Print PDF
Favorite
Email
Step 5Soldering
This is the hardest part.
1/ Solder works best if both the pipe and the fitting are really clean. Use fine wet and dry or wire wool to get all the surfaces shining.
2/ Flux should be applied to both the end of the pipe and to the inside of the fitting. Use a brush, flux is nasty stuff it rots skin and once its on your hands you will get it every where and that’s how you pipe starts to go green. All you need is a thin coating, think of how thick lipstick goes on and that’s about what we are after. To be honest we are talking about a strippers lipstick but you get the idea.
3/ Assemble the parts to be soldered. Remember for really strong joints you want to solder all of them at once. You may need to rig up a bit of a jig to hold everything straight and true but stay calm you can take ages over this bit the flux won’t go off. This is a good time to recommend the brand of flux I use, its called EverFlux and I use it because it isn’t active until you heat it, this is important if you might want to adjust stuff a few time before you solder as active fluxes will make fitting and pipe stick together in a few minutes.
4/ Solder is drawn towards the heat if you have to solder an elbow with one joint pointing down its Ok just do the other joint first and the heat will help with the difficult one. Heat the pipe first, do this until you just see it change colour, this takes a few seconds maybe 10 with 15mm and progressively longer as you use larger pipe. Now heat the area just beyond the joint, for instance on an elbow heat the bend. Again wait for the colour change and apply solder opposite where you are heating, you should see it melt and be draw into the joint. Don’t use too much solder you want to be aiming to use a similar length to the diameter of the pipe you are using as a maximum. More solder wont help it just falls into the fitting and starts to block it up. Now heat the other piece of pipe in you fitting and then back to the middle and again with the solder.
5/ LET IT COOL DOWN!! Only cowboys use a wet rag to cool pipes, don’t rush it.
6/ Clean your joints, if you can clean the inside as well. You don’t want all that nasty green stuff everywhere.
7/ If in you don't feel confident try using solder ring or Yorkshire fittings, the flux bit is the same but you don’t need to add solder. Heat a little above the joint line until you see solder all round and then stop.
Credit to Cornishtiger of The UK Spudgun Community (who is a professional plumber) for the excellent soldering guide.
1/ Solder works best if both the pipe and the fitting are really clean. Use fine wet and dry or wire wool to get all the surfaces shining.
2/ Flux should be applied to both the end of the pipe and to the inside of the fitting. Use a brush, flux is nasty stuff it rots skin and once its on your hands you will get it every where and that’s how you pipe starts to go green. All you need is a thin coating, think of how thick lipstick goes on and that’s about what we are after. To be honest we are talking about a strippers lipstick but you get the idea.
3/ Assemble the parts to be soldered. Remember for really strong joints you want to solder all of them at once. You may need to rig up a bit of a jig to hold everything straight and true but stay calm you can take ages over this bit the flux won’t go off. This is a good time to recommend the brand of flux I use, its called EverFlux and I use it because it isn’t active until you heat it, this is important if you might want to adjust stuff a few time before you solder as active fluxes will make fitting and pipe stick together in a few minutes.
4/ Solder is drawn towards the heat if you have to solder an elbow with one joint pointing down its Ok just do the other joint first and the heat will help with the difficult one. Heat the pipe first, do this until you just see it change colour, this takes a few seconds maybe 10 with 15mm and progressively longer as you use larger pipe. Now heat the area just beyond the joint, for instance on an elbow heat the bend. Again wait for the colour change and apply solder opposite where you are heating, you should see it melt and be draw into the joint. Don’t use too much solder you want to be aiming to use a similar length to the diameter of the pipe you are using as a maximum. More solder wont help it just falls into the fitting and starts to block it up. Now heat the other piece of pipe in you fitting and then back to the middle and again with the solder.
5/ LET IT COOL DOWN!! Only cowboys use a wet rag to cool pipes, don’t rush it.
6/ Clean your joints, if you can clean the inside as well. You don’t want all that nasty green stuff everywhere.
7/ If in you don't feel confident try using solder ring or Yorkshire fittings, the flux bit is the same but you don’t need to add solder. Heat a little above the joint line until you see solder all round and then stop.
Credit to Cornishtiger of The UK Spudgun Community (who is a professional plumber) for the excellent soldering guide.
| « Previous Step | Download PDFView All Steps | Next Step » |
 |
Add Comment
|
