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  • google "copper lead plastic". There are modern options in plastic or copper compression fitting versions. They work by having a big compressible rubber o ring in them that gets clamped around the dodgy misshapen exterior of the lead pipe. You clean the lead up a bit, get it as smooth and circular as possible then fit the compression fitting. The plastic can be harder to fit as they often have a piece that goes in the pipe. The difficulty I found with the process is sizing the lead pipe.

    If you can cut a bit off the end and take it to the plumbers merchant they can mess you about for a while sucking their teeth and talking about imperial lead pipe sizes before eventually giving you a close proximity of the correct part, which you'll then have to return having found it doesn't quite work before finally getting the right part.

    Sweating the lead to the copper is a dying art but for someone who can do it it's very much easier.

  • Great info, thanks. I've taken a look at sweating lead onto copper, and I reckon I may also be able to do that myself too, if the plumber doesn't want to touch it.

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