er side of the
center leaving a clean, bright space of 2-1/2 inches. All the pipe
should be covered with paper except the 2-1/2 inches in the center.

[Illustration: FIG. 23.]

TO PUT THE PIPE IN POSITION FOR WIPING.--The most practical way is
to take two common red bricks with the 2 by 8 face down and place
them 9 inches apart. Lay the pipe on the bricks and place a weight
on each end. The solder will drop on to the bench, so it is best to
place a piece of paper or a pan of black iron under the pipe to
catch the solder that drops. The pan or paper can then be taken up
and the solder put back into the pot without waste. A cast-iron
pot holding 15 pounds of solder is then placed on the furnace. When
the solder has melted and has reached 500 deg. it is ready for use.
This can best be determined by putting a piece of paper in the
solder. If the paper scorches, the solder is at the right heat; if
the paper catches fire, it is too hot.

Now take a 3-inch ladle and heat it over the fire and then dip it
into the solder and skim off any dross that may have collected.

WIPING.--With the ladle full of solder in the right hand and the
large cloth or the catch cloth in the left hand, begin to drop the
solder on the joint. The cloth should catch all the solder as it
falls off the pipe. If hot solder is held against the bottom of the
pipe, it is heated to the proper heat. Always begin to drop the
solder on the paper edges, then drop the solder on the joint
itself. Bear in mind that the solder should not be poured on, but
dropped on slowly. After the first few drops do not drop the solder
directly on to the lead pipe but on to the solder previously put on
the pipe. This will save the pipe from burning through. The pipe
must be the same heat as the solder before the proper heat is
obtained for good wiping. The beginner should practice dropping the
solder on the joint, catching the solder and working it around the
pipe. By doing this, one becomes familiar with the feeling of hot
solder, which is the secret of successful wiping. When the solder
works easily around the pipe, drop the ladle and take the smaller
wiping cloth in the right hand and with both cloths draw all the
solder on top of the pipe. With fingers on the corners of both
cloths, clean off the left-hand edge and with the right hand draw
the surplus solder across to the right-hand edge. Next, clean the
right-hand edge of the joint pushing the surplus solder onto the
clo