Can I get the hardcore darkroom repair award?

[M Carter]

Plumbing leak - some of the last remaining 1930's era cast iron in our house. The leak only affected the darkroom sink (upstairs). My nice Mrs. was pretty supportive of losing me for several days. Think I'll keep her!

 

[frank]

Awarded!

 

[bsdunek]

Guess if it lasted 75-80 years it didn't do too bad. Glad you can get it fixed and move forward in your darkroom.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Awarded with gold stars and a blue ribbon.

 

[Rick A]

Now to see if you merit an award for replacing the brick to appear as though it was never disturbed.

 

[M Carter]

Oh, it had been disturbed before… and there are plenty of stair-step patterns from past repairs, since this foundation is in constant slow motion.

Still, it looks better now than before I started - I've gotten **decent** with masonry on this house, since there's so damn much of it! It's getting the mortar to match (while my wife says "MooooorDoooor…. you are going to moooordooorrrrr…." - She loves that word.)

Actually, I did all of our countertops with tinted concrete so ended up with a few tools...

 

[Rick A]

Oh, it had been disturbed before… and there are plenty of stair-step patterns from past repairs, since this foundation is in constant slow motion.

Still, it looks better now than before I started - I've gotten **decent** with masonry on this house, since there's so damn much of it! It's getting the mortar to match (while my wife says "MooooorDoooor…. you are going to moooordooorrrrr…." - She loves that word.)

Actually, I did all of our countertops with tinted concrete so ended up with a few tools...

Sharp looking kitchen.

 

[Adam W]

Best reason to keep her.

 

[AgX]

Recently I got older, corroded cast iron tubes substituded by new cast iron ones. But those are plain tubes without bushing. The tubes are connected by bandages with rubber sealing.
Such makes repairs within a tubing section somewhat easier.

 

[M Carter]

Recently I got older, corroded cast iron tubes substituded by new cast iron ones. But those are plain tubes without bushing. The tubes are connected by bandages with rubber sealing.
Such makes repairs within a tubing section somewhat easier.

In the US those are called "no-hub" connectors (the "hub" that the next pipe fits into is what I think you're calling the "bushing" perhaps?)

They're rubber sleeves with a steel sleeve surround and a hose clamp at each end. Usually call "Ferncos" here since that's a manufacturer of them. They're handy in tight places, too.

I replace the whole mess with PVC and used a couple of those to connect to the existing iron vents. Those pipes were really clogged with rust.

Very glad these were just 2" sink drains and not the 4" toilet stack - that is one nasty repair job. Which I imagine I will undertake someday.

 

[gleaf]

Cast Iron and your not using Oakum and poured lead.... how very modern of you. Plastic to Cast iron with Fernco's is the life saver in my daughters 1918 built.

 

[paul ron]

COME ON DOWN MR CARTER TO RECIEVE YOUR AWARD!

That old stuff isn't as old and none standard as you might think. Bell and Spigot has been around for a very long time and still being made and used today.

there is a plumbers trick called the 3 dutchmen to replace sections. in order to fit a section you must use 3 of them so you'll have enough room to get your replacement in. it's a puzzel alright. Then to top it off you need to pack it with oil treated oakum. wiped lead over that to seal it from leaking sewer gas.

But to save the day in our modern adhd world today we replace bell n spigot with No Hub cast iron pipe and those rubber bandaids wrapped with a stainless clamp.

those cast iron pipes rarely corroded years ago but today we dump massive amounts of corrosive liquids through them. Chlorine bleach from wasshing machines, darkroom chemicals, drain unclogging agents, acids, strong alkalis... etc.

you've earned your badge and an honary plumbers and Mason's union card.