie my strings to the screws in the anchors and then thats how I know where everything goes. You lose alot wall marks during saw cutting so I always take measurements off of steel beams and write them down just in case. Then I'll measure off the steel to find each room again if I have to.


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## Plumbus (Aug 4, 2008)

PlumbusC37 said:


> Thank you! Im in my early 30s and I have a almost a full set. I dont have any irons for digging lead out of the joint. But I have all the others. Hard to come by. Mine were gifted to me from an old timer. They make new ones but they aren't as good as the old HOOD irons.


Not as hard to find as you might think.
https://www.mephistotools.com/


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## Plumbus (Aug 4, 2008)

PlumbusC37 said:


> Yes the string lines were walls marked by the carpenter. I spray clear marking paint on all his lines. Then drill 1/4 inch anchors into the corners and circle them with red paint. I tie my strings to the screws in the anchors and then thats how I know where everything goes. You lose alot wall marks during saw cutting so I always take measurements off of steel beams and write them down just in case. Then I'll measure off the steel to find each room again if I have to.


Strings and story poles work just as well as a line laser level and once mastered, the technique is almost as fast.

https://www.engineersupply.com/line-laser-levels.aspx


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

breplum said:


> Georgous, fine work.
> Nobody in the western states have used lead joints(other than for repairs) in over 45 years.
> Even though I am retired, haven't had the guts to divest of my full set of caulking irons.



I dont get rid of any tools ever..even if I dont use them anymore, as I dont know if ill need them some day....
I dont need the money and have space to store them....I guess it also keeps the memories of earlier times alive each time you see the old tools on the shelf or tool bin....


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## PlumbusC37 (Oct 19, 2018)

Plumbus said:


> PlumbusC37 said:
> 
> 
> > Thank you! Im in my early 30s and I have a almost a full set. I dont have any irons for digging lead out of the joint. But I have all the others. Hard to come by. Mine were gifted to me from an old timer. They make new ones but they aren't as good as the old HOOD irons.
> ...




Appreciate the link. My supply houses sell them but they're so big and chunky. The set I'm currently using is probably as old as my dad.


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## GAN (Jul 10, 2012)

skoronesa said:


> I think it's insane to be installing leaded cast iron still. Really, what benefit does this have over plastic? Especially underground.
> 
> 
> What do you use to stop your brass clean out plugs from rusting in place? I usually use some silicone grease and teflon tape.
> ...


If you dump anything really hot you need a way to cool it down so you don't warp the PVC. Like discharge from an Autoclave, rice cookers, etc. Not uncommon to run X amount of feet of cast to cool things down then convert to PVC

If I am not mistaken some religious organizations like the Mormons or Seventh Day Adventists will not allow plastic. Had a church in my area done with Cast for that reason. 

Completely agree that outside of these reasons it can be pushed by Unions to keep costs up, in a few instances for fire (above ground) but they make a fire wrap which is commonly used for PVC installation in "open plenum" HVAC systems. In that case it is mandated.


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

GAN said:


> If you dump anything really hot you need a way to cool it down so you don't warp the PVC. Like discharge from an Autoclave, rice cookers, etc. Not uncommon to run X amount of feet of cast to cool things down then convert to PVC
> 
> If I am not mistaken some religious organizations like the Mormons or Seventh Day Adventists will not allow plastic. Had a church in my area done with Cast for that reason.
> 
> Completely agree that outside of these reasons it can be pushed by Unions to keep costs up, in a few instances for fire (above ground) but they make a fire wrap which is commonly used for PVC installation in "open plenum" HVAC systems. In that case it is mandated.





Even cases of heat dissipation dwv copper might make more sense. Of course you'd want to paint it black.


Clearly there are cases when you might still want to install cast or copper instead of plastic. I just meant that in general, pvc should be your starting point. If you think you should use something else for a drain then start from there. Cast iron does have its place and I would never wish to completely ban any plumbing method or material. Service plumbing has taught me that you need all the options at your _disposal_. Lolz, drain humor. :vs_laugh:










.


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## PlumbusC37 (Oct 19, 2018)

skoronesa said:


> GAN said:
> 
> 
> > If you dump anything really hot you need a way to cool it down so you don't warp the PVC. Like discharge from an Autoclave, rice cookers, etc. Not uncommon to run X amount of feet of cast to cool things down then convert to PVC
> ...




Cast iron is code for commercial work in my city. PVC is illegal and we are not allowed to use it. Lead and oakum is the only permissible way to join pipe underground. Philadelphia has its own codebook , we don't follow IPC or UPC.


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