EricP wrote:
On Thu, 27 Apr 2006 13:48:39 +0100, tony sayer
wrote:


.. Sadly I discovered the mains tap in the road had
given up it's job about 1955, and a constant trickle of water from the
cut lead pipe made soldering very interesting!

Ah, the good old days of DIY

As an 'Old Plumber' we used to wipe joints with a pot of molten solder.
Never used sissy blow lamps!

Trickling water up lead pipe? Stuff the bread from your sandwiches up
the pipe and work bloody fast. It holds the water back just long enough
to wipe the joint. Nowadays bloody fairy plumbers would use freezing
kits. Eee when I were a lad!!!