http://www.flickr.com/photos/43836144@N04/?saved=1

I did a sample packing on the shop floor. Not the best results
(rushed job!), but they may show something of worth. No sealant was
applied, for a completely finished result.... just the raw packing.
The rope/twine could have been twisted a little tighter, before
installing. No adhesive or nailing/tacking was installed, as these
small samples are packed pretty tight enough.

My brother's exgirlfriend sold her house, so access to that floor
isn't available (at the moment), if it was ever fixed. I'll inquire,
further.

Additionally, I spoke to an oldtimer, still in business, who said
packing floor gaps with jute, or similar, is rarely done anymore. He
recalled packing floor gaps with plumbers waxed cording, the stuff
plumbers used on cast iron piping. I remarked, that sounded similar
to what was used to pack boat shaft boxing, long ago. He said it was
the same stuff. He didn't recall the name of that packing and I don't
know, either. As for as using a waxed cording, long ago, I'm sure
floor finishing/refinishing techniques, if any in some of those cases,
were different than now, allowing for the waxed cording in some cases.

Sonny

On Tue, 10 May 2011 07:20:01 -0700 (PDT), Sonny wrote:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/43836144@N04/?saved=1

I did a sample packing on the shop floor. Not the best results
(rushed job!), but they may show something of worth. No sealant was
applied, for a completely finished result.... just the raw packing.
The rope/twine could have been twisted a little tighter, before
installing. No adhesive or nailing/tacking was installed, as these
small samples are packed pretty tight enough.

My brother's exgirlfriend sold her house, so access to that floor
isn't available (at the moment), if it was ever fixed. I'll inquire,
further.

Additionally, I spoke to an oldtimer, still in business, who said
packing floor gaps with jute, or similar, is rarely done anymore. He
recalled packing floor gaps with plumbers waxed cording, the stuff
plumbers used on cast iron piping. I remarked, that sounded similar
to what was used to pack boat shaft boxing, long ago. He said it was
the same stuff. He didn't recall the name of that packing and I don't
know, either.

snip

Oakum

basilisk

On Tue, 10 May 2011 07:20:01 -0700 (PDT), Sonny
wrote:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/43836144@N04/?saved=1

I did a sample packing on the shop floor. Not the best results
(rushed job!), but they may show something of worth. No sealant was
applied, for a completely finished result.... just the raw packing.
The rope/twine could have been twisted a little tighter, before
installing. No adhesive or nailing/tacking was installed, as these
small samples are packed pretty tight enough.

My brother's exgirlfriend sold her house, so access to that floor
isn't available (at the moment), if it was ever fixed. I'll inquire,
further.

Additionally, I spoke to an oldtimer, still in business, who said
packing floor gaps with jute, or similar, is rarely done anymore. He
recalled packing floor gaps with plumbers waxed cording, the stuff
plumbers used on cast iron piping. I remarked, that sounded similar
to what was used to pack boat shaft boxing, long ago. He said it was
the same stuff. He didn't recall the name of that packing and I don't
know, either. As for as using a waxed cording, long ago, I'm sure
floor finishing/refinishing techniques, if any in some of those cases,
were different than now, allowing for the waxed cording in some cases.

Sonny
Would the word you are looking for be, by chance, OAKUM???

On 5/10/2011 9:20 AM, Sonny wrote:

Additionally, I spoke to an oldtimer, still in business, who said
packing floor gaps with jute, or similar, is rarely done anymore. He
recalled packing floor gaps with plumbers waxed cording, the stuff
plumbers used on cast iron piping. I remarked, that sounded similar
to what was used to pack boat shaft boxing, long ago. He said it was
the same stuff. He didn't recall the name of that packing and I don't
know, either.

Probably the same as the oakum we used to pack horses feet when shoeing
them with pads.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 4/15/2010
KarlC@ (the obvious)

On 5/10/2011 9:20 AM, Sonny wrote:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/43836144@N04/?saved=1

I did a sample packing on the shop floor. Not the best results
(rushed job!), but they may show something of worth. No sealant was
applied, for a completely finished result.... just the raw packing.
The rope/twine could have been twisted a little tighter, before
installing. No adhesive or nailing/tacking was installed, as these
small samples are packed pretty tight enough.

My brother's exgirlfriend sold her house, so access to that floor
isn't available (at the moment), if it was ever fixed. I'll inquire,
further.

Additionally, I spoke to an oldtimer, still in business, who said
packing floor gaps with jute, or similar, is rarely done anymore. He
recalled packing floor gaps with plumbers waxed cording, the stuff
plumbers used on cast iron piping. I remarked, that sounded similar
to what was used to pack boat shaft boxing, long ago. He said it was
the same stuff. He didn't recall the name of that packing and I don't
know, either. As for as using a waxed cording, long ago, I'm sure
floor finishing/refinishing techniques, if any in some of those cases,
were different than now, allowing for the waxed cording in some cases.

Sonny

what's the purpose of packing these cracks?

--
Steve Barker
remove the "not" from my address to email

what's the purpose of packing these cracks?
Steve Barker

Long ago, floors may not have had a subflooring and gaps between floor
boards allowed air to pass. In winters, this may not have been good.
Gaps also allowed dust to enter the homes, to name a few reasons for
packing gaps.

These more recent days, it's more for looks, but there are good
reasons, otherwise. An unsightly gap or blemish, in any floor, is not
always wanted. A "defect" in a brick floor would be unsightly. In
plank or general wood floors, even with a subfloor below, dust can
collect in wider than normal gaps. A floor with gaps allows the
cleaning fluid, moisture, etc. to seep into the gap.... not to mention
if a pet urinates on the floor, whereas long ago seldom were pets
indoors.

Plugging/filling these kinds of gaps is similar to filling nail holes
or filling behind a countersunk nail, also, i.e., filling a hole....
as long as the filler is flexible with expansion & contraction of the
floor.

If a reasonable color match, filler vs flooring, can be achieved
relatively inexpensively, all the better.

Most floors, today, are installed with fewer gaps. Older floors (and
today's floors, where the installer is not so precise) sometimes need
a touchup.

Sonny

On 5/11/2011 10:27 AM, Sonny wrote:
what's the purpose of packing these cracks?
Steve Barker

Long ago, floors may not have had a subflooring and gaps between floor
boards allowed air to pass. In winters, this may not have been good.
Gaps also allowed dust to enter the homes, to name a few reasons for
packing gaps.

These more recent days, it's more for looks, but there are good
reasons, otherwise. An unsightly gap or blemish, in any floor, is not
always wanted. A "defect" in a brick floor would be unsightly. In
plank or general wood floors, even with a subfloor below, dust can
collect in wider than normal gaps. A floor with gaps allows the
cleaning fluid, moisture, etc. to seep into the gap.... not to mention
if a pet urinates on the floor, whereas long ago seldom were pets
indoors.

Plugging/filling these kinds of gaps is similar to filling nail holes
or filling behind a countersunk nail, also, i.e., filling a hole....
as long as the filler is flexible with expansion& contraction of the
floor.

If a reasonable color match, filler vs flooring, can be achieved
relatively inexpensively, all the better.

Most floors, today, are installed with fewer gaps. Older floors (and
today's floors, where the installer is not so precise) sometimes need
a touchup.

Sonny

Thanks for the reply.

--
Steve Barker
remove the "not" from my address to email