I am a self-employed plumber in New York State with 34 year's experience. I was taught as a helper from my uncle Vinny to do it the torch way. It takes forever and is very messy, especially up in a rafter. I learned the drill and chisel trick and I like MUCH better
It’s tough, because that big old pipes just sucks the heat away. Tough to get it flowing. Nice job my friend, you are right, PVC is so much easier. Thanks for the video Kevin, be well my friend.
Getting ready to do a similar project myself. Always good to watch someone else do it beforehand.....I'm thinking maybe a combination of drilling and torching, maybe?.....Now I'd like to see a video of a plumber putting those pipes together from way back when! They would be so envious watching us glue PVC pipes together today!
Thank you for taking the time and effort to make this video. To the comment section I would recommend a4” ez tight gasket,piece of 4” schedule 40 pipe and a schdule40 4” 45. St 45s or 90s are the best type of fitting for this connection, a short piece of pipe should be used to insure it extends through gasket and hits bottom of cast iron hub. the gasket here looks to be very loose. This connection with a proper gasket never goes in easy with minimal force. Use an ez tight or multi tight,take the edge off the end piece to insert and lube it up, you will know when it a good seal. To take out the old cast iron hub, chisel out brass cap, split inside of cast iron insert, chisel sides in and remove. I would shove a rag in the pipe to prevent and pieces from falling into line during this process
I cut a notch on the inside of the pipe. One on either side with a sawzall and cast iron blade. Cut from inside of the pipe through to the lead as much as you can without hitting the hub. When you have at least (2) notches chisel the pieces toward the middle. I always put a balled up rag down inside the pipe to keep the pieces from falling into the drain line.
@@AaronBennett-mi9uf there are 2 different types of gaskets service weight and extra heavy I’ve used 4” service weight ones on both types of pipe with lube and some leverage to pop them in.
Our first house built in 1945 had that leaded pipe in it. Luckily I never had to mess with it. It also had threaded brass water pipes something you never see in today's world. Great job Kevin be careful working with that lead I think it's made everyone in California crazy.
LOL, we're in California and my 1962 home still has lead and oakum plumbing. Good ol' union work. And some of it is ready to get replaced with PVC. Wear a respirator
You've got a schedule 35 pvc fitting, which the fernco donut isn't designed for. You need to use 4" ABS or 4" schedule 40 fittings, which will be a little larger in diameter and fit tighter in the donut.
Old Plumber here-You have the wrong fitting. You need schedule 40 and grease. Also you need to install a new clean out immediately adjacent to the one that you removed. Check out the code. Lastly, back in the day, the lead joints were removed either with a lead pick( I have one) or with the fire pot that kept the lead ready for the joints on the job.
@@MK-xl9tt Your right. That 45 street ell just isn't long enough, I would have used a 1 foot section, that way you can drive it all the way (maybe 6 inches) until it bottoms out in the doughnut. That doughnut has to be completely filled to expand into the cast iron hub and seal it. After that you can put on any fitting you need.
Its been many decades since I had to do this but I have one to do again now so I'm watching videos. I don't like the torch method and I don't much like the drill method either. I think I used to break the pipe or fitting one inward one chip at a time using a cold chisel , and then use the chisel to pry the lead toward the center and once started it came out easy. Then, because they didn't yet make ferncos, or rubber donuts, or no hub connectors, we had ABS to CI fittings with a spigot, caulked in oakum, then packed in lead wool which you could pack back into a solid with caulking tools which look like off set chisels but the are flat on the end. I ' just a kid and the real plumbers were still ladling molten lead into the joints.
I was trying to figure out what the last guy did to my 1-1/4" sink drain and I think the method you described was it haha. Never seen anything like it. Thanks for this comment, I never woulda figured that out without finding a comment/thread like this
Nice job. An alternative method is to drill out the lead. Get about 5 drill bits an 1/8 in in diameter and start drilling holes all around the joint. Expect to break several of them. Takes about 20 minutes and you will have drilled enough lead out that you can wiggle the joint out by hand. I have used this technique several times on 4 inch cast iron pipe in my home. It works well. Be sure to measure the joint and get the right size fernco fitting.
I love it when the commenter didn't watch the video. LOL (he mentioned the process you suggested at the beginning and explained why he wasn't doing it)
Please be advised, you must wear a respirator, the fumes from the lead can be very toxic, that's why we don't have any old plumbers around who installed lead joints. Also let's not forget that methane gas is very flammable.
Y’all are making too big a deal about the methane. If the methane explodes, then the fitting blows itself out of the joint. Problem solved!🤣🤣🤣 PS. You may want to wear a blast shield over your respirator!😆
A lot of plumbers just call that a "Donut" after you put the donut in the hub and you was able to put the pvc pipe in easily I think you should have got the heavy weight one. Because usually it should show some restrictions for it to be water tight.
I took out a 4” vent pipe, all the packing, and all the lead with a small centerpunch and small chisel in less than two minutes. Severely rusted pipe as well. Much faster.
I usually just drill out the lead. After enough holes, the fitting will spin right out. It saves on gas and protects you from the fumes if you don't have proper ventilation.
You have more patients than me I use a grinder split the plug in half than pop the plug out make a little deeper cut use two Hammers and crack the clean out in out than the lead and oakum comes right out old school plumber
Although I could be wrong, I believe the reason the PVC fitting is loose is because it’s a “Street” elbow, which means its outside diameter is 4 inches, and the rubber adaptor is expecting the normal outside diameter of 4.5 inches. I imagine if he stuck a normal piece of 4 inch PVC pipe in there, the fit would be very snug.
Correct. His install would fail an inspection! Which we know code is the bare minimum... not the top notch. So not even passing code is a major red flag
I remember when leading was still taught in apprenticeships. It outlasted the iron for sure. Good post bud. I hope you didn't breath too much of that lead in.
@@Robinson-Homestead Lead is the least of all the nasty metals for sure. I am just partial to silver but that would be a pricy thing. I am home now from the amputation and feeling better than I have in over 20 years.It will be great to get back to my pouring bench and handling the repairs and welding at the ranch. Life is good now.
@@TomokosEnterprize I follow your channel. So sorry about your right leg, but if you feel better, that's the most important thing. Really admired that silver chess piece.
@@bentnickel7487 Hey Brent. How nice of you to stop by. The leg was an awful thing that consumed my waking hours. Now I have a fresh lease on life nearly pain free. It was a good thing my friend.
Melting lead is safer than drilling if you use a respirator. Drilling produces tiny fragments that are more difficult to clean up. I wonder if heating up the outside of the cutout with a hotter gas would speed up the melting process. Nice video. I will be replacing some cast iron pipe in my 104 year old house soon.
Glad I found your video, was curious just how much lead I might have to deal with on my project, I would suggest you post on the other sites like Odysee because a lot of folks have dumped youtube over their partisan bullshittery. If I wasn't in a pinch, I would never have clicked, have a nice day.
Between the methane and lead oxide fumes, drilling is slower but safer, according to my retired plumber buddy. The union strictly prohibits the melting of lead.
So much easier to use a carbide toothed hole saw bit...trust me. I do it all the time. Been plumbing almost 20 years and I own my own small business. I exclusively do remodels and service. Try it and you will see. Fk doing the torch method and the drill bit method
@@hendonburgism wear a mask, goggles, and gloves. Use a small chisel and a drill. Works great. I’ve done a few jobs like that - and have been told by others not to heat it up the fumes are way more dangerous, plus work like that would be in a place that has cast iron piping, which means it would be at least +40-90 year old drain…. Those things usually come off very easy
@@kapstr8ds “which means it would be at least +40-90 year old drain… Those things usually…” are also surrounded by +40-90 year old lumber!!! In this case, the OP is working around cinder block. In many (if not most) cases, that pipe will be surrounded by very old lumber…which is EXTREMELY dry and tends to burn like a matchstick. To make matters worse, homes built 75-90 years ago (especially in the South) were almost exclusively built with old growth heart pine. This wood has a very high pitch content which makes it basically impervious to termites…it also makes it highly flammable when it dries out. Think “fat lighter”!
@@BiffSarin that’s crazy. I didn’t know. I have moved to United States a few years ago. And just came across a few projects up north “Ohio” where some of these have “lead seal” Wood and a direct fire is a good way to have your insurance company involved…
Thanks!! So how does the rubber hub get completely sealed to the cast iron and then to the pvc fitting?? Everything seemed a little lose when you test fit it. Is there a glue of some sort?
You did real good with that lead Kevin....Once you got her loose she just had to come....I have seen my father do some of that pipe with some kind of string packed in all around...I think I still have the packing chisel....You just can`t beat the new stuff but I wonder if it`s going to last as long....good job....CHEERS
Used oakum is soaked so expands to seal the pipe, making it non burnable. Dried out oakum, like above all the sinks, will burn. Lit some the other day. (accidentally). No stink pipe odors 👍
Very well explained...Thank you.I still have a question: Is that tight enough to seal perfectly? I have seen some guys using 4" regular PVC pipe and just make a bevel to the end which inserted in to make it tighter?
Some guys always wanna do things the hard way, we still do iron & caulk work. Aswell as lead pipe in historical building's and on boats. Drilling n hook is the only method to remove this,
The soil pipe hub seal requires the full O.D. of a 4" PVC pipe to fit correctly and make a tight seal. Chamfered on the end, lubricated with some soapy water and with much effort, forced into place to assure a tight seal. If the reduced end of the slip-fit 45 degree fitting, as shown in the video is used in there, it won't provide a very good seal. Could leak both liquids and sewer gases.
I have learned a lot from RUclips videos, but I usually do more research including watching several in the same subject and not go by the first I see. There have been a lot of people watch this one. I hate to make a negative comment, it might save someone from getting hurt and or doing more damage. I have to wonder how many have tried this and gotten hurt or caused more problems! No plumber here but no way would I leave that connection that loose. Op’er, no need to thank me for my comment.
I don't know. I'll go with the drill bit and pick at it. Map gas is way more expensive than a couple of 1/4 inch bits too. Time wise I think is a wash as well.
I haven’t done plumbing in 30 years but that rubber thing we used to call dual tights and you have to grease it and it’s really hard to put it. I have no idea what you were using but that’s gonna leak like a sieve.
@@Robinson-HomesteadYou probably wouldn’t have leaks until it backs up. Imagine two straws, one with a smaller diameter than the other. They fit loosely together. You connect them with the bigger one on the bottom. If you pour water into this assembly, you wouldn’t have a leak. Then you plug the bottom and pour enough water for the water to back up above the joint. Now you have a leak.
Good info, I've done this before. It sure seemed like you pvc went the rubber boot easy. To easy, did it leak? Mine went on super tight, I had to pound it in with a 2x4 and hammer.
How I remove lead....unscrew c.o. plug.....insert rag to protect inside of pipe form debris....use reciprocating saw to cut c.o. fitting...cut fitting in two places and drive chisel into edge to spread fitting inward...remove c.o. fitting...cut out lead very easily and remove....saves your lungs and the atmosphere from all that heated lead, oakum, and stink.
I'm watching this because I never did this specific chore of modifying my sanitary C.I. In my basement (for a planned DIY project). But my career has been doing environmental stuff and years of H&S trainings that came with it. I could be wrong, but isn't there something wrong with burning (and breathing) lead in a confined space and without the presenter using a special cartridge respirator?? Most of my career was working around VOCs, but this just raises a flag for me. But again, I could be wrong.
Thanks Kevin, my cast iron black pipe goes up through my attic and the septic smell is coming out of the connections of two black iron pipes that were once joined by lead. The lead seems to have lifted up. So I removed and now I placed mortite puddy all around to try and stop the smell. It seems to have worked. What would you have done.
That took 10.5 minutes. I would have cut the female thread adapter from the inside with a diamond wheel. Everything would have pried out in 5 minutes. I don't recommend using hammers on cast iron.
Use a 2" hole saw to remove the center of the plug. Then use a sawsall cut the remaining plug out. The iron female adapter will break easily with a hammer. Then the lead will peel off. Complete prep. in less than five minutes. Just did two today.
@@stevenvanfleet2520 no, I don't do videos. But the 2" hole saw works great. When the hole saw is almost through tip your drill to cut one side. Then grab the square part of the plug and pry it open so you don't drop any debris down the sewer line. Take your time and it will work out good. # Best Method.
This is great but I have a 3inch hub Y that I am trying to remove the lead in but it’s up in the wall near the ceiling. I’m trying to attach a 2in shower drain to it with a donut. It’s in a confined space. Maybe can get in there with a drill. Any ideas??
I believe you had a street elbow/fitting. I pretty sure the service weight hub you slid into the cast iron should have a full diameter 4 inch pvc slid into it. You should have to bevel the edges to get it started and there should still be a good bit of compressive resistance trying to slide it in. Usually have to put petro jelly on the pvc I usually use silicone as it makes it slide in easy and help seal once cured. Just my 2 cents.
Dan that is what I need but don’t know where to look for such a thing. And when I do find the proper hub I don’t know what pipe cap to purchase that won’t blow out if the sewer builds up pressure. Any good videos to show a horizontal application? P.S. I actually discovered the clean out cap to the soil pipe had corroded open and was letting sewer gas into the house.
@@Fresh-tw7ev don't know where you are located. If midwest menards carries them forsure. Home depot as well. Or a local plumbing supply house. There should be no pressure in the drain lines. If there was you would hear the sinks or toilets bubbling. If you are having sewage problems. They make a sewage back flow preventer valve which only allows sewage to go one direction.
Was wondering about melting, but was concerned about sewer gases. My 4" connection is wide open. Drilled it and it was actually fairly easy and quick. Question: Our city does NOT allow PVC or ABS plastic, so I have to connect cast iron to the hub. Do they make a doughnut for that size? Is that the correct way to do the connection? Or do I get a fitting (like a reducer) that covers the OD of the old hub and connects normally to the new CI pipe?
@@Robinson-Homestead Thanks for the response. Yes, I found out there is a donut for CI to CI hub and it works really well. Not sure why my dumb city doesn't allow plastic while the rest of planet earth does, but that's another topic. Sounds like a little payola action with the cast iron company.
My house was outfitted with city sewer circa 1908. Walt Disney's house had the same about a mile away. Iron was probably dragged in behind donkeys and oxen from the rail yard. It still works, sort of. Rust is causing perforations. NOW LET US TALK about PVC. it's expected life is 70 years, falling short of a full century. When it [PVC] was discovered does not matter since it wasn't a viable product. That is until WW2 when insulating wires for ships it proved itself useful. But those ships aren't really available for inspection (Big ba-da Boom). Or they have been refitted and ultimately now museums. We have learned NOT to use PVC for drinking water. Poison leaches out of it. Unlike a nuclear disaster, many poisons from plastic never diminish. So flushing your poo and poison into the sewer, which IS part of our water supply, means those poisons are, albeit less concentrated, in your future drink. Let's not even begin with the toxins emitted in manufacturing all the plastics or how plastic is disposed of. Yes, PVC is so much easier to install under every sink and loo, right out to the curb under ground. But if you had a choice shouldn't you be asking yourself, "Do I want to stand behind my wife breathing while she sprays aqua net on her hairdo or should I just go take my Centrum+iron?" Yes, iron kills. But only if your wife is strong, mad and has an iron skillet to swing at your head. If she isn't strong, keep that spinach away from her, it's high in - you guessed it - iron. We need to keep moving in search of alternatives to plastics. Sorry Saudi Arabia (and Texas).
I'm not a plumber by trade but do not heat lead up unless you're certified in knowing what you're doing safely. No ventilation or ppe for those lead fumes is a good way to Darwin yourself.
![How to Cut Cast Iron Pipe [Learn how to cut, remove, and replace cast iron sewer pipe with PVC]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/edVjZwfNQyc/mqdefault.jpg)
I am a self-employed plumber in New York State with 34 year's experience. I was taught as a helper from my uncle Vinny to do it the torch way. It takes forever and is very messy, especially up in a rafter. I learned the drill and chisel trick and I like MUCH better
Drill and chisel sound better. The smell of lead isn't good.
Kevin is working on a cement floor and next to a brick wall, which is more safe than using a torch in an area surrounded by or in proximity to wood.
Problem is, the cast iron absorbs the heat, and lead doesn't want to melt. You can't do this with a propane torch. It just doesn't get hot enough.
The new trick is to saw the c/o flat,take a hole saw put it over the hub and drill out,really fast.
I agree with both but your way is easier because lead is soft👍🏾
Finally a good video to cover this topic. Thanks. And thanks for not wasting everyone’s time with jazz about non related issues.
Thanks for the comment glad to help.
It’s tough, because that big old pipes just sucks the heat away. Tough to get it flowing. Nice job my friend, you are right, PVC is so much easier. Thanks for the video Kevin, be well my friend.
I do like that PVC thanks Hatch.
Thank you so much for this. Just found a strange combo of lead/oakum joint used for cast iron to PVC. had to remove that and replace this. Thanks.
I have done this a lot. I use an acetylene torch with a really big tip. I kinda find it relaxing watching the lead melt.
Thanks for the comment.
Getting ready to do a similar project myself. Always good to watch someone else do it beforehand.....I'm thinking maybe a combination of drilling and torching, maybe?.....Now I'd like to see a video of a plumber putting those pipes together from way back when! They would be so envious watching us glue PVC pipes together today!
good luck on you project and make sure to have plenty of ventilation.
Yeah I bet that had to stink!
Why not cut the co flat w/sawzall, then use hole saw to cut lead out?
Thank you for taking the time and effort to make this video. To the comment section I would recommend a4” ez tight gasket,piece of 4” schedule 40 pipe and a schdule40 4” 45. St 45s or 90s are the best type of fitting for this connection, a short piece of pipe should be used to insure it extends through gasket and hits bottom of cast iron hub. the gasket here looks to be very loose. This connection with a proper gasket never goes in easy with minimal force. Use an ez tight or multi tight,take the edge off the end piece to insert and lube it up, you will know when it a good seal. To take out the old cast iron hub, chisel out brass cap, split inside of cast iron insert, chisel sides in and remove. I would shove a rag in the pipe to prevent and pieces from falling into line during this process
Thanks for the comment
I know this is an older comment, but how do you split the cast iron insert?
I cut a notch on the inside of the pipe. One on either side with a sawzall and cast iron blade.
Cut from inside of the pipe through to the lead as much as you can without hitting the hub.
When you have at least (2) notches chisel the pieces toward the middle.
I always put a balled up rag down inside the pipe to keep the pieces from falling into the drain line.
Is the EZ-Tight the correct gasket for XH (not service weight) iron pipe to join to PVC?
@@AaronBennett-mi9uf there are 2 different types of gaskets service weight and extra heavy I’ve used 4” service weight ones on both types of pipe with lube and some leverage to pop them in.
Our first house built in 1945 had that leaded pipe in it. Luckily I never had to mess with it. It also had threaded brass water pipes something you never see in today's world. Great job Kevin be careful working with that lead I think it's made everyone in California crazy.
I just had that one to work on hope no more Jim I am filling a little crazy lol.
LOL, we're in California and my 1962 home still has lead and oakum plumbing. Good ol' union work. And some of it is ready to get replaced with PVC. Wear a respirator
Proves that if you have a lot of patience to stick with heating the cast iron, it will come free. Thank For This.
You bet thanks for watching
It is ALOT faster with a TURBO torch tip, but most residential plumber's do not have or need a torch that gets that hot
You've got a schedule 35 pvc fitting, which the fernco donut isn't designed for. You need to use 4" ABS or 4" schedule 40 fittings, which will be a little larger in diameter and fit tighter in the donut.
Thanks for the information.
Agreed!
i noticed that too
I was noticing that. Wondering if the iron being hot had expanded it a little like taking bearing races off of a car
Looked loose to me too. That explains it.
Old Plumber here-You have the wrong fitting. You need schedule 40 and grease.
Also you need to install a new clean out immediately adjacent to the one that you removed. Check out the code.
Lastly, back in the day, the lead joints were removed either with a lead pick( I have one) or with the fire pot that kept the lead ready for the joints on the job.
New plumber here-You think he’d notice it didn’t seal. SDR fitting, when it clearly says DWV (Sch 40). Should have called a plumber.
Being a plumber for 30 years these diy videos are very entertaining
To correct my typos I would NOT recommend a street or (spigot) type fitting for inserting into cast iron hub, use a piece of pipe
Thanks for the comment
@@MK-xl9tt pvc pipe?
@@MK-xl9tt Your right. That 45 street ell just isn't long enough, I would have used a 1 foot section, that way you can drive it all the way (maybe 6 inches) until it bottoms out in the doughnut. That doughnut has to be completely filled to expand into the cast iron hub and seal it. After that you can put on any fitting you need.
Great video, clear explanation of what you did. I think drilling a little of it out would help, but you fixed it nicely in the end!
Thank you i appreciate you watching.
Its been many decades since I had to do this but I have one to do again now so I'm watching videos. I don't like the torch method and I don't much like the drill method either. I think I used to break the pipe or fitting one inward one chip at a time using a cold chisel , and then use the chisel to pry the lead toward the center and once started it came out easy. Then, because they didn't yet make ferncos, or rubber donuts, or no hub connectors, we had ABS to CI fittings with a spigot, caulked in oakum, then packed in lead wool which you could pack back into a solid with caulking tools which look like off set chisels but the are flat on the end. I ' just a kid and the real plumbers were still ladling molten lead into the joints.
I was trying to figure out what the last guy did to my 1-1/4" sink drain and I think the method you described was it haha. Never seen anything like it. Thanks for this comment, I never woulda figured that out without finding a comment/thread like this
Nice job. An alternative method is to drill out the lead. Get about 5 drill bits an 1/8 in in diameter and start drilling holes all around the joint. Expect to break several of them. Takes about 20 minutes and you will have drilled enough lead out that you can wiggle the joint out by hand. I have used this technique several times on 4 inch cast iron pipe in my home. It works well. Be sure to measure the joint and get the right size fernco fitting.
Thanks for the info.
I love it when the commenter didn't watch the video. LOL (he mentioned the process you suggested at the beginning and explained why he wasn't doing it)
Please be advised, you must wear a respirator, the fumes from the lead can be very toxic, that's why we don't have any old plumbers around who installed lead joints. Also let's not forget that methane gas is very flammable.
good information thank you
there is one left named roger wakfield
Yeah when he said heat up I was like oh no Methane, please work out please work out. That Methane really concerned me.
@@jacksplumbingvideos7147 this old house sure gets his value of plumbing by the $$$
Y’all are making too big a deal about the methane. If the methane explodes, then the fitting blows itself out of the joint. Problem solved!🤣🤣🤣
PS. You may want to wear a blast shield over your respirator!😆
That lead can be a problem to get out. Great job Kevin! Thank you for sharing!
You got that right!
Simple and clear video. Keep up the good work.
Thank you Andi.
A lot of plumbers just call that a "Donut" after you put the donut in the hub and you was able to put the pvc pipe in easily I think you should have got the heavy weight one. Because usually it should show some restrictions for it to be water tight.
Thank you for the info.
I took out a 4” vent pipe, all the packing, and all the lead with a small centerpunch and small chisel in less than two minutes. Severely rusted pipe as well. Much faster.
Thanks for sharing.
I usually just drill out the lead. After enough holes, the fitting will spin right out. It saves on gas and protects you from the fumes if you don't have proper ventilation.
Great tip
Thank you very much for teaching all of us 😉🙏🤜🤛
Thanks for watching
You have more patients than me I use a grinder split the plug in half than pop the plug out make a little deeper cut use two Hammers and crack the clean out in out than the lead and oakum comes right out old school plumber
Although I could be wrong, I believe the reason the PVC fitting is loose is because it’s a “Street” elbow, which means its outside diameter is 4 inches, and the rubber adaptor is expecting the normal outside diameter of 4.5 inches. I imagine if he stuck a normal piece of 4 inch PVC pipe in there, the fit would be very snug.
thank you for the comment
@@davidramey7186 sorry your right about Street elbow it has been working ok no small or leeks thanks for the comment.
Correct. His install would fail an inspection! Which we know code is the bare minimum... not the top notch. So not even passing code is a major red flag
Street is same size as OD
@@r777v No, the street size would be the same as the ID, not the OD.
Excellence! Thank you for showing every step in the process. SUBSCRIBED!
I appreciate you subscribing and for watching.
I remember when leading was still taught in apprenticeships. It outlasted the iron for sure. Good post bud. I hope you didn't breath too much of that lead in.
I had a fan on hope not to thanks Dean.
@@Robinson-Homestead Lead is the least of all the nasty metals for sure. I am just partial to silver but that would be a pricy thing. I am home now from the amputation and feeling better than I have in over 20 years.It will be great to get back to my pouring bench and handling the repairs and welding at the ranch. Life is good now.
@@TomokosEnterprize I follow your channel. So sorry about your right leg, but if you feel better, that's the most important thing. Really admired that silver chess piece.
@@bentnickel7487 Hey Brent. How nice of you to stop by. The leg was an awful thing that consumed my waking hours. Now I have a fresh lease on life nearly pain free. It was a good thing my friend.
Nice Jon Kevin, I learned a lot from your video! 👍👍
Glad it was helpful! thank you Paul.
Melting lead is safer than drilling if you use a respirator. Drilling produces tiny fragments that are more difficult to clean up. I wonder if heating up the outside of the cutout with a hotter gas would speed up the melting process. Nice video. I will be replacing some cast iron pipe in my 104 year old house soon.
Thanks for watching and be safe with your project.
Oxyacetylene or oxypropane would work much better. Cast absorbs all the heat, and the lead doesn't want to melt.
Glad I found your video, was curious just how much lead I might have to deal with on my project, I would suggest you post on the other sites like Odysee because a lot of folks have dumped youtube over their partisan bullshittery. If I wasn't in a pinch, I would never have clicked, have a nice day.
Thanks for watching and glad i could help
Thank you so much for naming this piece. I couldn't find it online because I couldn't find the name.
Thanks for the comment and watching glad to help.
Yes Mapp gas is hotter But 2 small tanks of Oxy Acetylene it takes half the time! But only if theyr available to you??
Between the methane and lead oxide fumes, drilling is slower but safer, according to my retired plumber buddy. The union strictly prohibits the melting of lead.
Good information Bent Nickel thank you for the comment glad I only had one to do.
Amen. Removed many a joint.
The union🤣
curious...how does the lead get in the joint initially? thx
@@treystills its melted in a little pot and poured in
So much easier to use a carbide toothed hole saw bit...trust me. I do it all the time. Been plumbing almost 20 years and I own my own small business. I exclusively do remodels and service. Try it and you will see. Fk doing the torch method and the drill bit method
Thanks for the comment.
What size of hole saw
For a 2 inch hub
Never seen that done before. Great information.
Thanks for the video.
I'm not sure that I did it right but it done and it works great thanks Daryl.
How do you fasten it in place?
You're my friggin hero!!
Thanks Daniel hope it helped.
Yea he’s a ledgend
From my experiences its quicker and safer to drill most of the lead and oakum out instead of melting it out
Good tip
When you drill it, you send tiny lead and lead oxide particles and dust everywhere, while it may or may not be more safer, simply keep that in mind.
@@hendonburgism wear a mask, goggles, and gloves. Use a small chisel and a drill. Works great. I’ve done a few jobs like that - and have been told by others not to heat it up the fumes are way more dangerous, plus work like that would be in a place that has cast iron piping, which means it would be at least +40-90 year old drain…. Those things usually come off very easy
@@kapstr8ds “which means it would be at least +40-90 year old drain… Those things usually…” are also surrounded by +40-90 year old lumber!!!
In this case, the OP is working around cinder block. In many (if not most) cases, that pipe will be surrounded by very old lumber…which is EXTREMELY dry and tends to burn like a matchstick.
To make matters worse, homes built 75-90 years ago (especially in the South) were almost exclusively built with old growth heart pine. This wood has a very high pitch content which makes it basically impervious to termites…it also makes it highly flammable when it dries out. Think “fat lighter”!
@@BiffSarin that’s crazy. I didn’t know. I have moved to United States a few years ago. And just came across a few projects up north “Ohio” where some of these have “lead seal”
Wood and a direct fire is a good way to have your insurance company involved…
Thanks!!
So how does the rubber hub get completely sealed to the cast iron and then to the pvc fitting?? Everything seemed a little lose when you test fit it.
Is there a glue of some sort?
Me agrada mucho que comparta sus experiencias, felicidades AND gracias.
Thanks for watching.
You are right with the heat I found out the hard way 😂
Thanks.
You did real good with that lead Kevin....Once you got her loose she just had to come....I have seen my father do some of that pipe with some kind of string packed in all around...I think I still have the packing chisel....You just can`t beat the new stuff but I wonder if it`s going to last as long....good job....CHEERS
That's a good question Gator.
Good job. I'm confronted with a 4" soil pipe as I replace an old septic tank.
Good luck my friend thank you for the comment and watching.
Good job Kevin never saw that done before around her everything is plastic in the cities they have a lot of that pipe.
This is the first time working on this kind of pipe for me Danny I think I did ok thanks.
Idk what is in PB BLASTER but that has made ALOT of jobs easier.
It does work thanks for the comment.
my main concerns with this method of removal is lead vapors and possibly setting the oakum aflame.
Yes be very careful.
Used oakum is soaked so expands to seal the pipe, making it non burnable. Dried out oakum, like above all the sinks, will burn. Lit some the other day. (accidentally). No stink pipe odors 👍
Great video man! this video was super helpful.
Thank you for the comment glad to help.
Job well done. Cool video. Very informative. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you Gerard.
Great video, Could’ve used it several years ago when I did a similar transition. Thanks!
Thanks for the comment and watching.
Very well explained...Thank you.I still have a question: Is that tight enough to seal perfectly? I have seen some guys using 4" regular PVC pipe and just make a bevel to the end which inserted in to make it tighter?
I have had no issues so far thanks.
Some guys always wanna do things the hard way, we still do iron & caulk work. Aswell as lead pipe in historical building's and on boats.
Drilling n hook is the only method to remove this,
Thanks for the comment.
I did the drill method, same result in the end.
Thanks for the info Rick.
Great job 👍🏾
Thanks for all the comments.
Great job
Thank you Mauricio.
Thank you for the info Paul Shoshoni, Wyoming
Thank you Paul for watching
My home place here in n.c. still has that kind of pipe in it. It was built in 1960.
I think this house was built in the 1920s.
Do you have to put glue between the boot and pvc fitting or the boot and cast iron? Just don't know where the seal is?
thank you so much for this video
Thanks for the comment and watching
非常に参考になります。
I wish I knew how to translate this thank you for the comment.
The soil pipe hub seal requires the full O.D. of a 4" PVC pipe to fit correctly and make a tight seal. Chamfered on the end, lubricated with some soapy water and with much effort, forced into place to assure a tight seal. If the reduced end of the slip-fit 45 degree fitting, as shown in the video is used in there, it won't provide a very good seal. Could leak both liquids and sewer gases.
No issues so far but thanks for the info
Tx . I have similar job to do , but 2inch to cast iron
Thanks for the comment take your time.
ASBESTOS...the packing is made from ASBESTOS, we just removed some from an 1929 house, we filed an nopa and followed worksafe guide lines.
Thanks for the info!
Thank you very much!
nice video and thank you. mine doesn't have the lead joint, copper connects to the cast iron directly and stuck. any suggestions? thanks a lot.
@Joe M thank you very much.
I heated mine but could not break it loose it saw seized in there.
Nice work! The plumber who soldered that in probably rolled over in his grave
lol he may be but i needed to fix it.
Those a usually stuffed - it works like a putty however thicker and stronger.
A 45 minute video of using a torch. Lmao😂
Thanks for watching Joe.
very informative dude!
Glad it helped
I have learned a lot from RUclips videos, but I usually do more research including watching several in the same subject and not go by the first I see.
There have been a lot of people watch this one.
I hate to make a negative comment, it might save someone from getting hurt and or doing more damage.
I have to wonder how many have tried this and gotten hurt or caused more problems!
No plumber here but no way would I leave that connection that loose.
Op’er, no need to thank me for my comment.
Having no issues thank you for the comment
Great super video, thanks.
Why there was led in there ? Anyone know can answer for me please?
Thank you for watching.
I don't know. I'll go with the drill bit and pick at it. Map gas is way more expensive than a couple of 1/4 inch bits too. Time wise I think is a wash as well.
Thanks for watching Al
I haven’t done plumbing in 30 years but that rubber thing we used to call dual tights and you have to grease it and it’s really hard to put it. I have no idea what you were using but that’s gonna leak like a sieve.
Thanks for the comment has been working great so far no leaks.
@@Robinson-HomesteadYou probably wouldn’t have leaks until it backs up. Imagine two straws, one with a smaller diameter than the other. They fit loosely together. You connect them with the bigger one on the bottom. If you pour water into this assembly, you wouldn’t have a leak. Then you plug the bottom and pour enough water for the water to back up above the joint. Now you have a leak.
Good info, I've done this before. It sure seemed like you pvc went the rubber boot easy. To easy, did it leak? Mine went on super tight, I had to pound it in with a 2x4 and hammer.
How I remove lead....unscrew c.o. plug.....insert rag to protect inside of pipe form debris....use reciprocating saw to cut c.o. fitting...cut fitting in two places and drive chisel into edge to spread fitting inward...remove c.o. fitting...cut out lead very easily and remove....saves
your lungs and the atmosphere from all that heated lead, oakum, and stink.
I couldn't get the c.o. plug unscrewed thanks for the info.
@@Robinson-Homestead hammer and chisel
Does this offer a seal good enough to replace a vertical toilet drain
Maksim, not sure about a toilet drain but i never had any issues with mine.
At the end 14:55 : How the boot will stay in place without leaking? Are you going to glue? as I don't see any means for pressure tightening.
Not the right fitting he had a SDR fitting, needs DWV. With the proper fitting it will seal just fine.
Lucky my last cast iron pipe I had to deal with had duct tape... Lol no joke, I got a rubber cuplink and that was that...
Thanks for the comment
Nice job
Thanks!
take 1/4 inch copper tubing Create a COIL around the unit hook the 2 end's to a 120 Volt . should be more then enough to Melt the Lead seal .
Thanks for the comment and watching.
I'm watching this because I never did this specific chore of modifying my sanitary C.I. In my basement (for a planned DIY project). But my career has been doing environmental stuff and years of H&S trainings that came with it. I could be wrong, but isn't there something wrong with burning (and breathing) lead in a confined space and without the presenter using a special cartridge respirator?? Most of my career was working around VOCs, but this just raises a flag for me. But again, I could be wrong.
This was my first time need lots of ventilation I am not a professional
On my house I used WD-40 and pipe wrench with a breaker bar
I was afraid of breaking it
Education is key this is great for a home owner or to save a buck maybe. But honestly not much in the scheme of things. Could be better.
thanks for watching
Thanks Kevin, my cast iron black pipe goes up through my attic and the septic smell is coming out of the connections of two black iron pipes that were once joined by lead. The lead seems to have lifted up. So I removed and now I placed mortite puddy all around to try and stop the smell. It seems to have worked.
What would you have done.
Put a rubber sleeve over it with hose clamps.
@@Robinson-Homestead unable to use that unless I cut it in half. And use clamps.
Hard work.
Yes it was
Has anyone tried using one of those Induction Heaters for this job? Seems like a good test for it
No i haven't but it would be nice to know if it would work, thanks for the comment.
Thanks
No problem thanks for watching
Is a bell & spigot joint the same as a hub & barrel joint? I am confused because I hear bell and hub used interchangeability.
Not sure sorry John.
That took 10.5 minutes. I would have cut the female thread adapter from the inside with a diamond wheel. Everything would have pried out in 5 minutes. I don't recommend using hammers on cast iron.
Thanks for the comment Jeremy.
Use a 2" hole saw to remove the center of the plug. Then use a sawsall cut the remaining plug out. The iron female adapter will break easily with a hammer. Then the lead will peel off. Complete prep. in less than five minutes. Just did two today.
@@jeffreyjohn2037 to you have video of that?
@@stevenvanfleet2520 no, I don't do videos. But the 2" hole saw works great. When the hole saw is almost through tip your drill to cut one side. Then grab the square part of the plug and pry it open so you don't drop any debris down the sewer line. Take your time and it will work out good. # Best Method.
Hammer and chisel pops those brass clean out caps out in a matter of seconds
This is great but I have a 3inch hub Y that I am trying to remove the lead in but it’s up in the wall near the ceiling. I’m trying to attach a 2in shower drain to it with a donut. It’s in a confined space. Maybe can get in there with a drill. Any ideas??
If you melt it make sure you have good ventilation
Can you show how you put the rest on the other side and create a new clean-up access or whatever that connects to the other end? Thanks for sharing.
I will try too
@@Robinson-Homestead 🙏
Excellent video definitely Subscibe 👍
Thank you
Could you use the conversion if your piped were horizontal?
Pls try to use a 1/4" drill bit and a flat head screwdriver. will be a lot faster.
Will do thanks
I believe you had a street elbow/fitting. I pretty sure the service weight hub you slid into the cast iron should have a full diameter 4 inch pvc slid into it. You should have to bevel the edges to get it started and there should still be a good bit of compressive resistance trying to slide it in. Usually have to put petro jelly on the pvc I usually use silicone as it makes it slide in easy and help seal once cured. Just my 2 cents.
Thanks for the comment and watching
@@Robinson-Homestead yup ,anytime . This is how we all learn. Specially tips and tricks to make life easier.
Dan that is what I need but don’t know where to look for such a thing. And when I do find the proper hub I don’t know what pipe cap to purchase that won’t blow out if the sewer builds up pressure. Any good videos to show a horizontal application? P.S. I actually discovered the clean out cap to the soil pipe had corroded open and was letting sewer gas into the house.
@@Fresh-tw7ev don't know where you are located. If midwest menards carries them forsure. Home depot as well. Or a local plumbing supply house. There should be no pressure in the drain lines. If there was you would hear the sinks or toilets bubbling. If you are having sewage problems. They make a sewage back flow preventer valve which only allows sewage to go one direction.
How does the pvc stay inside the gasket? Seems loose
I've often wondered if it would be possible to make an induction field around the hub the same way induction stove works
Sure. It’s possible. How much time, money, and know how do you have?
Love the smell of burnt oakum in the morning . 👷🏻
Thanks for watching.
what about sewer gas exploding. seems to me drill and then melt the remainder. looks slow two pry bars at the same time would help
After getting the boot in the clean out how is it bolted down....Is it glued?
Clamped.
Hi
Thank you to show how to chainge from cast to Pvc. Do you have any video of the same but in a bathroom sink wall drainish?
No i don't but thanks for watching
Was wondering about melting, but was concerned about sewer gases. My 4" connection is wide open. Drilled it and it was actually fairly easy and quick. Question: Our city does NOT allow PVC or ABS plastic, so I have to connect cast iron to the hub. Do they make a doughnut for that size? Is that the correct way to do the connection? Or do I get a fitting (like a reducer) that covers the OD of the old hub and connects normally to the new CI pipe?
sorry tunnelboy but i don't know about that
@@Robinson-Homestead Thanks for the response. Yes, I found out there is a donut for CI to CI hub and it works really well. Not sure why my dumb city doesn't allow plastic while the rest of planet earth does, but that's another topic. Sounds like a little payola action with the cast iron company.
@tunnelboy777 they don't allow it because plastic is toxic in a fire. It why we switched from abs to pvc in the 80's
My house was outfitted with city sewer circa 1908. Walt Disney's house had the same about a mile away. Iron was probably dragged in behind donkeys and oxen from the rail yard. It still works, sort of. Rust is causing perforations.
NOW LET US TALK about PVC. it's expected life is 70 years, falling short of a full century. When it [PVC] was discovered does not matter since it wasn't a viable product. That is until WW2 when insulating wires for ships it proved itself useful. But those ships aren't really available for inspection (Big ba-da Boom). Or they have been refitted and ultimately now museums.
We have learned NOT to use PVC for drinking water. Poison leaches out of it. Unlike a nuclear disaster, many poisons from plastic never diminish. So flushing your poo and poison into the sewer, which IS part of our water supply, means those poisons are, albeit less concentrated, in your future drink. Let's not even begin with the toxins emitted in manufacturing all the plastics or how plastic is disposed of.
Yes, PVC is so much easier to install under every sink and loo, right out to the curb under ground. But if you had a choice shouldn't you be asking yourself, "Do I want to stand behind my wife breathing while she sprays aqua net on her hairdo or should I just go take my Centrum+iron?"
Yes, iron kills. But only if your wife is strong, mad and has an iron skillet to swing at your head. If she isn't strong, keep that spinach away from her, it's high in - you guessed it - iron.
We need to keep moving in search of alternatives to plastics. Sorry Saudi Arabia (and Texas).
@@davepetrakos475 i don't know where you got 70 years from. i herd it had a life expectancy of 500 years
what size of pvc adapter you use,one side i 4" but the other what size is?
Sorry i don't remember it's been a while ago and i don't own that house anymore.
It makes sense that you would use heat to get the plugs off when they use heat to put it on originally
It worked for me just fine, thanks for watching.
I'm not a plumber by trade but do not heat lead up unless you're certified in knowing what you're doing safely. No ventilation or ppe for those lead fumes is a good way to Darwin yourself.
Thanks for the comment