If you need to cut the pipe for your project, make sure that you use a tube cutter, clamping the pipe firmly and rotating the cutter around the pipe. It should take about 8 turns. [1] X Research source Ordering your supplies online? Check out wikiHow’s coupon pages for Lowes and The Home Depot to scope out the potential savings.
Type L tubing is marked with a blue tag and is typically the most commonly used in commercial/residential installations. Type M is marked red and has the lightest wall that can be used for a pressurized system.
Male/Female adapters, which are used to join a solder pipe to a threaded pipe. Reducing adapters, which are used to go from a larger size pipe to a smaller size. Elbow joints, which are used to turn corners, typically 90 degree bends, but also available in 45 degree bends. Tees and crosses, which are used to join a branch tubing to the main tubing, using a tee, or two branches in the case of a “cross. "
Any small drips of water through the joint being soldered will prevent the process from working, resulting in a leaky fitting. If the system valves will not stop the drip completely before you start working, stop up the pipe with a piece of white bread, inserted in the tubing as far as possible away from the heated area. This will temporarily dam the water flow and will dissolve easily during the flushing operation suggested at the end of the job.
This will take some practice. Try holding the flame in your non-dominant hand and the solder in your writing hand. Remember, you’re using the flame essentially to heat up the solder and melt it. You accomplish this by applying the flame to the copper tubing and then touching the solder to the joint. The heated tubing will draw the melted solder into the joint by capillary action. Use the flame sparingly.
The solder will seem to run toward the heat. The purpose is to allow the solder to completely fill the area between the fitting and the tubing by letting it run into the cracks. On larger fittings, concentrate the heat slightly ahead of the wetted solder to allow this to occur. Be careful not to overheat the copper. Keep the torch moving constantly to prevent blackening the copper. If the joint is overheated and blackened, you’ll need to disassemble it and re-clean the pipe, otherwise you’ll risk a leaky fitting.
