Can't do simple freaking soldering on brass pipe

Hey, whatever works! lol

I'm going to go to the store tomorrow and get some better solder and flux. Then I'm going to completely cut out the section that I've done since the workmanship is so shoddy it will probably fail in the near future. I might get a few extra parts to practice on, but I'm fairly confident that I'll have rather different results with solder and flux that is better suited to the task.

Thanks!

Don't get too excited. It's partly your equipment, but really it boils down to practice practice practice. I think I spent about 20 bucks on 1/2" copper pipe and fittings then stood in the garage and soldered. Almost caught my Workmate on fire 3 times, almost dripped solder on my hand (I've dripped molten plastic on my arm before - it will burn a hole in your flesh), and out of the 15 or 20 attempts I had 2 successful joints. You had the videos, which I think will make it easier for you. I didn't have the luxury when I started learning. If you can do 5 good joints in a row - then I'd start to work on the real thing. BTW: Don't forget to practice on 1" pipe if you can.

What sort of torch are you using? Does the flux get hot enough to make the surface of the pipe visibly deoxidized?

I was using a propane torch, but today I went to the store and bought some non-silver solder and a MAPP torch. I also got some great advice from the guy I bought the stuff from. He lightly scolded me for not asking them how to do it first! He says (and I believe him) that he could have saved me a lot of money and time. I certainly would have at least had the right materials for the job if I had asked him first.

I'm about to go out and try this again. I'll let you all know how it turns out.

Thanks! John

I have good news and I have bad news. The good news is that the MAPP torch and the new solder worked great! I was out there--in the wind!-- soldering like a mad man and my repair worked first try. It doesn't look great, but it's working.

The bad news is that I turned on my sprinkler system. :-( The first zone turned on just as I was hoping it would. Then I moved on to the second zone...but the first zone won't shut off. I'm pretty sure the valve in my valve box is stuck open now. There might be a rock or something in it, I guess. I'm not much of a sprinkler repairman, either! lol

So, I guess I have a new task ahead of me. Open up that black widow- infested valve box and take that valve apart. I've done it before, but it was about seven years ago.

Do any of you know anything about sprinkler system valves? lol

Thanks for all your help, I literally couldn't have done it without your advice!

John

That's a big thing, is to watch someone else.

Hint: Heat one side of the pipe, and at the same time touch the solder to the joint on the far side. Where the fitting meets the pipe. At some precise temp, the solder starts to flow, and the flux is still bubbling.

For a one inch fitting, I'd sure suggest Mapp gas. Yellow tank. Many propane torches will burn Mapp, also.

Put the heat on the fitting (coupler). When solder clumps and falls off, it means it's not soaking in with capillary action.

Where are you, anyhow? What city and state?

Many times, you can brush the fitting, sand the pipe, re-flux, and do it all over again.

Try using a yllow Mapp bottle on your existing propane torch. And set up a wind break.

If your neighbor has a torch, maybe he'll come over and work with you?

Sure, if you never put water pressure in the pipe.

I was able to get it done with a new MAPP torch and some non-silver solder. Worked just great!

Now I'm trying to figure out how to unclog a sprinkler system valve. I know I had to do it once before many years ago, but I don't remember exactly how to do it.

According to snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com :

You were using silver solder before? Oh my, that was your problem. Propane is usually difficult with silver solder even on very small items. On 1" pipe? Not a chance. MAPP wouldn't do it either.

Silver ("hard") solder is _not_ for plumbing. You want soft tin-based solder.

You should be able to do a 1" joint with a regular propane torch, but it's not easy.

I switched to MAPP cylinders on my propane torch (which some people claim isn't any hotter than propane because the venturi isn't quite right, but, it helps for me) and don't have any trouble with 1".

One-inch copper pipe is a pretty big piece of metal to heat up with a handheld propane torch. Copper conducts heat quite well, so you're actually heating a substantial length of pipe, not just a few inches around the joint. You may want to try a "swirl torch", which is hotter than a normal torch when burning just propane, and sometimes they will also burn MAPP which is even hotter.

Also, I'd suggest getting some half-inch copper pipe scraps and couplings and try soldering them first. That's easier, and you'll get an idea of what "hot enough" is, and how melted solder flows when it's working properly, how fast the copper heats up, and so on.

What you're trying to do is sort of like cutting down a tree that's two feet in diameter with an axe, when you've never cut anything with an axe before. Start smaller, develop some skill and confidence first before tackling a bigger job.

Dave

I have no shame in admitting I use pre-solder fittings. One less thing to worry about while doing this.

How well do they work? I looked at them once, and it didn't look like there was very much solder contained in that little groove inside the fitting. Maybe enough when the pipe is new and freshly cleaned...

Besides, it looks like you can only use them if you first cut, clean, flux, and assemble all of the pipes going into a coupling or tee, then solder all of the joints on that fitting at once. If you left one arm open, the solder would melt when you're soldering the other arms and form a blob that would prevent adding the final pipe later. That doesn't fit my preferred style of working.

Dave

replying to jneiberger, Bolshevik09 wrote: For the love of god do not take the advice above. You must hear the fitting as well as the pipe. Apply heat to the bottom of the pipe and fitting until hot and run the solder in from the bottom around to the top. Each side separately. Shake my head

Hey, Dip S*it, this thread is damn near a decade old. I'm sure the OP has solved the problem by now.