How To Solder Copper Pipe Like a Pro (Tips & Tricks) | GOT2LEARN
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- Опубликовано: 3 май 2019
- Here's a solder like a pro without having a messy looking joint!
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How to solder the correct way: • How to Solder Copper P...
How to solder in a wall: • How to Solder Copper P...
Amazon affiliate links to all the products I used in this video:
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DISCLAIMER: Got2Learn is NOT responsible for any damage done to a property of which the plumbing wasn't done by a professional, I do not recommend doing your own plumbing if you are unsure about what you are doing, always hire a LICENSED contractor when doing any type of plumbing so you can be covered by insurances if something does happen, these videos are for entertainment purposes only! 
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Tools and materials I used in this video:
AutoCut Pipe Cutter 1/2": amzn.to/2XlyqAn
AutoCut Pipe Cutter 3/4: amzn.to/2GZFrkf
Pencil Torch: amzn.to/2U3OTaa
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Someone here asked: "How much solder do I use?" Until you get a true "feel" for soldering I'd recommend this - use about 1/2 of the diameter of whatever fitting you are soldering. Thus if you are soldering 1/2" pipe, use about 1/4" of solder. If you are soldering a 1" pipe - use about 1/2" of solder. And how do you know how much solder you are actually using? Well, if you need 1/2" of solder, bend a 90 degree angle at the tip or your solder so you physically have 1/2" of solder after your bend. If you need 1/4" of solder, bend the tip of the solder so that you have 1/4" of solder past the bend. It is VERY easy to add too much solder (and as this video showed) where you end up puddling the solder inside the joint. Truly, you need VERY LITTLE solder to make a sealed joint. When I was a novice I was installing a boiler and had soldered a 3/4" vertically mounted gate valve - and because of the mass of the valve I REALLY soldered that valve to make sure it didn't leak. Problem was - I had used so much solder that when the valve was opened (the gate was pulled back to open the valve) I had completely sealed the valve closed. I had created a solid solder plug! Yup - played hell finding that little error when the system wouldn't work. And that's when boss-man taught me the 1/2 the diameter of the pipe trick.
7
@@kevinr4454 Just get away from soldering! Use only compression fittings. They are easy to install and never leak.
Do you have videos on the sewer line that connects to city main? Thanks
Why use an auto cutter you'll need your trusty rigids reamer anyway. Always ream! Lol
After watching your video, I assisted my neighbor in installing the water heater. Following your technique, the results were amazing. My neighbor thanked me for a professional result. In fact, I convey my thanks to you, because you deserve the credit.
Wow, I feel honored, thank you so much for the feedback!
The quality of the preparation for these videos is insane. Legit, one of the singular most detailed RUclipsrs.
This channel needs more subscribers like you ;)
Yeah "detailed" until you pay for shit that is a giant waste of time.
@@russscott8650 ?
@@russscott8650 Dont be a jerk, no one likes a jerk!
Good technique- I like seeing blokes with good hand skills. I'm a licensed plumber and take pride in workmanship. It's good to see someone promoting quality!!
Thanks a lot buddy ;)
Does this mean , you only use this technique for all your work ? Where do you work ? Never used the technique of leaving a thin neat but visible line of solder just barely around the joint ?
Call me weird, but I like to see a few millimeters of solder adjacent to the joint.
That's fine.
NOT weird. That's one way you know the solder has reached the back of the joint, taking into consideration you had the solder on the joint in the first place, which I believe you did.
Same with glued joints. If you can see the glue you know it's glued. As an apprentice (and ONCE as a Journeyman) I forgot to glue a joint. Easy to do. Visual cues save you from digging down 3' to find out why it's not holding during the test
Agreed. I also knock the bead off with a flux brush.
Exactly. Or “degree of certainty”
We have a timber frame house with exposed copper piping for the fire suppression system. The plumber that did our joints did a fantastic job with just a small fillet of solder around the fittings. He went to the extra trouble to make the soldering look good because people will see his work for the life of the house.
Niceeee!!!
I solder with cotton gloves. A finger swipe at the end to knock off the drops and leave a clean appearance. Then a quick wipe with a damp rag to get rid of the flux.
I like the look of a tiny, even fillet of solder. Key word TINY.
I was taught never to rely on capillary action on a horizontal joint and trace a full 360 with the solder. When i started with my father, he recommended bending a tight 90 at the end of the solder to mark it and get just the right amount until I got a feel for it. 1/2 " copper 1/2 inch of solder, 3/4" for 3/4" etc. When the bent leg is gone, you're done. Lather rinse repeat.
To speed cleaning he had drill brush attachments made up for male and female for 1/2 and 3/4 fittings. They work great. I still have them around somewhere. Don't do enough copper anymore to use them much these days.
Not saying my way is THE way. Just sharing what works for me.
As I was watching another video it occurred to me that wearing gloves might be a good idea to prevent contaminating the copper as you clean it,
@@charleswilson4598 The disadvantage of wearing gloves is you don't get that attractive dark staining on your skin(my body chemistry?, I know very few that get this) and that unique, I've been running copper all day smell. Ok, may not a disadvantage after all. I prefer leather for cutting and deburring, better gription. Never really thought about it before, but next time, I may wear leather on my left and cotton on my right hand. Just had my eureka moment. BTW, the gloves are the cotton poly blend yellow ones. I always thought they were just cotton, but just checked. Handy Andy gloves. They haven't changed much in 50 years.
@@mikemorgan5015 I haven't changed much in 50 years either.
True…. Enough Said
A few years back my cleaning brush had gotten contaminated, it looked fine but something on it was ruining my joints. About 25% of my joints were failing and had to be re-done. After going crazy for about 3 months, one day I couldn't find my brush so I used sand paper and no failures! I was so excited to finally be free of that curse I was stopping strangers to tell them about my lousy cleaning brush.
😆😆😆
Stopping strangers, made me chuckle. I know what you mean
Wow what a joke tbh. I can use used sand paper or a "f" ed up brush and visibly see if the pipe isnt cleaned well. U r a joke. Find a new profession u dum fk
I like the fact there is always plenty of room in these videos unlike in reality when they are tight against a wall in hard to access places.
True, but planning a route goes a long way
Lol
@@LeeroyPaladin And that's when the motto of, "Sometimes you gotta not be afraid to fuck someone's shit up" comes into play
Yep. Agree 💯
This is a professional showing us how to do a good job. You need to account for camera angles. If the demo pipe is too close to the wall the camera cannot get in
I really like the tinning flux because as you are heating the joint, the ground up solder in the flux starts to plate out when you are at temperature. This helps me a ton because it is a signal to me that I I can start applying the solder and moderate application of heat to minimize the potential for overheating the joint. The other thing I noticed is the ground up solder in the flux really reduces joint fouling due to regular flux overheating and oxidation. great video!
Good comment, good tips!!
Thank you for commenting !
Would there be a situation where you should not use this flux? I can't see a reason to buy the regular stuff except the expense. For a DIY that's negligible.
Wow an absolutely clear explanation as to what is happening and when. The technique is impeccable.
Thank you Tom, share if you can :)
Got2Learn plumbers save lives throughout the day! Every day! That is why it's better to take a few extra minutes and make sure each job is correct and safe, and not be rushed by our bosses
Our bosses are not always out in the field, some of them are sitting behind a desk and counting the money that we make for them, but I can go home and sleep with a good conscious if I do it correctly and safely for the customer
This video is pure gold. Once you understand the concept, it's pure gold.
Followed your advise when soldering gas tank air pressure lines on my 1914 Oldsmobile, and your video helped me do a much better job than I've done in the past. Thanks alot.
Glad it helped!!! :)
The guy who opens the wall in 15 years is really gonna be impressed
Was about to say, literally no "professional" or homeowner cares about how the solder looks on a pipe that's inside a wall. These videos get made for people who have never and will never do this kind of work.
I want to thank you Sooooo much... watched many of videos for tips and tricks. Just soldered a vertical 1" copper line (Main line). 4 joints soldered... you amazing. Thank you again, came out PERFECT
Awesome man, $$$ ;)
I am a diyer with no experience at soldering copper pipe, but after watching some of these videos I got together some 1/2 in pipe and tools and began practicing. After a while my joints started looking decent and I thought they wouldn't leak although I had no way to test them, but they looked filled and good. So, I learned what it takes to make a good joint. Then I hired a plumber to install a new water heater. I was particularly interested in watching him solder the copper pipes. I was really impressed. All of his joints were examples of good soldering technique. I couldn't have done what he did but I know a good joint when I see one.
99% of professionals will never do this sort of work because it takes way too much time. You can't even pay good money and expect work like this these days with "professionals". I love youtube and contributors like yourself who make DIY a great alternative!
Thank you very much, and yeah....people don't take the time anymore to do stuff nicely, oh well...
I agree. Also will add that who cares what it looks like. Won't be seen inside the wall. If exposed to view then yes I'd want it to look good.
I’ve never seen such a beautiful soldering job on any pipes in any house I’ve ever been in. Including the new homes my boss was building when I was in high school.
Great video! Especially with the short clips on examples explaining what you are talking about. I've noticed while heating the fitting , the flux comes out. I wipe it with a rag( yes its hot) , then apply the solder mainly on vertical piping. Its clean enough to look professional. And no leaks!
Good work bud, and thanks for the nice comment ;)
It’s nice to see these how to videos. One way I learned on the different methods was cut in half the coupling and hammer it flat after soldering. You will see how good your soldering method works. Try different scenarios, what happened when you don’t clean your pipe or fitting. Or when you don’t wear gloves and you leave finger prints on the pipe. I guess I should make a video too🤔
Best soldering tutorial I have seen on youtube! I have as much confidence in my joints as I do hiring a pro now.
🤗🤗🤗
I used to work for plumbing company as laborer helper. It's easy enough to solder. Prep work is very key. Don't over use flux. Don't overheat it. " Write " once around the joint that's it. Wipe off excess if need be.
I can TIG, MIG, Wirefeed, ARC, Oxy-Acetylene weld, and Braze but I've NEVER soldered. How crazy is that. Something I NEED TO learn. Looks pretty easy. Thanks!
;) this is the place, have fun bud ;)
@Hans Fuchs no, it's not.
When cleaning joint, also lay emery flat on hard surface and drag end of fitting across emery to clean the face, solder will stick to the face of fitting to fill any voids
No one ever mentions this on you tube lol. In Mexico we all do this 😂😂😂👍👍👍
Jaja aquí en mexico queda todo horrible. Thanks for the video man! I only wish this professionalism was appreciated in my country, blessings!
Thanks for watching! :)
For the home DIYer - go and spend a few dollars getting sacrificial materials to practice with. A length of copper pipe, a few connectors and then just practice your soldering technique where there's plenty of room and you don't have to worry about ruining anything if you mess up. Could save you a lot of frustration and money in the long run.
100% agreed 🙏
Yes. With this and literally every other contractor grade project.
Watching this during my OSHA 10 hour Class haha good job
Hehe, that's cool, have fun bud ;)
I tried during my osha 40 class but the drool messed up the screen..
Still have my OSHA 10 card from high school! Good for life.
Great video man I really enjoyed it and after plumbing for 16 years you taught me something. I will say this to the younger plumbers, 99% of your solder joints are in a wall or under insulation and will never be visible so I personally don't put any stock in to how pretty a joint is. A while back I called out to a fancy lab at 10pm to fix an emergency leak on a 3" chilled water line. While fixing it i was gobbing solder in it and not giving on fuck what it looked like and my apprentice (5th year apprentice in the UA plumbing union) asked me "don't you care what it looks like? Thats not pretty." I told him "We just cut out and fixed pretty, im hanging something up there that we ain't gonna have to come cut out in a year like this "pretty" work here." There is a time and a place for what this video teaches you, its not for every job though.
Exactly! Yes, I mentioned somewhere in the video that I personally only use this for radiators and towel warmers and stuff like that where you have 1 or 2 joints that are exposed, other than that, there's no use for this method, unless you want it to look clean inside the wall..
@@Got2Learn pretty cool that I was able to learn a new technique after so many years in plumbing. For exposed joints all I've ever done is wipe the flux and try to control heat and just have a thin bit of solder showing. Never pulled off a flawless joint like that. Good video.
Rare to find good contractors who care. Good job.
👌🙏
Love your videos. They are very informative and comprehensive, definitely helped me up my game, thanks!
I’m an old school plumber trained by union journeymen in the field and classroom. We (all locals-US & Canada) learn from expert from the Copper Development Association , these are the people that test and developed soldering pipes and fittings, they also investigate pipe failure in law suits.
Some of the adages I’ve learned from the class: if you can see the flux you are using too much. A good soldered joint is one that doesn’t leak a perfect solder joint is one that doesn’t leak 30 years from now, wait, wait what? Think about it.
A person doing a 3/4 inch pipe on you tube cannot say that a joint is good by just apply flux and solder. The only way to verify the joint is perfect is by inundating the pipe and hydro-pumping the water in the pipe to 200 psi. Normal operating pressure in a house is 60-80 psi. If your joints don’t leak you have a perfect joint. In Hawaii all piping in big building are tested this way by code🌺
I used to do almost all my joints like this and we would run 120psi hydrostatic tests. I won't be a liar, some would leak, but that's because of where they were placed (very hard to reach), the others would do just fine.
Good video and commentary but as I have 30 years sweating copper, I have no issue seeing a slight dribble/drop at a joint. On vertical, a wet rag wipe will do the job of a down-run dribble but at least you know there is enough solder in joint. I've seen 200 psi blowouts using too little solder. Also, best tip for cleaning a joint after a good sweat, is to take your flux brush and paint over the area while still hot. The heat and flux cleans the joint super bright. Just wipe with wet rag after and the joint looks bright. Gotta comment...but, where I come from I have NEVER heard "solder" pronounced as 'sold-er'. It is pronounced as 'sod-der'. "L" is silent. My expertise is 2" to 4" pipe joints using MAPP.
And I apologize if I offended anyone with my comments. I am a grumpy General Contractor.
Hehe, at all ;)
s o l d e r = solder in UK, home of English language
@@stephensomersify Population Britain 66 mil. Population US 328 mil. "sod-der". More plumbers.
I used the acronym MAPP generically as well as everyone else does these days when in reality and to be specific it is MAPP-Pro. It is the only thing you can buy for small single bottle torches bc real MAPP went out of production a decade ago. I loved the real thing. Burned hotter and faster than any single bottle gas. Did not need any type of "turbo" torch to use. Now with MAPP-Pro, one needs to upgrade their torch. I tell everyone to use the Benzomatic TS8000 when using MP. I do use a propane torch to bring cast aluminum up to high heat before welding to avoid cracking. Funny thing, on a job last year, customer says I was welcome to use what ever was in their supply room. I discovered 4 pristine and unused bottles of real MAPP. I took them all and gave customer back new bottles of MP.
Awesome job. My grandfather taught me the basics 40 something years ago. This takes it to the next level. Thanks
🤗🤗🤗🤗
Am I missing something? Are you suggesting that after 40 years you're ready to take it to the next level? 😆
Good evening... your video lessons are always interesting. Congratulations!!! 😃
Thx buddy, really appreciate it ;£
We only flux the pipe not the fitting itself. Especially on Gas lines as they can't be internally flushed. Also the access flux is pushed into the pipe and can draw in solder which causes turbulence and restricts the flow. Videos spot on bro, you're right on the money. The inner top tip of the inner flame is the hottest part of the flame. This is why we use this to heat the joint. Mapp gas for me when I solder ✌
Wooohoooo thx @ghost, glad you liked it bud!!
@@Got2Learn pleasure as always bro, keep doing what you do best 😜
Natural gas lines should never be soldered joints, rather they should be flared to adapt to iron pipe main.
If by “Gas Lines” you are referring to Medical Gases, these should also never be soldered joints, but brazed with a nitrogen purge.
@@richardhy6931 Here in the United kingdom & Europe we use different thicker gauge copper. As the methanethiol added to gas to make it smell is lesser in content. The natural gas reacts very little with the copper. So Gas safety and use regulations states we can use copper. As it states appropriate fittings should be used.
We cannot swage gas lines. Outlet gas lines from domestic meters are such low pressure and copper is actually the most common material used here.
You have a different climate to us. So gas has a different thermal expansion to UK and Europe. Long gone are the days we used cast iron or steel for gas installations. I work commercial & domestic tiv & meter volumes can be extremely high in some cases. So the gas purge machine comes out quite often too.
It’s always interesting to see how things are done in other countries. Thanks for the explanation ghostman 👍🏼
Apart from the cleanliness and preparation what made the biggest difference to my ability to produce good joints as a DIYer was a decent MAPP gas torch. Especially on larger fittings where there is more metal to heat, the ability to get good heat into the fitting quickly is a must.
I've recently learned that mapp as we knew it hasn't been produced since 2008. The stuff that they sell in the yellow bottle isn't actually mapp. They intentionally call it map/pro to mislead the consumer. It only burns 100 degrees or so hotter than propane. Nowhere near what the old mapp was. The torch tip is far more important than buying today's yellow bottle. There are a couple of great videos that demonstrate this. I am no longer going to pay the premium price for a marginally better gas.
It might have been right for you but I just checked the price of one and for that amount of money I'd redo half of my house's plumbing with all materials included.
It is totally not worth it, I paid something like $12 for my torch.
His video is good & makes sense, 3 things I also do which I think are important/helpful, I always clean the ends of the fittings (added insurance) measure the length of solder you need (estimate, not rocket science) 3/4" for 3/4" 1/2" for 1/2", etc. & last which I think he said; let the solder flow to the heat !
I do like to see the nice solder shine , just because it truly looks professional
Got2Learn: this is for aesthetics
Commenters: but it's not utilitarian!
Thanks for showing us another option. I'm not going to use this joint but the license plate is great!
Someone here asked: "How much solder do I use?" Until you get a true "feel" for soldering I'd recommend this - use about 1/2 of the diameter of whatever fitting you are soldering. Thus if you are soldering 1/2" pipe, use about 1/4" of solder. If you are soldering a 1" pipe - use about 1/2" of solder. And how do you know how much solder you are actually using? Well, if you need 1/2" of solder, bend a 90 degree angle at the tip or your solder so you physically have 1/2" of solder after your bend. If you need 1/4" of solder, bend the tip of the solder so that you have 1/4" of solder past the bend. It is VERY easy to add too much solder (and as this video showed) where you end up puddling the solder inside the joint. Truly, you need VERY LITTLE solder to make a sealed joint. When I was a novice I was installing a boiler and had soldered a 3/4" vertically mounted gate valve - and because of the mass of the valve I REALLY soldered that valve to make sure it didn't leak. Problem was - I had used so much solder that when the valve was opened (the gate was pulled back to open the valve) I had completely sealed the valve closed. I had created a solid solder plug! Yup - played hell finding that little error when the system wouldn't work. And that's when boss-man taught me the 1/2 the diameter of the pipe trick.
Thank you very much for sharing that, key thing to know.
I enjoyed and will try your tip as well. I do the samething, I worry too much about leaks that I use too much. Ty
My question would be, with what thickness of solder does the rule work?
Fairpoint about going back and watching an earlier video to get your basics down first. Thank you for that advice.
😇😇😇
Just wanted to say thank you for the many good videos you have put out. They are well done and to the point.
Nice thanks for sharing!
I'm new to this and from what I've been watching and how you are showing the way it should be done well I think those who are showing me are doing it wrong.
It's hard to tell the boss their doing it wrong LOL.
Hehe, there's multiple ways to get it done right, don't worry ;)
Excellent preparation technique and the method of heating the front 2/3 - 3/4 while not heating directly to the back and allowing whicking and capillary action to suck in the solder works amazing, and it's truly so much easier! !
I was fortunate to first learn just exactly the same identical methods for doing this myself (with the exception of the tinning flux) I've always used only soldering flux, but seeing the ease and coverage it provided--my life will be made even simpler along with faster progress for each joint !!
Much thanks for sharing this video kind sir !! Keep up the outstanding work !!
Glad I could help Ninja ;)
Thank you for your video. Today I capped two pipes because your detailed videos gave me the confidence to do it myself. You know I must have been very confident because no one wants water damage in their house.
You did a good job, I've been a plumber for 47 years.....
Thanks man!!!
Glad I subscribed and hit the bell in a prior video! Keep em coming. 10/10
Thanks man, glad you liked it ;)
@@Got2Learn The quality of my work is improving thanks to your great videos. Enjoy watching them.
Thx so much 2002, I really appreciate that ;)
I had a plumber that tried to make his joints look like this. He had more leaks than anyone. He said he didn't want to waste and drip solder all over the place.
I responded by saying I don't want to drip and waste water.
Solder the joint, leave 1/8" around it and swipe the dog ear off. You will know it's full.
Had to get rid of him after I saw him on a service call soldering 4" copper with a #4 prestolite tip. Dude wouldn't listen.
It takes the same amount of time, just a different technique.
I call them dog balls
Lollll
Oh dear...
I always say solder is cheap . In a hard to reach spot I will let it drip . Finesse does not apply in this situation.
Thank you so much boss I really learned a lot of your videos and your professional experience ❤🙏
pretty accurate dude!
35 years doing it
Awesomeee!!! Thanks a lot buddy ;)
Your channel is such a treasure.
Very much appreciated, thx so much OldsXCool!!!
@@Got2Learn Bury the treasure in a copper box, and solder it tight with a pretty, no drip seam.
Something I've learned over the years. Have you ever seen a leak on a soldered copper joint where it has both a bit of corrosion and a greenish color to it? That comes from wiping the copper with a metal scotch bright pad. Residual fibers from the pad react with the copper and its soldered joint. I would recommend wiping and cleaning with copper wool/scotch bright only. Excellent video.
Thats not what its from. Its from residual flux (highly acidic) oxidizing the copper. To prevent this, wipe your cooled joint with isopropyl.
@@thatf_inguy8220 Can't say I agree with you. While the flux is indeed highly acidic due to the fact it chemically cleans the copper, it isn't going to cause a properly soldered joint to leak because it wasn't wiped properly.
If soldered joints were this susceptible to leaks because of them not being wiped properly, I'd guess this technique of piping would never be accepted in the field of plumbuing and would have died in its infancy..
Great job... good looks and no leak is always what i shoot for. Thanks
Absolutely, thanks buddy for the positive comment ;)
I'm doing a liquid cooled PC build, and wanted a kind of industrial look to it. I'm good soldering household pipes so they don't leak but they look awful. Thanks for the tutorial. Cheers.
Awesome man, hope it turns out nice ;)
Just a little tip to add that will save you from having any leaks after you have soldered.
At the one minute 11 second mark in the video he shows flux on the pipe. I noticed the flux contains numerous amounts of small pieces of dirt. Those are the things that prevent the solder from running properly. So it is good to keep your flux covered when not using it. One small piece of dirt can prevent the solder from running into the entire joint.
I am not bashing here...just pointing something out in this video that I did notice which should be corrected.
Keeping every piece in the process clean will result in a watertight joint!!! Happy soldering!
Thanks bro :)
And using a clean cloth to wipe after sanding the copper. Thanks for your comments !
When I started out plumbing I would use old element covers from an electric water heater that I removed. After A while I'd throw it away and remove a new one.
Yesterday I couldn't even say solder ...
Now I are one.
I have found over the years, good preparation and cleanliness is the biggest pat of all jobs and techniques. And then clean up afterwards. I like to even spray the pipes with clear coat when I'm finish with work that is highly visible. Great video though. Takes time to do good work. Takes more time to do it over.
That was Awesome!!!
This video has been great step by step plenty of detail..
Thx a lot Desrick!!!
In Australia, silver brazing is the go- soft soldered joints haven't been used for years. In fact, soft solder is illegal on gas lines because if there is a fire the joints may fail.
you aren't allowed to solder gas lines in Canada.
I kno rt
Interesting . In the UK almost all domestic gas lines are copper soldered . The gas regs here are super strict aswell .
@@TheRaceface22 just use John Guest pushfit .......it'll be ok 😂
Your videos are always great! I love learning new tricks!
Thanks so much Mike!
Watch out world, Imma be a master with these solder tips now jk. Great job and thanks for showing us these great tips 👍
My pleasure Demon ;)
@@Got2Learn 👍
Most fluxes are chemical reaction (Laco) if a little to much heat they rim run but they can look OK at the time of running even old for years but any movement they can just part. Ever flux is an acid-based and creates a better capillary action
If your in the USA you cannot use acid based flux on potable water lines. It is prohibited in the IRC & UPC.
hey man, bon video!
this is exactly what i was looking for!
Awesome, glad you found it :)
I like the words, Preparation is 90% of the job.
Sure is 👍👍👍
Another great instructional video. Just wonderful and informative.
Thanks again! Keep those comments comin' ;)))
Tinning flux is game changer. My joints always look impeccable. Keep moving the torch and put the heat where you want the solder to go. This isn’t a hard skill to master.
I would say that does look very nice and beautiful. But most pros don't scrub their pipe after the job is done. You can reduce the life of the pipe because you are wiping the thin oil coating off the pipe. Instead while the pipe is still hot put some regular flux on top of and take a clean 100% rag and wipe it over your joint. Just make sure the solder solidifies first.
Depending on the flux, leaving flux on a pipe will result in it turning green, although it may look good initially. Most plumbers I know consider fluxing after soldering to be extremely bad practice for this reason. I suppose if you want to grease your pipe, though, a silicone grease could be used for this purpose.
I don't generally use an abrasive to polish a joint, although copper, whether oiled or not, is generally extremely durable when exposed to air, so I can't really see what harm it would do (except that you are wearing away the wall thickness very slightly).
Clean work. You are professional grade.No question ask.
Thanks Slavenko!
Very professional finished joints, thanks for telling us hacks to go with a little more flux, and what it looks like if you do
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Very awesome tips as usual. My brother is the guy that tends to overheat the joint lol. I don’t think I’ve ever used thinning flux, so that was quite interesting.
Thx Viper6, always enjoy reading your comments ;)
Tinning flux will almost seal joint by itself but will also cause voids if over heated
weirdfish weirdfish 👍
So detailed! Love it! Will use is!
Yeah give it a try, your boss will love ya ;)
Very good video. Soldering copper pipes is definitely an art, and my joints are not nearly as pretty. Considering I rarely have occasion to practice my technique, I am good with a non-leaking result.
Very helpful. I appreciate your vids. Watching from Ontario Canada ❤
I use mapp gas, ream the female end of fitting and inner dia of tube and use Ruby brand flux that comes in a yellow can with excellent results. PS use very little heat when soldering baseboards because the copper is very thin and over heats easily.
Pretty sure I was taught to ream inside of the tube, and NOT the fitting. The purpose of reaming has not so much to do with the strength of the joint, but the torpidity of the water after the joint is done and the H2O is flowing. Torpidity at the joint will cause the joint to fail over time. Water will cut through rock with enough directed agitation - you want it flowing nice and smooth over the joint.
Not to put too fine a point on it but I believe it’s called cavitation, when a pipe starts to decay from inside due to uneven eddies and currents from a pipe that wasn’t reamed
@@62Cristoforo Not to put too fine a point on it, but cavitation is the result of torpidity at the joint.
Nice work! I have great respect for people who work to take their craftsmanship to the next level!
It’s such a good feeling knowing all your joints look beautiful and do the job right.
I never knew about this lead-free tinning solder; I've always used the regular one. But I will try this one & hope it makes a good solder connection
Nice Job. I am doing a verticle 3/4" gate valve with some water which I learned failed.I am going to follow more closely this time.
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I was taught to say thanks where thanks is due. So many thanks for taking the time to put these videos together.
My plumbing skills are basic DIYer so OK with pre-soldered/yorkshire fittings etc. These videos get me to understand the finer points about removing burrs, heating from the bottom and so on.
So again many thanks. Even if only a fraction is remembered it's a step forward. Mike
Just noticed 987 thumbs down. You know your'e doing a good job when the 'plumbers' log on and starting dishing you. :)
You are most welcome. Yeah the thumbs down are mostly plumbers who don't like me giving away tricks lol.
At the end of the day and in all of my 15 years of plumbing Ive never had a leak on a solder joint other than once on a stub out that was cut lopsided by an apprentice and yeah that might look good but without a full bead around the rim of the fitting you just made a timebomb. I cant tell you how many times Ive been called out to a job where all Ive had to do is clean and re-solder a joint that looked nice and neat like these at the end of the day all you're really doing is being cheap. Heres a real pro tip, get you a box of clean rags keep a nice wet but not like drippy rag and wipe each joint it smooths drips and at least makes it look nice and shiny, same trick applies for smoothing beads of silicone too.
Yeah, it could be a time bomb for beginners, this is not for beginners as I said in the beginning of the video, this is just to improve an already experienced plumber ;)
I love soldering It’s super satisfying 👍🏼
Love this video thank you very much for sharing and posting brilliant just what I needed liked and subbed UK fan
Awesome, thank you!
Monster open mesh grit cleans like no other and last the longest. Emory cloth is time consuming. Also on bigger copper 1.25 and up you have to circle the fitting with solder to get a correct seal. Looks don't matter but leaks do
Definitely!! It's also more expensive ;)
@@Got2Learn Time is money and redoing a leak cost money as well
The #1 should clean, and dry. Flux isn't for cleaning, it's to prevent oxidation during the soldering process. Any water present will ruin your solder because the water turns into steam and carries off the heat faster than your torch can heat.
Also, what I do is cut off the wire brush handle and insert brush shaft into my cordless drill. Works much faster than doing it by hand.
UtwoBed 👍
flux is to create capillary attraction to draw the liquid solder into the joint , main reason.
Piece of white bread in the pipe will keep the water back
im new to hvac and this helped alot ty good sir!!
This tinning flux tip is a winner
I like to use the flux brush at the end and go around the pipe and make the over solder look like a paint job lol. I'm an HVAC guy though, so I normally just braze copper haha
Are you brazing, or soldering with oxy-acetylene and/or MAPP ?
Lots of cranky old men commenting here. Old-school guys who will never reconsider the way they do things. I've always done top-notch, tidy work, much like what we see in this video, and always had inspectors comment on my workmanship. They see the old-school guys and their sloppy work every day, so my work stood out. I worked in the hospital setting.
The suggestion that an inspector will fail your work if he doesn't see an excess of solder forming a fillet is nonsense. My work was always pressure tested with compressed air and that was the only test that mattered. My neat, tidy work without drips and runs marked me as a professional.
If you hire a plumber who doesn't care about how his work looks, find someone else. Looks do matter.
Also how you cut out walls for repairs says volumes. Still waiting to see a square cut out by even 1 plumber. I'm the follow up drywall man, I've seen it all.
Excellent video... Properly photographed and well explained!
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When I was an apprentice soldering on site, a clerk of works pulled me on my joint prep. He told me to remove the fitting after I’d prepared it as normal, I then saw most of the flux wasn’t in the joint but had gone into the pipe itself, and was waiting to be heated after which it would run into the system ( heating/plumbing etc ).
The same on the outside of the fitting, any excess flux would melt and hit the floor instantly.
The solder itself was the same, the joint can only take so much solder, so, by adding too much it either ran into the system or down the pipe into the floor.
My method now is -
Clean both joint faces
Apply flux sparingly with a brush
Wipe any excess flux off
Measure a piece of solder equal to the pipe circumference
Bend that solder 90 degrees. at your measured mark
Heat pipe gently as above, pull away as soon as solder is melting
When the measured piece of solder is used your done. If you need to you can flick the flame over the joint to keep the heat melting the solder. Never use the flame to melt the solder
Lastly, I use a piece of asbestolux board approximately 200mm x 200mm as a barrier against burning/marking wall etc.
All plumbers/heating engineers have leaks, but, this method causes me no more issues leak wise than any other solderer.
So it takes you 20 minutes to solder a joint
John I actually solder very little, I bend 15/22/28, and as a maintenance engineer, use copper tectite sprint fittings, very expensive but don’t have to worry about raising “hot works permits” and waiting 45 mins after last soldered joint before I can leave site.
And my soldering method is very quick, no blobs of solder or flux to clean up from my work space.
CerealKiller wrote: "Measure a piece of solder equal to the pipe circumference"
If you follow that procedure, you will have a joint with three times the solder needed!! You should have said: Measure a piece of solder equal to the pipe diameter.
lacro I’ve gone off ‘Yorkshire” fittings, not an exact science I know, but it’s served me very well over 30 years.😀👍 I normally use them for every soldered joint, a little more expensive, but worth it for asthetics in my opinion.
I never solder anything I can bend, I can pull half a dozen bends in a 3m length with precise accuracy. I use tube expanders to join lengths together having the female joint facing down below my eye-line, and facing upwards above my eye-line giving a seemingly jointless run of tube.
Take a slightly damp rag right after you solder and rub it around. Bim bam boom. Perfect
Gene Miller actually... A DRY rag removes solder much better than a wet or damp one... but a wet rag cleans the flux residue off so it doesn’t corrode the pipe.
Just use Everflux and don’t drown it. Once around is suffice as long as you don’t move to fast. I like to curl the end of the solder. And if you have a drop, just run across it with the end of the solder. It’ll knock it right off.
I wipe after every joint to get the cherry off.
Ever flux is the bomb! Only time I clean copper now is if it's absolutely filthy or oxidized.
I dont know ever flux as I'm in a less fortunate country but you obviously have more sense than most of these jokers connenting lol.
@@sergiohernendez8767
It’s a white plastic container about 3 inches in diameter and it has a blue lid. Thanks. I went to an apprenticeship when I was a plumber.
Excellent Video. Appreciate the clear and concise instruction.
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Brilliant vid, handy for exposed pipework. Only thing I will say is that if you have a large amount of piping and soldering to do, you'll be there a good while.
Always start soldering your lower joints and work your way up to joints that may be above on the same pipe,Especially on your vertical couplings you soldered,do the lower joint first as heat rises,once you do the bottom side,little heat needs to be applied to the top side. If you do the top first, then heat the bottom,you could create a leak on the top side that you just soldered
Heat doesn't rise though. Hot air rises..
@JasonMontell2501 heat moves from hotter to cooler in any situation. In air, the hotter air rises because it's lighter than the cooler air,causes circulation as hot air rises and and the cooler air drops. When talking about heating a joint with a torch, same thing applies. The hot burning gas from your torch travels upwards. Never seen one yet where the flame comes out straight then heads downwards. You get the idea. Just try it you'll see a difference. Start at the top on one joint then try starting at the bottom. This is how harris taught us at live demos over 20 years ago.
@@HVACRTECH-83 You're correct that heat moves from high temp areas to low temp areas but are somehow hung up on thinking that heat only does so in an upward direction like hot air.. Heat will travel in any direction, left, right, down, backwards or forwards as long as it's from a high temp area a low temp area. So once again, no.. heat does not act like hot air and rise. If that were true then after heating your pipe you'd expect that only the pipes traveling above your work would be hot but no.. the pipes are hot in equal directions away from your work..
And that's because heat does not rise. Only hot air rises.
Very good, as always. I’m no pro but do all my own plumbing using end feed copper joints. I would be happy taking the extra time and care to make clean joints like this in highly visible pipework. I have occasionally filed off excess solder to polish up a visible joint, but its time consuming. I’ll try this instead 😀👍
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new subscriber and an excellent video Thanks much and Happy New Year ❤️️
Thank you so much Arthur!
Nice work. This video does show the difference between a pro and an amateur like myself. I mean, I get that result, but with a ton of elbow grease, needle files and emery paper after the fact. And then I polish and clear lacquer the result so it stays shiny...
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I don’t know why I’m even watching this at 2am... I don’t work in a field near this... but good video
It's always a good time to learn ;)
Believe me... it's an excellent video to watch even if you're not a plumber. This will help you see if the joints are well made in your home. I've prevented a major water damage at my mother-in-law's house by repairing an absolutely awful and fragile joint that could burst at anytime.
For good clean solder joints practice makes perfect. My suggestion is to use the correct torch tip. The right size flame makes a big difference. Also wiping the excess flux after you pre heat the fitting. And finally let capillary action do the work. Practice controlling your heat
Yup!!
Wiping excess flux after pre-heating? Hmmm? I'm trying to make sense of that statement. What about the issue of the Flux evaporating too much and thus making a weaker seal between the copper sheaths?
I think this comment just changed my life... wiping away the excess flux after preheating? I'm gonna try this.
@@bonsummers2657 I’m talking about the excess flux that runs out of the fitting. And flux doesn’t evaporate it burns and turn black to the point where it won’t take the solder. To each his own. You only need a thin layer of flux on fitting and pipe. But if it’s running out out of the coupling or fitting it’s over flowing and I’m just saying I like wiping the excess because if you let it run every where you will end up with a sloppy joint.
@@commadanteflet try it. If you just leave the excess there potential for the solder to stick or adhere to spots that you don’t want. And of course at the end of the day it’s about whether or not you solder joint can hold pressure. But I’m in Texas and a clean joint vs a sloppy joint in the commercial industry matters. It could determine how long you work with companies especially in the union
There is a very easy way to make awesome looking joints. Apply the flux to the pipe and fitting and apply heat above the maximum depth of the inserted pipe, the flux will run out of the joint as heat is applied. Just before applying solder, wipe the joint with a relatively cloth and remove the excess flux then immdediately apply the solder to the heated joint. It will suck up into the joint perfectly and you will have a clean looking joint. Thius works for horizontal and verticle applications. As with anything, it will take a little bit of practice but is something anyone can do.