Some plumbers pour in just enough lead to make a ring around, and calk it down reasonably tight on top of the yarn, before pouring the hub full. Unless very little yarn is used, this does not leave a solid ring of lead deep enough to insure the best joint; and if too little yarn is employed, there is danger of the lead burning its way through into the pipe. This method is therefore undesirable in either case.

Care should be taken before pouring a joint, to see that no threads of yarn are standing above the face of the hub; otherwise a leak may result from stray threads protruding. Becoming charred by the heat of the lead, they soon leave a tiny hole through the lead, from which trouble results. No matter what the position of the joint, the entire charge of lead to complete it should be poured at one time, and the lead should be hot enough to insure a true union of the meeting edges. If the pipe is large or the weather very cold, it is better to warm the hub in order to insure the flowing edges uniting, than to risk pouring the lead so hot that it may burn through the packing.

Fig. 190. Section of.

Soil-Pipe Calked Joint.

Fig. 191. Good Type of Closet Floor Joint..

Fig. 192. Secure Type of Floor-Joint, for Closets which can be Revolved about the Outlet..

It is a matter of opinion, whether or not a joint should always be calked while it is hot. If the pipe is heavy enough to stand it without cracking the hub, it can make little difference whether the joint is calked hot or cold. If the pipe is light, a hard calking while the joint is hot and the hub expanded may cause splitting of the hub when it contracts from cooling. The best plan appears to be that of driving down the lead reasonably tight while it is hot and therefore softer than when cold, at which time it will give and adjust itself to the irregularities of the hub and spigot. Then, a little later, calk twice around with a thin-edge tool, driving the lead into contact with the spigot surface on one edge, and against the inner hub surface on the other.

Floor Joints. A closet floor joint of good type is shown in Fig. 191. In this joint, a bevel-edged brass floor-plate is screwed to the floor and well soldered to the end of the lead bend, as indicated. The floor-plate has slots for the closet bolts, so that any variation in the position of the bolt holes in the flange of the closet pedestal will not cause trouble when aligning the bolts, as they can be slid along in the slots of the plate to the required position. Common putty, plaster of Paris, or hydraulic cement may be used instead of a rubber gasket; but the latter two materials make it difficult to remove the closet from its setting, and there is always risk of breaking the flange if the pedestal has to be moved for any reason.

A secure type of joint, introduced a few years since, is shown in Fig. 192. This connection is well suited for such types of closets as can be revolved about the outlet, but cannot be used with closets where the outlet is well toward the rear of the fixture