How To Solder Joints in Copper Pipe (page 2 of 3)

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How To Solder Joints in Copper Pipe: Buying a Self-Lighting Torch for Safety and Convenience

After years of using a regular $10 torch, I finally splurged on a fancy model with a built-in lighter. They cost more, between $20 and $35, but boy, what a difference. Just pull the trigger to light the flame. No more fumbling with a striker or match. And it’s safer, too. I used to leave the torch burning just to avoid relighting it. Now I turn it off when I set it down to avoid accidentally igniting my blue jeans. In addition to the self-lighting feature, look for one that burns MAPP gas. MAPP gas produces a hotter flame, which is better for soldering larger diameter pipes (1-in. and larger) and brass valves. Once you’re comfortable with how much heat to apply for a good solder joint, you can switch to MAPP gas to speed up all of your soldering jobs.

Use a Tubing Cutter to Cleanly Cut Copper Pipes
Use a good-quality tubing cutter ($15 to $25) rather than a hacksaw. You’ll be assured clean cuts with square ends that fit neatly into the fittings. The cutting process leaves a small burr inside the pipe. To avoid creating undesirable turbulence inside the pipe, remove the burr with the flip-out burr remover.

Use a Steel Brush for Complete Cleaning of Pipes and Fittings
Oils, oxidation and other impurities on the outside of pipes and inside of fittings prevent solder from sticking. To clean them, you can use just about anything that’s abrasive, including sandpaper and emery cloth. But for the quickest, cleanest results, buy a 4-in-1 cleaning tool like the one shown ($9). Use it to clean the outside of pipes and the inside of fittings for 1/2-in. and 3/4-in. copper.

Apply Tinning Flux Rather Than Regular Flux
After a thorough cleaning, coat the pipe and fitting with flux before heating the joint. This helps solder flow into the joint. You may find two or three kinds of flux on the shelf. We recommend tinning flux. It contains a bit of powdered metal alloy that is similar to solder. The alloy melts and coats the inside of the joint and helps ensure a solder joint that’s completely filled and leakproof.