Wooden Water Pipes

[Menantico]

Wooden water pipes dating back to 1812 were found during water line maintenance in Philadelphia. This is an older article from 2017 but I just came across it recently. I wonder what the pros/cons are versus modern piping? By the look of it, they seem to be cedar but I could be wrong.


Wooden Water Pipes in Philadelphia

 

[c1nj]

I would prefer cedar versus my cpvc chemical pipes joined together with chemical glue.
The cedar pipes must be on the upper shelf at Home Depot. I didn't see them.

 

[Teegate]

Most likely came from one of the gum swamps in the pines that use to be cedar until they were all removed.

 

[Menantico]

I'm also curious as to the hollowing-out process of the wooden pipes and what that entailed.

 

[RednekF350]

We used to have a few pieces in work that came out of a street in Barrington.

 

[SpinyPiney]

An older plumber I used to work with told me that wood pipes are where the term fire plug comes from. Firefighters would dig down and drill a hole in the pipe, then plug it and rebury when they were done with it. Apparently, stealing water was a big thing too because all you had to do was drill a hole and jam a pipe in and you were good to go.

 

[MuckSavage]

I have a piece from Mt Holly. It was basically a 6x6 with a core hole in it. (also excavated a long abandoned/buried trolley track at the same time)

 

[SpinyPiney]

I wonder if having to whittle the wood to join them together is where the term pipe fitter comes from? FYI don’t ever call a pipe fitter a plumber. I made that mistake once. He kind of took offense to it and told me any idiot can be a plumber.

 

[manumuskin]

I wonder if having to whittle the wood to join them together is where the term pipe fitter comes from? FYI don’t ever call a pipe fitter a plumber. I made that mistake once. He kind of took offense to it and told me any idiot can be a plumber.

There was a doctor once whose sink got clogged and no amount of Drano would fix it.He finally had to call the Plumber.The Plumber came over,fiddled around under the sink with a pipe wrench fifteen minutes stood up and said it's fixed,that'll be seventy five dollars. The Doctor said "Seventy Five Dollars? I"m a Doctor and I don't make that kind of money!" The Plumber said " When I was a Doctor I didn't make that kind of money either!"