Lead wool...

Coach606 · Jul 6, 2006

Just wondering how it works. A closer look at my stack reveals that the closet bend transitions from 3" cast iron to 4" cast iron with an old fashioned lead and oakum joint.

I've heard some horror stories about making the donuts fit with a cast iron hub to pvc, so I'm wondering about the lead wool. How does it work? Do you just pack the joint with oakum and then pack the lead wool over it?

Plumbing is fascinating.

Cass · Jul 7, 2006

All the lead joints I have done were with molton lead. The only thing I have used lead wool for was stoping sand hole leaks in fittings on fire sprinkler systems.

Sponsor · 2022-01-29T12:20:58-0800

hj · Jul 7, 2006

lead wool

It takes a lot of pounding and caulking to fuse lead wool into a solid mass that does not leak. Usually the best way to use it, even though it is much more expensive than lead ingots, is to put it in a ladle and melt it. Then pour a conventional joint.

Coach606 · Jul 7, 2006

off chance of needing it...

Interesting. There's an off chance that the upside down hub on the upper portion of my stack - an old fashioned lead joint that's probably 80 years old - could come loose. If it does I may try the donut, or I'll call a pro.

There's no way I'm pouring a hot lead joint upside down. I'll leave that to you pros. I've got plenty of room below the upside down hub, so hopefully snap cutters won't pull it loose.

Any idea what the chances are of disturbing the upside down bell on that joint with snap cutters 2+ feet below it and riser clamps above and below the cut?

thanks.

Finnegan · Jul 7, 2006

The riser clamps should take care of it. Also, if the upside down hub is in a vent portion, then there is not much of a risk of leakage even if you disturb the seal a bit.

Winslow · Jul 7, 2006

hj said:
It takes a lot of pounding and caulking to fuse lead wool into a solid mass that does not leak. Usually the best way to use it, even though it is much more expensive than lead ingots, is to put it in a ladle and melt it. Then pour a conventional joint.

The lead isn't there to keep the joint from leaking, it is there to keep the joint stable. the oakum is supposed to make the joint watertight, not the lead.

http://www.contractormag.com/articles/column.cfm?columnid=379

hj · Jul 7, 2006

lead

winslow said:
The lead isn't there to keep the joint from leaking, it is there to keep the joint stable. the oakum is supposed to make the joint watertight, not the lead.

True. but unless the lead is compressed into a solid mass it will not be able to press the oakum tight and keep the joint sealed. I have tried to make a joint with lead wool several times and never reached the point where it did not seem to want to "unravel". Thus my facetious comment to melt it and pour the joint. But if you are just trying to close a gap in an existing lead joint or a leaking thread, that is a different story.

Lead wool...

Coach606

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Cass

Plumber

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hj

Master Plumber

Coach606

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Finnegan

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Winslow

Plumber

hj

Master Plumber

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