Q. To settle a dispute, will you inform me, if it is not too much trouble, the proper way lead should be fitted in a tank for wiped seams in the corners?

A. Much depends on size of tank and weight of lead. A tank is say 8 feet long by 6 x 6 feet of 6-lb. lead. Order the lead to be rolled - one piece for bottom, 8x6 feet, two pieces each, 14 x 6 feet 1 inch, rolled up separately. Then countersink about two feet apart in sides and ends, for dots to secure the lead to, dots to be about half an inch deep and two and a half inches in diameter. Then nail into two of the opposite upright corners hollowed strips of wood, but previously unroll the bottom in place and dress it down. Then take one of the side and end rolls and turn half an inch of the edge; set the roll on end in the tank, placing the turned edge in one of the square corners; brace it from opposite side; unroll the sheet in place; then take a strip of board one quarter of an inch thick, tack it temporarily on top edge of tank; dress over the edge of the lead; then remove the wood strips, previously bringing slightly forward the lead at the bottom; remove the strips and tack the top edge securely, and dress all around; bottom corner to be beaten in with chase-wedge. This will leave one-quarter of an inch to close the seams. Back of ladle can be used to dress the lead into the dots.

After the other side and end are in place, prepare the dots for wiping, and drive in a few tacks to keep the lead in place; then drive in a stout iron screw in each dot, allowing the head to project slightly; then wipe the dots, and while the metal is being reheated prepare the upright seams, which will next be wiped, and proceed in like manner with the bottom corners.

Avoid tinned tacks, as zinc is more or less in the metal used in tinning them. Small tanks for water-closets and other purposes can have bottom and two sides in one piece, which will be put in first.

Q. I have read your reply to my inquiries regarding the proper way lead should be fitted in a tank for wiped seams in the corners, and I beg to differ with your ideas of lining tanks with sheet-lead in the manner you have here described. In the first place, your idea of first dressing the lead into place in the tank before preparing the edges of the lead for wiped seams in the corners seems to me to be rather a bungling way of going about it, as there cannot be as neat or as good a job made of preparing the seams in the corners after the lead is in place in the tank as can be made before the lead is put in place.

Now, my idea of lining a tank of the size you have here described, 8 feet by 6 x 6 feet, is: Cut the lead in the same manner as you have described, cutting one piece of lead for the bottom 8x6 feet, cutting the edges of the lead perfectly true. Then cut two pieces, each making a side and end; these two pieces should be cut the exact size, so as to fit snugly into the corners of the tank when in place; then proceed to prepare the seams by first rolling out the bottom piece on the floor and dressing around the edges. Next measure in four inches from the edge for width of soiling and mark line with straight-edge; then run chalk on 4-inch space to be soiled, so as to take off the greasy surface of the lead. Now, having a pot of good hot soil ready, proceed and soil to the line four inches wide all around. While the soil is drying mark off the dots in tank, two feet apart; countersink them half an inch deep and two and a half inches in diameter - just as you have described - and proceed to shave the seams by first marking off the width of seam, say three-quarters, seven-eighths, or one-half inch in width, according to whatever width one prefers having it. Then mark a line on each edge with a straight-edge, then placing the straight-edge under the lead a little in from the edge, shave the lead to the line on the four edges, and level off the edges of the lead with the shave-hook all around. Then roll up the lead, place it in the tank, and unroll in place. Nail into two of the opposite corners strips of wood so as to make rounding corners where no seams are wiped, then prepare the seams on the two pieces to make the sides and ends in the same manner as the bottom, shaving the bottom edge and ends and beveling off the edge of the lead with the shave-hook. Roll up the lead and place two thin boards in the bottom of the tank, one down the side and one across the end, close to side of tank. Set the roll on end in tank, placing the beveled edge of the lead snugly in the corner of the tank, brace it from opposite side and unroll in place, dress in bottom edge and slip the boards from under, letting the lead settle down snugly into place. Then dress over top edge on tank and tack down securely. Proceed in like manner with the other piece. When all in place forming close mitre-joints in the corners of the tank, drive in the tacks in the joints in the corners, catching on both edges of the lead and setting them in pretty well, giving a good opportunity to properly cover over the heads of the nails when wiping the seams. Dress the lead well to the sides of the tank, having the metal and irons good and hot; grease the seams and proceed to wipe. While the metal is being reheated dress the lead into the dots in the tank on sides and ends with back of ladle, striking a circle with the compass, then soil and shave to the edge of countersink to secure the lead to dots. Put in two or three good screws, being careful not to set them up too snug to the lead, and wipe them over flush. In this way a good, first-class, and neat job can be done; but after all, much the easiest way to line such tanks is to put in each piece separately, wipe down the four corners, and around the bottom. It takes a little more solder, but I never could see the use of turning the edge in the corner to close the joint, as the proper place for the tacks is in the corner, and you leave one-quarter of an inch to close the seams of bottom corners. It is in the way in wiping a nice seam, for you have to look out that it is properly covered over with the solder.