Hot, hotter, hottest

As odd as it sounds, I'm replacing the compressor in a window shaker. Find out that mapp gas isn't hot enough to flow silvabraze with 1% silver. Ah, well. Cheap stuff. Finally after carbonizing the heck out of the tubing. I got out my acetylene torch with the air turbo tip. That did the job. Made the copper glow, and the stick braze flow.

Someday I'll have to buy another pack of the 15% silver stuff. That flowed a lot better with mapp. The Johnstone catalog says it's the same melting point, but that's not my experience.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon
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Quit trying to cheap out.... do it right. flow N2, use ocy-actylene, and 15% Silphos, or 45% silver with flux. It will make your life a lot easier.

Reply to
Steve

NOTHING will make his life easier.

Reply to
.p.jm.

It would take several years to recover the cost of the oxy rig, the nitrogen tank, regulators, etc. If I had a bit higher sales volume, it would be worth it.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Your not charging near enough. One simple repair job should pay for both the oxy-acetylene rig.

Reply to
Steve

Pawn shops are full of them. I've seen all sorts of HVAC tools in them. I bought my last leak detector at a pawn shop. They didn't know what it was. Some years ago, I paid $40 for a 3M fiber optic power level meter in perfect condition. It was current production at the time and priced a $1050.00 at the supply house.

TDD

Reply to
The Daring Dufas

20 years ago I bought a Craftsman skillsaw from a pawn shop for $15....I am still using it today.
Reply to
Steve

127 years ago I bought a ... oh, nevermind.
Reply to
.p.jm.

$ 500.00 should cover it, and another 250 and you can have best quality tool, it should last you for rest of your life and believe me it is worth every dollar of it, I use cheapest sill-fos I can get, silver and stay-brite and never came across job that I had problem with even with 31/8" lines. but then I have been certified by US Navy on brazing!

Hey Chris I am sailing my company everything goes $50k and it is all yours how is that for bargain 40 years of field work is getting to me.

Reply to
Grumpy

Only one problem, you can't sell your wealth of knowledge. 8-)

TDD

Reply to
The Daring Dufas

You know, that may very well be correct. I've had others tell me that I'm way too cheap. Sadly, the economy is in the tank, here, and there isn't much money to be had.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

You know, I'm not sure if we have any pawn shops, near me. I should check. With any luck, I'll stop in, and come out to find my tires and engine missing. As to the power meter, I hope you talked em down a few bucks. Otherwise they know it was too cheap.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

I've done that kind of thing. About 30 years ago, I bought that acetylene torch that I've been using for brazing. Paid entire $15 for it, but I was still in high school then. That was real money, back then.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Thanks, that's a kind offer. I know one other old timer who's selling out as he can. I've bought a bunch of copper from him and some refrigerant. I'm sure after 40 years, I'm going to be looking for a different thing to do.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

He could answer phone call questions. My last boss is always willing to chat about things.

I had a cooler driving me nuts a couple weeks ago. Leer ice merchandiser. When I got there, it would be fine. Nice and cold. The store owner and also my contact at the company both told me the ice was melting. But it wasn't happening when I was there. Behaved like the condensor was dirty. But, I'd cleaned it with compressed air, water, coil cleaner, etc. Finally, I tried something else, and then think I've figured out the problem.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Well said

Reply to
Grumpy

I've spent about four decades since college building my knowledge base and I don't think I could even remember enough of it to write it all down. I have no children (that I know of) to pass it on to so I'll just have to share it with my friends. 8-)

TDD

Reply to
The Daring Dufas

I've seen a couple of books on refrigeration, and repair. It would be good if a couple techs with real world experience would work together, and write a manual for real repair techs.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Its been done dumb ass. If you had paid any attention you would know that. But you didn't, so you don't. Which is why you're still trying to figure out simple brazing techniques.

Reply to
The King

It would be great if you learned to read, too.

My very first week in HVAC, as a new helper, my first request of the boss was 'Can you advance me the money for some books ( Modern AC by Turnquist, Man J & D, Copeland Bluebook set, etc etc ) so I can be studying this at home ? I can't afford them right now, but I'll pay for them over a few weeks or months if you let me get started now'.

To this day, 25 + years later, they are on the shelf within arm's reach behind me ( with many MANY others on various topics, be it HVAC or programming etc etc ), dog-eared but fully serviceable.

Try it some time. It's called by various names, like 'work', and 'effort', and 'learning', and 'being responsible for yourself', etc.

Reply to
.p.jm.

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