Copper-bit Joints, Blow-pipe Joints, and Astragal Joints.

TO acquire the necessary skill to make a wiped soldered joint has cost the skilful joint-wiper so much time, so much pain - for has he not often burned his fingers, and poured the solder into his hand, instead of upon the cloth?- so much patience and perseverence, that now he is master of the cloth he scorns to use the copper-bit; but there is weakness rather than wisdom in the boycotting of copper-bit joints.

2. When a copper-bit joint or blow-pipe joint would reflect no want of ability in the joint-maker, when it would be better suited for its work, being neater and much less costly to make than a wiped soldered joint, it is difficult to understand the wisdom of a plumber spending several hours over the wiping of a plumbers' joint, which is often the case, when what he is pleased to call a " tinkers' joint " would be the stronger of the two; and would afterwards allow more room for the nut to travel up and down over the brass lining, as is the case where such joints are adopted in connection with lavatory fittings, etc.

The following description of copper-bit joints, blow-pipe joints, and astragal joints, is taken from my " Lectures."

3. I would not, however, allow a copper-bit joint to be made on a soil-pipe, funnel-pipe, or thin lead waste or ventilating-pipe, especially the usual form of copper-bit jointing, as shown at t, fig. 56, for though the union of the two pipes may be perfect, the jointing would not strengthen the piping like a wiped soldered joint, as shown in fig. 38. The band of solder round the pipe in a plumbers' joint strengthens it, like a belt round the waist of a navvy; moreover, instead of the solder being united only to very short edges of the pipes, it has a grip of fully 1 1/2 in. on each pipe, and the body of strong soldering round such pipes keeps them in good rotundity.

4. In soldering brasswork to lead, well tin the brass before making the joint - the plumber's mate should do such tinnings at odd times. The hatchet form of copper-bit is the best. It should be kept well tinned, and the soldering edges well feathered. The copper-bit float or flow joint, as shown at U, fig. 57, is easy to make. When the copper-bit is well heated, so that you can feel a genial warmth from it by holding it within a foot of the face, place one of the tinned edges against the tinned part of the brasswork, keeping the head of the bit as near the brass as practicable to assist in heating it; then push a strip of fine solder against the other tinned edge of the copper-bit, and the solder will flow round the pipe-base, U, fig. 57. When sufficient solder is formed on the top of the pipe, pull the copper-bit slowly round the jointing, allowing the tinned feathered part of the bit to rest upon the pipe, and keeping the thin edge against the brasswork.

Fig. 56.- Copper-Bit Joint.

5. A ribbon joint, as shown at w, fig. 58, is also made with a copper-bit and fine solder. This joint is more difficult to make, but it is a better joint than the flow joint. A band of fine solder, about an inch wide and 3/16 in. thick, is formed round the jointing, and this is so dexterously done by some plumbers, that it is difficult to see where the silver-coloured ring commences and where it ends, i.e., there is no mark of the copper-bit left upon the soldering.

6. An overcast ribbon joint is simply a copper-bit jointing made as just described, and overcast with the copper-bit, giving it several facets; fig. 59 shows a view of this form of joint. When joint-makers fail in putting a true ring, band, or ribbon of solder round the connection, they generally overcast it with a copper-bit to make good any unevenness, and when this is skilfully done the jointing looks very neat, and is at the same time very strong.

Fig. 57. - Flow Joint.

Fig. 58. - Ribbon Joint.

Fig. 59. - Overcast Copper-Bit Joint.

7. A blow-pipe joint looks precisely like a copper-bit joint (u, fig. 57); the difference being in the mode of making. One joint is made from the heat of a copper-bit, the other from the heat of a flame - from a handful of rushes tied together, or of a flame from a spirit-lamp - by the aid of a mouth blow-pipe. I need hardly describe a blow-pipe. It is a small trumpet-shaped copper tube, about 9 in. or a foot long, with the thin end bent round, and an air-way of about one-eighth of an inch diameter through its smallest part. The larger end, which is about half an inch in diameter, is held in the mouth, and the smaller end is kept near the flame, so as to blow the heat upon the jointing just where it is wanted.

8. Though I condemned copper-bit jointing, as shown in the woodcut at t, fig. 56, I am in favour of strong fine solder joints for outside soil-pipes, as shown at A, fig. 60, but there is a great difference in the two joints. There is three times the strength of soldering on this jointing, as will readily be seen by a glance at the illustrations, figs. 56 and 60, though the soldering in the latter is not shown quite bold enough. The astragals, B and c, can be cut out of 1/2 in. or £ in. strong lead pipe, and bent round and soldered to the funnel pipe; but I prefer them cast in moulds, in strips of a size to suit the size of the soil-pipe. They are very easily bent round on the pipe where they are to be fixed, and soldered to it with a copper-bit. The astragals are reversed, as shown at b and c, and the neck part of the upper astragal moulding is opened out a little, and rasped off on the inner edge, as shown in section, at a, to give space for a good body of fine solder for making a strong joint-The tacks are soldered to the pipe in the usual way, and to make them ornamental a device is cut out of the centre part, and dots are raised over the nail-heads, as shown at d. Roundheaded nails are fixed as shown at e, and that part of the tack which is to cover them is domed back by a tap or two from the small end of the mallet, as shown by the tack G, which is left unfolded for the purpose. The astragals round the Ipipe help to strengthen it, combining thus the useful with the ornamental. Bacon noticed in his day the neatness of astragal jointings, for he speaks of leaden pipes "bound with leaden bands."

Fig. 60. - View of a Soldered Joint with Astragals and Tacks.

Some plumbers prefer to cast the socket and astragals in a mould, and burning or soldering the socket-ends upon the lead pipe to save time and labour. (Chap. XXVI., Art. 13.)