I am frustrated Because I Have Been practicing soldering 1 / 2 inch copper pipes at my building maintenance and running I cannot get it right. I got the outside from looking nice and neat goal when i saw the pipe down the middle and Separate the fitting and the pipe I see little round spots thesis (about 1 / 8 inch in diameter) Where the solder Did not stick. I Thoroughly clean the pipes, apply flux Enough, Enough apply heat and still I get like one or Two spots per pipe. What am I doing wrong? Thank you, Mario G. oh, and I apply aussi Enough solder. About 3 / 4 inch of solder for a 1 / 2 inch pipe.
January 22nd, 2012 on 10:40 pm
It is probably where you are heating the pipes. Heat a little away from joint and let heat draw the solder to it.
January 22nd, 2012 on 11:34 pm
I would agree with Bob. Do not heat directly on the area you are going to solder(not sure if you are doing that). When you touch the solder to the pipe joint you just kind of slightly drag. It doesn’t take much. I was not schooled or professionally taught but every solder joint I have ever done has lasted. A touch of solder to a correctly heated connection will actually draw all the way around by itself. I could show better than explain, sorry.
January 22nd, 2012 on 11:41 pm
After you clean the pipes if any of the area to be soldered gets touched by your fingers you will have spots that will not retain the solder.
January 22nd, 2012 on 11:46 pm
You need to make sure that the metal is completely clean. Do not handle the meta which has been cleaned until you have applied the flux. Those little spots are caused by it not being cleaned enough and the dirt on there is stopping the solder from “taking”
When the metal is hot enough, you just need a little dab of solder for the joint. Keep the end of the solder in a hook shape, so it is easier to run it around the joint. As you heat the metal up, keep dabbing the end of the solder onto the joint until it starts to run. If you overheat the joint, the solder will crystalise and the joint will leak.