Lead Drain Pipe - Please Help

[Lunker]

I just ripped out the old toilet and it turns out the old flange wasn't even attached to the floor. It had a wax ring under and above it... it didn't leak so I guess it worked, oh well.

The drain pipe is made out of lead, and top is level with the floor.

The floor is made of concrete.

I went to a local plumbing supplyplace and they sold me a brass flange and a lead pipe extension.

What the heck do I do now? How do I get a tight seal between the existing lead drain and the extension? I can't just jam it in there I need a seal between the two pipes somehow, right?

[Marlin336]

If you have access underneath cut out the lead bend and re-pipe it with PVC.

[jadnashua]

It's my understanding that a flange on a lead pipe is inserted over the lead, the lead is formed over the edge, then the lead is sealed to the brass. I'm not sure how you would do that using an extension - I've never worked on one. Check back in awhile...see what the pros say.

[krow]

I assume you do not want to open the concrete.

I hope they sold you the long neck Flange.

Ok, you need to aquire wiping solder and a wiping cloth. The solder will be in a stick form about 12" long and 1/2"-3/4" thick.
Slowly and gently pry the lead inward all the way around.
Clean your brass flange , as you woould a regular solder joint.
Take some 50/50 solder and tin the cleaned part of the flange and before it solidifies, wipe off the solder, leaving a silvery colored neck.
Using a pen knife scrape some of the lead evenly around the lead that you pryed earlier, exposing a silvery colored(shiny) lead.
Using a low flame and lots of paste (flux), tin the exposed lead and wiping the solder as you go aroungd the entire circumference of the pipe.
Place flange into position

Place only small amounts of heat to the lead. Apply more heat to flange than lead.
Take the wiping solder and with a low flame , (all along placing plenty of paste as needed) place them at the lowest point where the flange meets the lead, then heat the stick solder so it melts and the brass, so it can stick to the brass and lead (small amount needed)
Using a ballpeen hammer, gently tap the lead towards the brass flange while using the low heat to make lead and solder plyable
when the lead is close enough to the lead, apply a little more stick solder and wipe gently with wiping cloth so you end up with a smooth surface.

This procedure is time consuming and it will take almost an old time artist to make look good. (It takes a while to learn to do this properly)

Caution: DO NOT OVER HEAT THE LEAD. IT WILL MELT



If the above is beyond you capability
Your other alternative is to dig that area and replace the flange with ABS or PVC, What ever is available in your area.

[hj]

This procedure is time consuming and it will take almost an old time artist to make look good. (It takes a while to learn to do this properly)

By the time he has "learned to do this properly" he will have completely ruined the existing bend, and possibly the new extension.

[krow]

By the time he has "learned to do this properly" he will have completely ruined the existing bend, and possibly the new extension.
Hey, I gave him another option, if he wants it.

He asked what to do with what he purchased, so I told him

[Lunker]

Hey thanks guys. I'm not digging up the floor, and though I'm pretty handy, I know my limitations. Time to call in a pro.

Again thanks for getting back to me...

[Pexhead]

I realise this is a bit late but incase others are in the same bind I can say the easiest way to fix it is to go buy Oatay's Twist & Set floor flange. It's a PVC flange and has a neoprean ring that you turn within the pipe. It gets tight, and you have a new toilet flange and a quick long lasting fix.

[hj]

Lead is a soft material, so even IF the lead is smooth and round, the rubber seal will just expand it, rather than make a tight seal. And as far as the previous answer telling him what to do with the items he received, it would have been less time consuming to just tell him, "there is nothing YOU can do with them because you do not have the equipment or experience to fix it." "Dripping" hot solder onto lead and brass will NEVER seal the two, anymore than it will work on a sweat joint. BOTH materials have to be almost at the solder's melting temperature so they will bond to the materials before hardening.