Having mastered being able to produce reliable end feed soldered joints
I want to try and get them looking neater.

What I am finding is that when I am soldering 'uphill' (e.g. the lower
joint in a straight connector on a vertical piece of pipe) I always get
a drip of solder roll down the pipe as I pull the solder reel away when
I finish. This looks messy and remains visible even after painting.

1) Am I leaving it too long so that the joint is overloaded with solder
?

2) Am I heating the joint up too much so that the solder is flowing out
of the joint? I always do the highest part of the connector first and
work downwards doing any 'uphills' last. Is this the correct order of
work or is it better to work from the bottom upwards ?

3) You heat the connector not the pipe so that the solder is dragged
inwards right ?

4) Is there a way of wiping away any excess before the joint cools (or
even afterwards but without damaging the joint) so if I do make a mess
I can quickly wipe it away?

Perhaps I'm just being fussy ? TIA for any help.

On 1 Sep 2005 10:59:04 -0700, andy.hide@dsl.pipex.com wrote:


>Having mastered being able to produce reliable end feed soldered joints
>I want to try and get them looking neater.
>
>What I am finding is that when I am soldering 'uphill' (e.g. the lower
>joint in a straight connector on a vertical piece of pipe) I always get
>a drip of solder roll down the pipe as I pull the solder reel away when
>I finish. This looks messy and remains visible even after painting.
>
>1) Am I leaving it too long so that the joint is overloaded with solder
>?
>
>2) Am I heating the joint up too much so that the solder is flowing out
>of the joint? I always do the highest part of the connector first and
>work downwards doing any 'uphills' last. Is this the correct order of
>work or is it better to work from the bottom upwards ?
>
>3) You heat the connector not the pipe so that the solder is dragged
>inwards right ?


Yes - solder will flow towards the heat, but only up to a point - if everything is sufficiently hot,
gravity will rule. 


>4) Is there a way of wiping away any excess before the joint cools (or
>even afterwards but without damaging the joint) so if I do make a mess
>I can quickly wipe it away?


An only-just-damp cloth works.

andy.hide@dsl.pipex.com wrote:


> What I am finding is that when I am soldering 'uphill' (e.g. the lower
> joint in a straight connector on a vertical piece of pipe) I always get
> a drip of solder roll down the pipe as I pull the solder reel away when
> I finish. This looks messy and remains visible even after painting.


It may just be that you are using slightly more solder than is actually 
required.


> 1) Am I leaving it too long so that the joint is overloaded with solder
> ?
> 
> 2) Am I heating the joint up too much so that the solder is flowing out
> of the joint? I always do the highest part of the connector first and
> work downwards doing any 'uphills' last. Is this the correct order of
> work or is it better to work from the bottom upwards ?


Don't think it matters much. It is probably better to do the "hardest" 
joint first since there is less chance for the flux to boil away.


> 3) You heat the connector not the pipe so that the solder is dragged
> inwards right ?


You need both the pipe end and the coupling to be at the right 
temperature so that you get a good bond between the pipe, solder and 
coupling.

Just play the flame over the coupling from end to end and you will 
usually heat the pipe enough in the process.


> 4) Is there a way of wiping away any excess before the joint cools (or
> even afterwards but without damaging the joint) so if I do make a mess
> I can quickly wipe it away?


A damp cloth, wiped quickly over the affected area will do the job.


> Perhaps I'm just being fussy ? TIA for any help.


More than likely - I doubt anyone else will ever notice. ;-)

If you are that worried, you can eliminate the "down" bit of straight 
joint if you buy a pipe flaring tool. That way you can make a joint 
without the coupling at all. Just flare the lower pipe, plug the next 
pipe into it and solder the single joint. Cheap too! (although how many 
joints you will need to make to recover the cost of the flaring tool is 
another matter!)

-- 
Cheers,

John.

/=================================================================\
|          Internode Ltd -  http://www.internode.co.uk            |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|        John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk              |
\=================================================================/

On 1 Sep 2005 10:59:04 -0700, andy.hide@dsl.pipex.com wrote:

| 4) Is there a way of wiping away any excess before the joint cools (or
| even afterwards but without damaging the joint) so if I do make a mess
| I can quickly wipe it away?

Wipe the solder off with a damp cloth.

That brings back memories of wiped soldered joints in Lead pipes.  
Those were the ?good? old days ;-)
-- 
Dave Fawthrop <dave hyphenologist co uk> 
"Intelligent Design?" my knees say *not*.
"Intelligent Design?" my back says *not*.

On 1 Sep 2005 10:59:04 -0700, andy.hide@dsl.pipex.com wrote:


> What I am finding is that when I am soldering 'uphill' (e.g. the 
> lower joint in a straight connector on a vertical piece of pipe) I 
> always get a drip of solder roll down the pipe as I pull the solder 
> reel away when I finish.


Basically you are adding to much solder. It takes very little to make 
a reliable endfed joint, maybe 1/4" of plumbing gauge solder.


> 1) Am I leaving it too long so that the joint is overloaded with 
> solder?


Yep... you need to add just enough so that a bright ring of silver 
appears all round the joint.


> 2) Am I heating the joint up too much so that the solder is flowing 
> out of the joint? 


Possibly, the joint and pipe need to be just hot enough to melt the 
solder when it is applied. This is where the skill comes in knowing 
how long you need to heat a 15, 22 or 28mm joint with your torch to 
achieve just the right temperature.


> 3) You heat the connector not the pipe so that the solder is dragged
> inwards right ?


Heat both otherwise the end of the pipe in the joint maybe to cool. 
Play the flame mainly on the connector but don't neglect the pipe or 
the back side of both, aim for as even heating as possible.


> 4) Is there a way of wiping away any excess before the joint cools 
> (or even afterwards but without damaging the joint) so if I do make 
> a mess I can quickly wipe it away?


Yes, just like real plumbers used to join led pipes. All you need is a 
bit of damp cloth and swift but gentle action. 


> Perhaps I'm just being fussy? 


Not at all. It's the lack of attention to detail that pisses me of 
with the standard of workmanship from so called "professionals". If 
I'm paying someone to do a job I expect it to be of a better standard 
than I could do myself.

-- 
Cheers                                              new5pam@howhill.com
Dave.                                             pam is missing e-mail

Dave Fawthrop wrote:

> andy.hide wrote:
> | 4) Is there a way of wiping away any excess before the joint cools (or
> | even afterwards but without damaging the joint) so if I do make a mess
> | I can quickly wipe it away?
> 
> Wipe the solder off with a damp cloth.


No, don't do that, use a dry cloth. The shock from using a "damp"
cloth[1] may cause the solder to granulate.


[1] Various values of "damp".

Chris Bacon  wrote in message
news:431767a0$1_1@x-privat.org...

> Dave Fawthrop wrote:
> > andy.hide wrote:
> > | 4) Is there a way of wiping away any excess before the joint cools (or
> > | even afterwards but without damaging the joint) so if I do make a mess
> > | I can quickly wipe it away?
> >
> > Wipe the solder off with a damp cloth.
>
> No, don't do that, use a dry cloth. The shock from using a "damp"
> cloth[1] may cause the solder to granulate.
>
>
> [1] Various values of "damp".



No if you are going to be fussy go to a plumbers merchant and buy a
moleskin.
Every job has the correct tool and the next best thing that comes to hand
Aka Dimm  and hacksaws.


-

Mark wrote:

> No if you are going to be fussy go to a plumbers merchant and buy a
> moleskin.


And for vegetarian plumbers? ;-)

Owain

He was not suggesting you eat it

Chris Bacon wrote:

> Dave Fawthrop wrote:
> > andy.hide wrote:
> > | 4) Is there a way of wiping away any excess before the joint cools (or
> > | even afterwards but without damaging the joint) so if I do make a mess
> > | I can quickly wipe it away?
> >
> > Wipe the solder off with a damp cloth.
>
> No, don't do that, use a dry cloth. The shock from using a "damp"
> cloth[1] may cause the solder to granulate.
>
>
> [1] Various values of "damp".


I've always used a dry cotton cloth as well but if it is slightly damp
it's also fine.

Dave Liquorice wrote:

>  andy.hide wrote:
>
> > What I am finding is that when I am soldering 'uphill' (e.g. the
> > lower joint in a straight connector on a vertical piece of pipe) I
> > always get a drip of solder roll down the pipe as I pull the solder
> > reel away when I finish.
>
> Basically you are adding to much solder. It takes very little to make
> a reliable endfed joint, maybe 1/4" of plumbing gauge solder.


My big failing too. I always add a bit more 'for luck' and leave a
great big blob hanging off the pipe !

Good seal though ;-)

Paul.