In a message dated 04/14/2000 1:49:15 PM Eastern Daylight Time, [log in to unmask]
writes:

<< Simply from a maintenance perspective I have found that if all the joints
on a cast iron facade are caulked prior to painting that it prevents the need
for the owner of the property to think that their building needs to be
painted again in two years after a lot of rust stains and organic gunge have
run down the face of the building. >>

Ken, I don't quite follow this.  What is the proper way to prevent the rust
stains that I always see on reasonably fresh paint?  Complete disassembly and
back painting?  Or does caulking really do this?  Were cast-iron buildings
designed to be weathertight, anyway?  And if they're not weathertight, then
there's always going to be rush-schmeer on the cast-iron-bagel, right?

Christopher Gray, author, thinker, heavy sleeper

Who has recently been included in "The 2000 Outstanding Writers of the
20th Century".  Listing in this magnificent volume "cannot be bought" but
is based "on personal achievement alone"; however, strictly for your
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and don't forget a second copy for the country house!!!)