4" T500 ?

[myles]

Just a quick tip. I improvised a turntable. A 4" 'lazy Susan's bearing from Amazon with a bit of micaboard on top. You can stand the bit on it and turn it around easily to get the entire joint hot before getting solder anywhere near it.
Once the joint is hot you can then slowly heat around it following with the solder. It can flow quite fast when the temp is correct.

[Northern Stiller]

Thanks again Myles sure I'll have more questions when I get round to it starting to order bits this week.

[Northern Stiller]

Hi Myles

So I finally got the 2207 4% silver solder wire and the Harris Stay Clean liquid flux. I've decided to make a thumper connection i am doing my first attempt with 1 1/2 triclamp fitting for 1 inch pipe and use 22mm copper pipe on the inside.

I looked at the 35mm like you suggested and will probably do that at a later date and would like to make a 4 inch coloum in the future, I am looking at this being the beginning and hopefully progress to other projects such as triclamps on a keg.

I've looked at the suggestion you made regarding the soldering/brazing torches and with what I am starting with and hopefully move onto which torch would you recommend for me to start with. I am a believer of buy once cry once and like to invest in quality tools and your advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Lee

[myles]

Lee you can do silver solder brazing on smaller (up to 35 mm) tube with hand held torches. It is easier with MAP gas, even though it is no longer the original formula. It still works.
If you can put a bit of insulation (rockwool or ceramic blanket) inside the tube it helps it to heat up faster.

With the silver solder (all soldering actually) you need to get enough heat in the joint to melt the solder. It is not the torch that melts it.

The torch heats the joint and the solder flows towards the heat. On bigger joints you can get the solder to "follow" the torch around the joint. On small joints the entire joint is likely to be hot enough that the solder just races around the joint.

I have two bernzomatic (swirl flame - cyclonic) torches and two simple brass fine point torches. Even though I have bigger hose fed propane torches, I still use these on smaller joints, and for soft soldering up to 35 mm. The hand held torches are also more portable than lugging around a propane cylinder for quick repairs.

[Northern Stiller]

Thanks Myles again for the tips so insightful and the info.

Just didn't want spend a lot of money on an handheld if once I moved up it wouldn't get used I have a garage full of tools I won't use again.
I'm looking at the rothenberg super fire 2 I also like to have a case for all power tools etc seems to get better looked after and easier to locate etc think I might get this one.

https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rothenberger-P ... noapp=true

I'm sure I'll have more questions hope to post some pictures soon

Lee

[Mash]

The rothenberger is the professional choice. A simple £20 torch will work fine. It is the technique that matters. Perhaps spend the difference on practise pieces?

[phantom]

Wow! a top thread this one.........

Most of it makes sense, but I'm thinking I'll have to re-read it a few times, to make sure the info is understood correctly/fully..........

[Easydrinker]

It's the Lazy Susan that blew me away.
I would never have come up with that idea.

Robert.

[Northern Stiller]

I finally got round to doing my first soldering today and it was a lot easier than I was expecting I used the liquid flux and soft silver solder that Myles recommend and used a gas torch off my neighbour.

The first attempt was a bit messy and it's only 22 mm but by the fourth it was a bit neater I made the mistake of on the first thought it hadn't took but it was still hot and made a mess and wasted a load of solder. I was surprised how quick it came upto heat. I'm doing a cleaning run as we speak and it all seems to be holding and now I know why it's called a thumper it's making a right racket thanks for all your help looking forward to making more parts now.

[Easydrinker]

Happy to read posts from happy people.

Robert.