Know How To Solder Your Solid Joints

Soldering can be used for joining the pipes, including the copper pipes that carry water. The skill will stay with you once practiced, and you can successfully accomplish many of your home DIY (do-it-yourself) projects using it. Below are the important steps of the pipe soldering process.

Prepare the pipe

The pipe that has to be soldered needs to be prepared adequately. If you have to cut the pipe, you should choose a proper tubing cutter instead of a hacksaw. This way you will have the neat ends that are convenient towards being integrated with the fittings.

Cleaning the pipes

The pipes and their ends may have the impurities including the oxidizing materials, dirt, residues, and oils that may not allow the solder to stick. Use an abrasive material, like the sandpaper for cleaning the pipes. You can also use the wire brush or the emery cloth for cleaning. Also, clean the insides of the fittings by using the cleaners appropriately.

Flux application

After they are properly cleaned, you can add the coat of flux to the pipes and the fittings by using a brush. The tinning flux is well suited for the purpose, as it removes the oxides and also contains the metal alloy in powdered form. The heat will melt the alloy, which will then coat the pipe and fitting surfaces, thereby providing to you the leak proof and fully filled joints. The flux will also provide for a better flow of the solder to the joint area.

Heating

Once you have ensured that the pipe and the fittings are in place, ignite the torch. It is better to use a torch that has the built-in lighter, as you just need to pull the trigger of the torch for flaming it up. The soldering gun price is quite affordable, and you can use the money to invest in a high-quality torch that is useful in other ways as well. Apply proper amount of heat so that the solder flows completely to the joint areas. But longer heating will burn the flux that you applied. Hence it is important to apply only the right amount of heat. Focusing the blue flame on the soldering region for around 5 seconds is enough, or you should wait until the flux starts to bubble. Do not forget to wear your safety glasses while soldering.

Apply the solder

Test whether the region is hot enough for the solder to melt. For testing, touch the solder to the region and if it melts, it can be applied. Once the solder melts, it will run down completely and around the joint. If you think that the joint requires more solder, apply the flux, reheat and apply the solder again.

If you are new to it, be attentive during the application of heat. With practice, you will know when the joint has been adequately soldered. You should carry out the inspection of the joints to see to it that they do not have any voids. When the solder flows down adequately, there are no voids and the joint is very strong once the solder is cooled adequately.

You can buy the best of soldering tools and equipment, the torch and other tools for the pipe soldering process online itself, at a very affordable cost. Choose a leading supplier to buy a soldering gun, high-quality solder, and equipment that provide for reliability and peace of mind.

Rohit Jain is well qualified and trained electronic Engineer, he has good knowladge and experience about electronic tools and equipments industry.