Neater End Feed Soldered Joints - How ?

[andy.hide]

Having mastered being able to produce reliable end feed soldered joints I want to try and get them looking neater.

What I am finding is that when I am soldering 'uphill' (e.g. the lower joint in a straight connector on a vertical piece of pipe) I always get a drip of solder roll down the pipe as I pull the solder reel away when I finish. This looks messy and remains visible even after painting.

1) Am I leaving it too long so that the joint is overloaded with solder ?

2) Am I heating the joint up too much so that the solder is flowing out of the joint? I always do the highest part of the connector first and work downwards doing any 'uphills' last. Is this the correct order of work or is it better to work from the bottom upwards ?

3) You heat the connector not the pipe so that the solder is dragged inwards right ?

4) Is there a way of wiping away any excess before the joint cools (or even afterwards but without damaging the joint) so if I do make a mess I can quickly wipe it away?

Perhaps I'm just being fussy ? TIA for any help.

[Mike Harrison]

Yes - solder will flow towards the heat, but only up to a point - if everything is sufficiently hot, gravity will rule.

An only-just-damp cloth works.

[John Rumm]

It may just be that you are using slightly more solder than is actually required.

Don't think it matters much. It is probably better to do the "hardest" joint first since there is less chance for the flux to boil away.

You need both the pipe end and the coupling to be at the right temperature so that you get a good bond between the pipe, solder and coupling.

Just play the flame over the coupling from end to end and you will usually heat the pipe enough in the process.

A damp cloth, wiped quickly over the affected area will do the job.

More than likely - I doubt anyone else will ever notice. ;-)

If you are that worried, you can eliminate the "down" bit of straight joint if you buy a pipe flaring tool. That way you can make a joint without the coupling at all. Just flare the lower pipe, plug the next pipe into it and solder the single joint. Cheap too! (although how many joints you will need to make to recover the cost of the flaring tool is another matter!)

[Dave Fawthrop]

| 4) Is there a way of wiping away any excess before the joint cools (or | even afterwards but without damaging the joint) so if I do make a mess | I can quickly wipe it away?

Wipe the solder off with a damp cloth.

That brings back memories of wiped soldered joints in Lead pipes. Those were the ?good? old days ;-)

[Chris Bacon]

No, don't do that, use a dry cloth. The shock from using a "damp" cloth[1] may cause the solder to granulate.

[1] Various values of "damp".

[Mark]

No if you are going to be fussy go to a plumbers merchant and buy a moleskin. Every job has the correct tool and the next best thing that comes to hand Aka Dimm and hacksaws.

-

[Owain]

And for vegetarian plumbers? ;-)

Owain

[Alex]

He was not suggesting you eat it

[daddyfreddy]

I've always used a dry cotton cloth as well but if it is slightly damp it's also fine.

[Mark]

I don't do dietary advice :¬)

but i have sniped all the header crap you include in every post :p

-

[John Rumm]

and replied to the wrong post just for good measure.... (did you loose the References header in your snipping by any chance? ;-)