blast from the past

jumper

https://pulpcovers.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/tiger_python_7.jpg

EBEBRATT-Ed

The oil company I worked for in 73' had been in business since 21'. They had a bunch of little cans like paint cans with some type of metal paste for fixing leaks. Never used it we tossed it all out. Had a different name than the one in the picture but can remember what it was.

retiredguy

When I was still in high school one of my uncles had a 6 unit apartment building that had a steam boiler with a cracked section just below the water line. He claimed that an " old timer" told him to add oat meal to the water and that would seal the section. He claimed that it worked and got a few more years out of that boiler.

EBEBRATT-Ed

@retiredguy

I have herd that. When I was about 10-12 years old I used to hang out at the corner gas station and a car pulled in with a leaking radiator and the mechanic mixed oatmeal and water and dumped it in to stop a leak.

Jamie Hall

I've used the oatmeal fix, too, and it does work... but... it won't held much pressure. There is a problem, though, in some applications: it will cheerfully plug up small passages as well as leaks. Such as might be found in some heat exchangers -- or in the heater core of your car...

Larry Weingarten

Hi, Pepper is supposed to work too 🤠

Yours, Larry

EBEBRATT-Ed

When I started and was green as grass I went on a service call with a steam boiler and the manual valve to fill it was leaking by slowly had overfilled the boiler. I put my hand on a 1" gate valve at the bottom of the boiler to drain some of the overfilled water.....just my hand on the valve didn't even try to turn it and the nipple was rotted and the valve came off in my hand.

I just sat their in disbelief like I was in shock as no water was draining from the boiler thinking what the hell am I going to do now. As I watched first 1 drop then two drops then three drops then a gusher of hot steamy mud.

I didn't have a clue what to do and they needed heat. I didn't have a clue about attempting to remove the 2 x 1 bushing or try and cut the old nipple out I was barely out of school. I found a couple of rags and an old screwdriver and pounded the rag in their as tight as I could. Filled the boiler and it did not leak.

Tested the low water cutoff 10 times and left. This was a Friday night. My boss sent someone their Monday morning and when he got back he said the rags worked great. Dry as a bone.

jumper

The correct rag with correct greasiness can work miracles.