pigtailing 12 gauge solid wire.... ARGGGGGGGGGGGH

[Sparky]

Sam, I don't care what Inodoro says. If I made a splice like that for 120v applications, I would get fired, as would any other electrician. It is a fire waiting to happen. Use a wire nut. Or Polaris lugs.

Agree. If I showed that splice (and tape) to an inspector, they would give me the "stink eye" and walk out the door. Hell, all my crews know that is a sketchy short-cut. Wire nut it, with an accessible junction box.

Now, with that being said, let me drag up an old Westinghouse wiring method, that was used on knob & tube. Looks very similar.....

 

[P-J]

...
Now, with that being said, let me drag up an old Westinghouse wiring method, that was used on knob & tube. Looks very similar.....

Yup. It's called a Western Union splice and was (is) used for inline connections of overhead wires.