Soldering

[silver50]

I often find myself using compression fittings when doing small DIY jobs but would quite like to learn some soldering. Most plumbers I have come across (when asking me to supply materials) use the solder or yorkie type fittings and add some extra solder. Is this pretty common? Seems like the route for me.

I hope to find some time this week to get to grips with a pipe bender I bought today too. I have some bits of pipe but might have to buy another length or two of 15mm and a few solder fittings.

Picked up a new rothenberger torch recently but need to get some gas. Got solder and flux.

If anyone has any tips or pointers (even links to good video tuition) on learning, please post, also anything else I should buy!

Thanks

 

[Dan Robinson]

Use tiny amounts of flux, just enough solder, and much less heat than you think.

 

[mcmoby69]

don't bother with mapp gas!

 

[Jackrae]

To save wasting fittings, practice laying solder onto the pipe first. This will teach you about cleanliness, fluxing, temperature and how far a little bit of solder can go. Then when you are comfortable about how to make solder do what you want, you can make up some elbows using short pipe stubs. To verify whether they are soldered correctly, saw the whole assembly in half so's you can see how well (or otherwise) the solder has penetrated.

Previous entry suggested avoiding too much heat. Similarly you need to avoid using too little since there is then a tendency to melt the solder with the flame rather than letting the heated fittings do the melting. Practice and you will soon learn how much is needed.

 

[Madrab]

Take some pipe cut some sections and clean inside and out, hammer it flatish, add small amount of flux, heat on a board then solder the end, it'll let you see how the flux and heat works to draw the solder in. Half the trick is knowing how much heat to get the capillary action of the flux and solder working together and how the solder flows and coats the surfaces. That way you can visualise what's gong on when it comes to soldering a fitting onto a pipe, then you can try with end feed.

If using yorkies, no extra solder should be used, there's plenty in the fitting to start with, any more will be too much.

 

[silver50]

Glad I posted here, great advice and help cheers

 

[Pin 5]

Nowt up with mapp gas. Turn the torch down...