Exactly. I'm not new to soldering as DIYer but never knew how much solder to use so I naturally put too much "just to be sure". 😂

I did

Hey Richard would you mind telling me the class that you took I’m trying to look into getting into a class that offers things like that.

Wow, thank you!

Thanks 👍

I'm a retired electrician/plumber (and never deburred) but am glad that you're a patient perfectionist. I always use wire wool pads to clean before and after although, I only use before soldering if the pipe is in an awkward place and I really don't want to go back and re solder it. Yes you're right, end feed are so neat when soldered correctly. I had a guy change my boiler a couple of years ago and his soldering was so good that you couldn't even see any solder on the end feed joints. I had to put my glasses on and shine a torch on the joints to just make out a very fine silver ring inside the joint. This guy was a master plumber. You often see plumbers cake solder all over the joint and pipe. I sometimes used solder ring joints for convenience or when I only had a couple of joints to make and they're not so bad. I also used compression fittings when cutting into the mains to fit a shower or washing machine as the pipes were often constantly wet and you also have a certain amount of adjustment with compression fittings, also you can easily turn an existing elbow into a tee joint. I must say that I've never used the new push fit plastic pipe and fittings so far (apart from old waste pipe fittings) and I feel that many builders have started to use the new push fit systems so they can fit kitchens and bathrooms without having any real plumbing skills. I've often come across their work under a bath, in an airing cupboard or in a loft. Just loads of unsupported un clipped spaghetti all over the place. Happy plumbing my friend.

@@alemgas No my friend. I had worked in electronics for some time and so I found electrics quite easy to get into as it's much simpler than electronics. So I was completely self taught and set up as a self employed electrician for about 4 years. There were no laws to stop you doing this back in the 70's 80's and 90's (and there still isn't now, apart from the part P tax} and my work was often passed by the MEB and MANWEB, when I worked in Wales and I was often complimented on my good workmanship. I sometimes worked on site contracts beside college trained electricians and I also worked for two quite big well known companies. Some of the workmanship from some of the so called trained electricians was appalling. Many of the sparky's just signed up to be an electrician on careers day at school and so that's what they ended up doing. But many of them didn't have a natural aptitude for the job. I feel that I did. So I got into plumbing because people were asking me if I could fit electric showers. So I fitted an electric shower in the house where I still lived with my parents. My dad did the plumbing and I did the wiring and it worked out fine. I then had a go at the plumbing myself and found that it was quite easy using compression joints. I Then bought a blow torch and experimented with solder ring joints in my garage and that was a massive game changer. The joints were so cheap and neat and they didn't leak. So I was now a plumber. I installed washing machines, kitchen sinks, bathrooms and outside taps. I also fitted gas cookers, fires and boilers. Some of the plumbers I worked with on building sites were qualified plumbers but also did gas work because it was basically just plumbing. We had the necessary gauges and test equipment to for leaks but of course, it wouldn't be enough these days as it seems that nothing can be done on a boiler these days without an hours worth of computing. So no my friend I am certainly not a dabbler. I was a carpenter when I left school in the early seventies and later did painting an decorating. I've also been a carpet fitter. I started work at the age of seventeen and retired at the age of 48 so I've crammed a lot in. Oh and yes I've seen many "electrician" dabblers along the way. Kitchen fitters are the worst who think they're electricians. They don't understand that when you reduce a cable size you need to fuse it accordingly. Thanks for your reply.

@@truthseeker7794 Nice :)

@@seane6616 Thanks Sean. I'm just sipping a glass of newcastle Brown now. What's your line of work my friend.

Glad it was helpful!

I'm just a DIY 'er . Some where along the line I picked up working your way UP as you solder. The theory being, heat rises. Probably nothing to it.

Thanks for sharing

Is it a case of using abrasive to remove the flux? Any other methods?

@@neil_down_south Flux is an acid, so wiping it off with a rag well dampened with something like Windex will neutralize it.

It might depend on what flux exactly you are using. Also not deburring is said to cause leaks close to the joints not exactly at the joints, but close.

Great!

You read my mind - I've got a black and decker heat gun with a soldering attachment ... and some yorkshire fittings. I'll give it a go!

Plus use customers electric.

Got set of pipe tongs and heads from a charity shop gor £1 As a joke Work well enough though Take time to heat tho Used on that one joint a little too close for comfort to wall Rest i did old way from habit and speed

When I first did my Craft City and Guilds we had to learn how to wipe lead joints still got the scar to prove it, as molten lead flowed out of my moleskin onto my wrist never happened again after that

@@andybb Ouch! I was sorry the don't teach lead working anymore, but not a bit sorry to miss out on the molten lead experience you describe!

@@42RHD Very much so do miss lead work though. We even learned stain glass window techniques as well and digging wells,oh the good old days lol

@@andybb Stained glass window leading would be brilliant! Not so much the digging wells though!

Hi Chris I think copper is such a good conductor that it heats fairly evenly and quickly. If you mess around too long the flux evaporates so, in my opinion, just get on with it.

I'd always heat at the centre of the fitting, not the pipe itself

What is the problem? It is Laco not Everflux.

I air test section by section then I can put the floorboards down with the pipes under pressure. I can then reinstate the room and move on.

Hi Jay The trick with all these videos is not to overwhelm the viewer. Some people care about the science and others don't

You are right, though I don't like steel wool because it is bitty

That sounds like something I would like to use. I despise using naked flame. Comes with my irrational fear of fire.

Honi soit qui mal y pense. Funny always thought ‘Mericans dropped the L to sod off…

American here and I'm curious about the L getting dropped in our pronunciation too. I'd seem silly if I was the only local pronouncing the L so I just go with it.

Thanks!

Interesting. I shall try that and if it doesn't work, I'll be coming for you. You tryna mess up my work???

i use my heat to burn/blow it away or just wipe it, solder should follow the heat into the fitting.

Try the grey flux with added powdered solder. MUCH, much neater jobs and once the flux turns to silver (from grey), you apply the solder. It is thicker, so less ugly "spills".

Try applying flux with finger splits, you only do it once! Tradies fingers always split during cold weather 😅

@@paulstokes393 Good point but my fingers split during the winter whatever. Super Glue to the rescue!

It is not genrally required because you get flux inside the pipe end. I just do it out of habit

What you say works in reverse, start from the top and the fux runs down. Then when you do the bottom you have only to apply a little heat and the solder will draw up. You can then remove the heat and avoid the solder runnning down the pipe. With your method the heat is still in the bottom when you do the top so it can run. Also Mapp gas is now just propane but they kept the name Mapp.

@@jonh1808 doing your own electrical work is high-risk. and stupid really. all electrical work should be done by a qualified electrician. why risk a fire or even worse, somebody gettin' toasted....

plumber parts I can't believe I called it plumber's parts

@@SkillBuilder ha! Everyone does! 😂🙈

Flux is not as corrosive to copper as some people imagine. It is a worse problem in steel radiators where it lies in the bottom. I would not worry about a little bit in a dead leg

I have had unsoldered joints hold up with the flux alone for several hours. It is scarey

You should let them cool down for at least a couple of minutes before applying any water... the rapid cooling has been known to cause hairline cracks in the solder on occasion

Concentrate the heat on the fitting not the pipe...

@@treborterb Ok

Found flux pin hole that had held on brazed joint for 4 years at 250 psi on fridge pipe once

always blood , sweat and tea,,lol

I read somewhere to put bread inside pipe which absorbs water and moves it away from joint

@@martintheron1386 I like old fashioned methods. You have to have the courage to give it a go. I've not cut into the walls yet 😁

I use a 50ml syringe and windscreen washer hose

Thank you