Oakum comes from various parts of the oak tree including its leaves, bark and heartwood. Oakum is scraped off a bundle of oak sticks which then has fibers woven into it to produce rope or thread for whatever purpose you would like. The name itself derives from ancient words meaning “to plait together”. This type of cordage was used by sailors who had no other means for stitching their rigging because they were not allowed in port with unsewn ropes at sea.
Oakum is a type of fibre that is used to make ropes or cables. It is made by shredding old hemp fibres and then using them to bind together strands of new hemp fibres. The process can be done in two ways: either by soaking the shredded hemp in water until it swells up, or by boiling the shredded hemp for several hours.
Oakum is a tarred fibre preparation that is used to fill gaps. Its primary historic uses were in shipbuilding, where it was used to caulk or pack the joints of timbers in wooden boats and the deck planking of iron and steel ships; in plumbing, where it was used to seal cast iron pipe joints; and in log cabins for chinking.
In the same way, how do you pack oakum?
Before yarning, some oakum arrives in twisted lengths that must be split into individual strands. Yarn and pack the oakum to a depth of one inch below the joint’s top with a packing iron. A leak-free connection requires well packed oakum.
Likewise, how do you remove cast iron oakum? Disconnecting a lead & oakum seal on a cast iron drain pipe
- If you have cast iron drain (waste) pipes they are likely joined with a lead & Oakum seal.
- The lead and oakum may both be removed.
- At this stage, you may carefully melt the remaining lead with a tiny blowtorch.
- You now have a clean hub connection into which to insert your donut.
Is oakum, on the other hand, still in use?
Oakum was a mainstay in boat construction and pipe assembly for many years, and was traditionally made in jails or workhouses by dismantling old rope lengths and rubbing the strands with pine tar or oil. Using oakum to seal a cast-iron pipe junction is still a feasible alternative in certain cases.
Is there asbestos in oakum?
Asbestos is not present in oakum.
Answers to Related Questions
What is the purpose of white oakum?
“White oakum” is formed of untarred material and was primarily employed as a moisture barrier between brick and masonry in pre-war house and building construction because of its breathability.
An oakum picker is a person who picks oakum.
Picking oakum was a punishment in jail and a method for able-bodied convicts to earn their board and lodging in workhouses. Hard labor inmates would cut the rope into two foot lengths and then pound it with a large hammer to remove the very hard tar coating.
What is the process of joining cast iron pipe?
Cast iron soil pipe is typically joined using one of three ways. The compression gasket or a caulked connection may be used to connect the hub and spigot cast iron soil pipe. A hubless coupling is used to connect hubless cast iron soil pipe.
What is the purpose of lead wool?
Lead wool is made up of tiny lead metal strands that may be used to cold-caulk cast iron and steel pipes. It was made in the United States by the New York Lead Wool Company and in Snodland, Kent, England by The Lead Wool Company, Limited.
What’s the best way to pack and pour a lead joint?
Fill the joint with oakum to within 1 inch of the hub’s top. Tighten the oakum in the joint using a ball peen hammer and a packing iron. Over the oakum, put two 1/2-inch thicknesses of lead wool. Using the caulking irons and the ball peen hammer, tamp the lead wool securely into the joint.
How do you patch a cast iron hole?
- Wear a dust mask, eye protection, and work gloves.
- Using a steel putty knife, remove loose metal debris and corrosion from the pipe around the hole.
- Fill the hole with cast-iron patching compound using the putty knife.
- Using a nut driver, loosen and remove the nut from the bolt on a rubber-lined sleeve clamp.
What is the difference between smoke and oakum?
Oak-m. n: a loose hemp or jute fiber produced by unraveling old ropes that was used to seal seams and pack joints in wooden ships when soaked with tar.
What is the best way to remove a lead seal from a cast iron pipe?
With a hacksaw or sawzall, cut a vertical slit in the lead, then pry it out with that beat-up old screwdriver you usually use as a chisel. The lead will peel easy off after you’ve sliced it down to the cast iron. It won’t matter if you scrape the cast iron a bit.
Is it possible to attach PVC to cast iron?
First, lengthen your PVC pipe such that it can be placed 6 inches into the cast iron pipe without obstructing other system flow. Place the rubber union on the PVC pipe and then insert it into the cast iron pipe’s center. To complete the connection, tighten the hose clamps.
What is the best way to dismantle antique cast iron plumbing?
A cast-iron snap cutter and a few hand tools are required for the process.
- In a cordless drill, install a 14/inch drill bit.
- Using a flathead screwdriver, pry remove the lead.
- To cut a cast-iron pipe into shorter parts, wrap the chain on the snap-cutters around it.
- To snap-cut the pipe at that point, squeeze the handles together.
What is the best way to loosen cast iron plumbing?
- Spray lubricant all over the rim of the plug, making sure to get as much as possible into the threads.
- To loosen the threads, tap the rim of the plug a few times with a hammer.
- Tighten one 18-inch pipe wrench around the drain pipe and the square nut on the top of the stopper.
Is there any lead in cast iron pipes?
Steel, copper, galvanized steel or iron, cast iron, concrete cement or asbestos cement, plastic, and lead have all been used to make pipes that transport water throughout the years. Although copper pipes are durable, older pipes may contain lead solder, which may cause lead contamination in your water.
