# ABS to cast iron?



## pzeiler (Apr 2, 2010)

In a remodel I'm doing in a 1940's bathroom, redoing the plumbing involves removing some of the old galvanized drain lines to replace them with ABS. When I got close to where the 2" galvanized meets up with the main cast iron vertical, I noticed that the galvanized isn't threaded into the cast iron, it's rather "placed" in it and there's a space of maybe 1/8" around the galvanized which is packed with some black material. Somewhat soft, but not like gum. Soft like maybe lead. I have been told that back in the day they used to pack that space with hair (horsehair?) and then melt lead over it to seal that gap in spaces where galvanized doesn't fit into the cast iron. My question is this: How do I now connect the 2" ABS to the cast iron? There's now way for the ABS to go "into" or thread into the cast iron, right? So do I use no-hub rubber coupler? 2" end around the abs and maybe 4 or 5" around the hub of the cast iron? That just seems like a goofy fit to me. Suggestions/solutions?


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## KillerToiletSpider (May 27, 2007)

pzeiler said:


> In a remodel I'm doing in a 1940's bathroom, redoing the plumbing involves removing some of the old galvanized drain lines to replace them with ABS. When I got close to where the 2" galvanized meets up with the main cast iron vertical, I noticed that the galvanized isn't threaded into the cast iron, it's rather "placed" in it and there's a space of maybe 1/8" around the galvanized which is packed with some black material. Somewhat soft, but not like gum. Soft like maybe lead. I have been told that back in the day they used to pack that space with hair (horsehair?) and then melt lead over it to seal that gap in spaces where galvanized doesn't fit into the cast iron. My question is this: How do I now connect the 2" ABS to the cast iron? There's now way for the ABS to go "into" or thread into the cast iron, right? So do I use no-hub rubber coupler? 2" end around the abs and maybe 4 or 5" around the hub of the cast iron? That just seems like a goofy fit to me. Suggestions/solutions?


Yarn and pour an ABS soil pipe adapter into the hub and glue your ABS to the adapter. If you are qualified to perform plumbing work you should have the tools to work with lead and oakum joints.


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## neolitic (Apr 20, 2006)

KillerToiletSpider said:


> Yarn and pour an ABS soil pipe adapter into the hub and glue your ABS to the adapter. If you are qualified to perform plumbing work you should have the tools to work with lead and oakum joints.


:laughing:
Sounds like he's never even
_seen_ a caulked lead joint.


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## Trim40 (Jan 27, 2009)

KillerToiletSpider said:


> Yarn and pour an ABS soil pipe adapter into the hub and glue your ABS to the adapter. If you are qualified to perform plumbing work you should have the tools to work with lead and oakum joints.


 :laughing::laughing::laughing: ABS soil pipe adapter
My personal favorite find, 1 tube of silicone per joint:thumbsup:


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## pzeiler (Apr 2, 2010)

neolitic said:


> :laughing:
> Sounds like he's never even
> _seen_ a caulked lead joint.


 
No, I haven't seen that joint until this. Thanks though. Can you remember when you saw your first?:laughing:
Was it amusing to you if people laughed at you because you hadn't seen it before?:laughing:
Thanks for the helpful non-answer.
Much appreciated.


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## afkama (Jul 16, 2006)

pzeiler said:


> Can you remember when you saw your first?:laughing:
> Was it amusing to you if people laughed at you because you hadn't seen it before?:laughing:
> .


Neo might actually be the guy who first thought of it.

He's older than plumbing, you know.

If I had a nickel for all the times I was laughed at by the old timers because I hadn't seen something before.....

The point everyone is trying to make is that you should be carefull and not get in over your head.

Caulked lead joints were common not all that long ago.


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## pzeiler (Apr 2, 2010)

afkama said:


> Neo might actually be the guy who first thought of it.
> 
> He's older than plumbing, you know.
> 
> ...


 
Understood.
Thanks.


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## neolitic (Apr 20, 2006)

I was laughing because of Killer's
tongue in cheek.
It requires proper tools and not 
a little skill to run a caulk joint.
Basically he told you to hire a plumber.
(Plumber, from the latin plumbum/lead.)
Where Killer works cast iron is de rigueur,
no plastic allowed.
I was nearly 30 before schedule 40 was
approved, and Grandpa was a plumber,
so there was never a _before_ seeing 
cast and caulked lead joints.


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## KillerToiletSpider (May 27, 2007)

neolitic said:


> :laughing:
> Sounds like he's never even
> _seen_ a caulked lead joint.


I wish I could say that.


I am here to pound the lead.


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## richmajewski (Jun 9, 2010)

*plastic to cast hub*

Wear a respirator and using a torch melt all of the lead from around the galvanized, below the lead will be the oakum. Once that is exposed to air it has a tendency to burst into flames so be careful of that and have water handy. Pull the oakum out with pliers. The cut piece of galvanized will now come out easily and you will have a clean hub. 
Now you need a donut. Im assuming 2" hub x 2" pipe if it is a close fit, but there are reducing donuts as well. It is a piece of rubber (looks like a doughnut, with ribs inside and out), meant just for this application. O, most suppliers carry two different sizes for different types of cast, use the one that fits snug, that you have to hammer in a little. Fit your plastic pipe, ABS, PVC same deal, inside rubber first all the way through, mark a line around the pipe. Now lube the outside of the rubber and push pipe and rubber together into the cast hub. It should be very tight and you should have to hammer all around it to get the last couple of ribs in. Make sure your pipe is still in up to the line, wiggle or hammer the pipe a pit to bottom it out. That's it.

Much easier cheater version (if your lead joint is still good) is to cut the galvy a couple inches past the cast and just use a regular fernco rubber coupling to the plastic. I would only do this if you could have a c/o close.


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