Old-time plumbers nostalgia question,,,,

Unknown

What is this stuff?,,,,, it is hard like glass,,,, but soft when heated.



I have heard what it "was" used for,,,, what`s your thoughts?  ;-)



No,,,, it`s not the "Blob" in a dormant state :-)

bill_105

Is it?

Could it merely be rosin used a sealing wax?

Dave Yates (GrandPAH)

Rosin

Used on our cloth strap-wrenches to gain a good grip with polished chrome, brass or gold-plated trim. Showing my age(G).

Devan

Also used

in treating wiping cloth, back in the day to wipe a lead joint. Keeps the lead from sticking to the cloth. The few times I attempted to wipe that is what I was taught.

Unknown

Nope,,

although bill was very close,,,,,,,,,,



JD seems to know everything,, (sorry I forgot his ULTRA),, where`s his input?

Jean-David Beyer

I guess you were teasing ...

... but I do not quite understand. I certainly do not know everything. I know less about heating than any of the professionals here. Would you prefer I post less?

Wayco Wayne_2

Moon rocks

Brought back by Apollo astronuats. I'll be interested to when the first McDopnalds opens it 's first franchise there. 

bill_105

2nd shot

It's parrafin

bill_105

How about Bakelite?

A first synthetic resin whose cousins are ABS and PVC.

Unknown

Ok, Ok,,,,,,,

I don`t really know,,, but I heard it was used as a cheater the old-timers could use on CI drainage piping that had the odd sand- hole.



The rosin explanation sounds more professional,, but this stuff is hard, and heating-it-up to apply could burn many a fingers,,,,, then again, so has wiping joints!  :-)

Jean-David Beyer

My high school chemistry

If I remember correctly, Bakelite is a phenol-formaldehyde thermosetting plastic.



PVC is a polymer of vinyl chloride, that is, IIRC thermoplastic.

ABS is a copolymer of styrene and acrylonitrile, also thermospastic.



So if they are cousins of Bakelite, they are distant cousins.

bill_105

Leat me get this straight

You can remember that Bakelite is some Phenothis,  Formathat, Thermo Plasti whatever and God only knows what? Your instructor must have been a close relative of the current Mr. Google.

Used in the 78's not 45's or 33's I thought it was a toy oven to make a cake with a light bulb.

PaulR

???

I'm picturing it as a hydronic sweetener for my Delta T...



Two lumps please

Lyle {pheloa} Carter

Rosin

If your lead pot was outdoors ( due to smoke and chance of lead popping) the rosin would be added to the molten lead or wiping solder to make the impurities float to the top.

EricAune

Multi-use

Grandpa used it to clean molten lead, my uncle used it as a thread sealer and a dressing for his strap wrenches.  Other uncle says it worked best to fix a cracked no-hub fitting for an air test.



I use it as a conversation piece when other plumbers come to the shop.....makes me look like I might not be as wet behind the ears?



I would not know where to find any so I just use discarded chunks of roofers tar for my (fixable) cracked no-hub fittings and haven't used a strap wrench since I was a second year.



I like the sweetener idea best.