Cast iron & lead joint question

Hi everyone. Looking for some info to help me get out of a pickle. I'm doing some hubbed cast iron waste line work but I'm having trouble with catching a seal on my joints. I've used oakum and lead several times in the past and never had a problem with it and have never had a joint not be good to go after the first time. I'm using 3 full strands of oakum on each joint and packing them in to allow for the 1 inch depth for the molten lead. Should I be typically using more oakum? Any other suggestions? I've always preferred this method over non-hub installation as it seems that lead joints outlast the pipe itself with old work but this ordeal is really a bummer. Well, thanks for reading.

Did you calk the lead using both inside and outside irons?

Honestly I always just use my caulking irons to pack the poured lead. Are you referring to the irons with a sharper chisel-like end?

using a single strand of oakum, put a round in the joint using your yarning iron
pack it so that you have 1'' space for your lead.

pour the lead and pack the lead using a packing iron

Hi Frodo. So is using multiple strands possibly compromising the joint? I remember an informal rule of thumb was that the oakum should be packed snugly enough so that two 5 ft sections, once they were packed together on the floor, could be lifted and relocated as needed and the oakum would keep them together. One full strand seems to pack it down past the 1 inch mark just with using the iron by hand? Thanks for your feedback guys!

never seen 5' sections of oakum



oakum comes strands 18''-24''

1 piece should be sufficient. I think you are not using the correct oakum ?

WHY are you leading cast? why are you not using pvc or if you want cast {I have nO idea why you do]
why arn't you using ty-seal gaskets?

Oh, i meant two pieces of straight 5ft sections of pipe being joined, not a 5 ft piece of oakum.

As to the why's- it's code here to use cast outside of the house and underground. Guys use the cp44's alot here but not always and I've never had a problem doing lead joints and always viewed them as the most long-lasting out of all the options. I've heard of the ty-seal gaskets but haven't used them, are they pretty reliable?

Skip_Johnson said:

Oh, i meant two pieces of straight 5ft sections of pipe being joined, not a 5 ft piece of oakum.

As to the why's- it's code here to use cast outside of the house and underground. Guys use the cp44's alot here but not always and I've never had a problem doing lead joints and always viewed them as the most long-lasting out of all the options. I've heard of the ty-seal gaskets but haven't used them, are they pretty reliable?

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forget lead, use the ty seal EZTITE

save the lead for making bullets

Yeah, I'm gonna pick some up today. Thanks again.