How do I get bad joints on copper

[Centralheatking]

Some fitter known to you all also did not clean his hands and
fingers and under his nails one evening properly and
'mucking about with his bride' to be
caused a lot of trouble - downstairs

beware centralheatking

 

[Leo21]

There was some flux years ago called 'Bakers Blue' I put into
my eye by accidend on M4 cause i had not washed my hands

- in the end I ripped out the washer bottle of my transit on the hard shoulder
to get an eye wash it was agony Centralheatking

Pictures?

 

[Ermintrude]

Some fitter known to you all also did not clean his hands and
fingers and under his nails one evening properly and
'mucking about with his bride' to be
caused a lot of trouble - downstairs

beware centralheatking

Think you should refer to croppie as croppie no wife to be, not common knowledge you to were once married

 

[Centralheatking]

I love Jon Cropp but it is entirely a platonic relationship
centralheatking

Think you should refer to croppie as croppie no wife to be, not common knowledge you to were once married

 

[SimonG]

Bunch of soft tarts. Its wire wool all the way. Just make sure there's no strands left in the fitting.

 

[Ermintrude]

Bunch of soft tarts. Its wire wool all the way. Just make sure there's no strands left in the fitting.

What? Your supposed to clean the fitting too? Shock horror gasp gasp ! My world is in turmoil.

 

[Worcester]

Anyone tried this then? It says it does 'metal polishing' : Toolstation > Painting & Decorating > Sanding Paper > Sanding Mesh

The 3m pads are available from farnell: 05305 - 3M - HAND PAD, 155X225, AFN, 7496 | Farnell UK
or:
3M Scotch-Brite Nylon Abrasive Hand Pads

 

[MisterB]

back to the OP, are the joints on pipes 'in use' or on new installation? if in use, could be simply water still in the pipe, look as though the joint has soldered completely but its only round the outside, too much heat 'bakes' the solder and it doesn't flow correctly as does the lack of flux, flux is there for a reason ! and wire wool every time!

 

[Ermintrude]

Don't want to sound like herbal essences advert .....

 

[Ermintrude]

Webbed is awesome stuff but it will rip if caught on end of tube. Works well wet or dry and could shine even the oldest of wrecks . But will loose it's grit if. Folded flat or allowed to jumble in tool bag. So tear off a 150mm strip at a time.


3m are beautifully smooth. Use them to brighten new / in painted tube and polish fittings at end of job. Wet or dry. Emry cloth is also lovely but it can take a bit too much copper away

 

[kay-jay]

Anyone tried this then? It says it does 'metal polishing' : Toolstation > Painting & Decorating > Sanding Paper > Sanding Mesh

The 3m pads are available from farnell: 05305 - 3M - HAND PAD, 155X225, AFN, 7496 | Farnell UK
or:
3M Scotch-Brite Nylon Abrasive Hand Pads

I use the toolstation one every day. Irs as good as any other

 

[Ermintrude]

They all probably made in same place !

 

[kay-jay]

They all probably made in same place !

Exactly so why pay a pound a strip for rottenbugger ones when you can have a 5metre roll from toolstation for under six quid

 

[Worcester]

It's sad when we all get so excited over how to clean copper pipe 🙂 🙂 🙂

 

[kay-jay]

It's sad when we all get so excited over how to clean copper pipe 🙂 🙂 🙂

Its not so much the cleaning of the copper as saving money while doing it.....toolstation abrasive strip rules [emoji636]

 

[Ermintrude]

Just re pipe everything. Much better for us .... Scrap any one

 

[scon1]

Thanks everyone for your comments. Got Yorkshires working better, but still not as good as end feed. I will still be carrying solder so will probably switch back to end feeds! The problem is usually on drained down systems - could the bad joints be down to the steam from residual water? I dry the pipe in the immediate area and assumed it would be dry enough after heating? Are Yorkshires more problematic with steam?

 

[Best]

Thanks everyone for your comments. Got Yorkshires working better, but still not as good as end feed. I will still be carrying solder so will probably switch back to end feeds! The problem is usually on drained down systems - could the bad joints be down to the steam from residual water? I dry the pipe in the immediate area and assumed it would be dry enough after heating? Are Yorkshires more problematic with steam?

Steam will not be a bother as long as it stops steaming as you solder. Don't solder a fitting if water is able to keep coming up close to the fitting.
Yorkshire type fittings have a few disadvantages compared with end feed -
1 they tend to be more dirty & require more cleaning
2 they are dirty behind the solder ring
3 they have the groove where the ring of solder is & that groove breaks the capillary action (which will stop you end feeding solder vertically)
4 they have only a lead free ring of solder inside them which is harder to solder & not needed for heating pipes.

My guess is you are overheating the fitting which would explain why you say the top joint of a tee piece is leaking. Try to clean everything first thoroughly & flux well & then keep adding dot of flux on the end of the solder wire as you heat. Just heat until the solder melts (your solder wire tip melting will show correct heat reached) & do not heat much more than a few seconds - literally one or two seconds extra! If you need to keep reworking the joint, pull the flame away from the fitting rather than constantly blasting it with heat.
15mm & 22mm require very little power to heat them & I used butane for years & it was plenty.
Propane is however faster & good for damp pipes.

 

[plumben]

Have any of you ever used one of these pipe prep cleaners Rothenberger Pipe Prep Deburrer 15mm | Deburring | NoLinkingToThis

 

[parkesy_plumb]

Have any of you ever used one of these pipe prep cleaners Rothenberger Pipe Prep Deburrer 15mm | Deburring | NoLinkingToThis

They ok for a few times bud but not worth the money. Get the strips!! wire wool only ends up stuck in your fingers anyways