Screw Soldering! (Just-for-Copper)

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BirdBear

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Hey, all. Long time reader, first time contributor.

I do a lot of DIY projects, and many of them involve copper tubing. Because I'm accident prone, I try to avoid soldering-irons or other implements of construction that involve fire. Instead, I like to use this stuff called Just-for-Copper:

Just For Copper Diyer

It's way cheaper than buying a soldering-iron ($14.00 for a small tube worth 40 "welds") and a lot more safe. It's rated up to 275deg. F, is non-toxic, and works just as well as any soldering jobs I've seen. I have used it on my CFC (thanks Bobby_M), pick-up arms in my kettle and MLT, and vertical (hanging) parts in my mash-recirculation-arm and never had a problem. Plus, it's really easy to use.

Just to be on the safe side, I boil everything I've put together using this stuff before it comes in contact with the wort, though I don't think it's really necessary.

Downside: Like the name says, this works "Just for Copper". Maybe brass, but no other metals.

__I used the search function, but couldn't find a thread that talked about this stuff. Sorry if this is a repeat for everyone.__
 
I found something similar when fighting the soldering for one of the manifolds on my system. I used copper bond (five bucks for a tube from Lowe's) and never turned back. And if you need to do a repair, just heat the stuff up and pull the fitting apart. It couldn't be easier.
 
Man card revoked sir! :ban:

LOL! I'm not going to pull anybody's man card for using this stuff, but I do think that sweating copper pipes together is pretty easy. It's a good skill to have, and not difficult at all.

Plus, you can use the torch for making crème brûlée!
 
Hey, all. Long time reader, first time contributor.

I do a lot of DIY projects, and many of them involve copper tubing. Because I'm accident prone, I try to avoid soldering-irons or other implements of construction that involve fire. Instead, I like to use this stuff called Just-for-Copper:

Just For Copper Diyer

It's way cheaper than buying a soldering-iron ($14.00 for a small tube worth 40 "welds") and a lot more safe.
There's your first problem -- you're supposed to use a propane or MAPP gas torch to sweat the pipes. And you shouldn't have to buy it. Every man has one in their garage. Don't they?:drunk:
 
>palm to forehead<

Man card revoked sir! :ban:

+1

Doesn't everyone hate to have to call a plumber for simple repairs or upgrades?
Jeez, soldering is just one of those 'man stuff' things that is a life long advantage. Why fight it?

LOL! I'm not going to pull anybody's man card for using this stuff, but I do think that sweating copper pipes together is pretty easy. It's a good skill to have, and not difficult at all.

Plus, you can use the torch for making crème brûlée!

Or fixing your house, or lighting a bonfire.
 
LOL! I'm not going to pull anybody's man card for using this stuff, but I do think that sweating copper pipes together is pretty easy. It's a good skill to have, and not difficult at all.

Plus, you can use the torch for making crème brûlée!


Even Paula D has one...:mug:
 
Do people find sweating pipe really that hard? Liberally apply the flux, heat, and stick.

Maybe intimidating, but super easy. Have you ever talked to a handyman/plumber? Not rocket scientists by any streach of the imagination. If you can brew beer, using a torch, flux and solder is not going to be a tough task to master.

:confused:
 
Do people find sweating pipe really that hard? Liberally apply the flux, heat, and stick.

Maybe intimidating, but super easy. Have you ever talked to a handyman/plumber? Not rocket scientists by any streach of the imagination. If you can brew beer, using a torch, flux and solder is not going to be a tough task to master.

:confused:

I agree the hardest thing about being a plumber is picking our the right underwear!:D

plumber.jpg
 
I think one should get bonus points for using a real torch in the kitchen, as more than likely this will lead to the use of another tool later that night :ban:
 
I think one should get bonus points for using a real torch in the kitchen, as more than likely this will lead to the use of another tool later that night :ban:

Exactly!

A few years ago, my girlfriend got a "crème brûlée kit" for xmas. I spotted her caramelizing the sugar with this wimply little butane torch that came with the kit. It was taking forever, so I grabbed my propane torch from the garage and finished it up in about 10 seconds. I then seized the little butane job, and use it as a cigar lighter.

I also use my propane torch it for lighting charcoal, thawing frozen locks, making ham radio antennas, removing paint, loosening frozen/rusted nuts & bolts, etc, etc... (All proper, manly uses of the tool.)
 
My torch is on the kitchen counter at this very moment. I also use it when grilling steak to crisp the fat while leaving the lean rare.
 
I think one should get bonus points for using a real torch in the kitchen,

+1

My mother got us a meat tenderizing hammer for Xmas this year after seeing the sledge hammer on the kitchen counter one too many times.

I don't know what her problem was. The sledge worked fine. :confused:
 
I just realised that this thread was the OP's very first post! Since then, he has had his man card revoked, been shown men's ass cracks and received numerous cooking tips!

Oops!! Sorry, man! And welcome to your new posting experience! :eek: :mug:
 
there is no reason not to have a mapp torch around. I didn't like sweating pipes in my MLT, so i brazed them. But plumbing is simple, and sweating pipes is simple. Plus if you work on a car, you NEED a torch. I have 100 uses for that thing. And i don't have to put glue on pipes!
 
You're right, a downright welcome to OP. But, when I got home yesterday, do you know what SWMBO had in her hobby bag from Michael's. Yup, a torch, a manly one, for making glass beads...Sorry OP, you got no man card left.
 
Hey guys I'm a plumber. Soldering is not hard to do, if you're doing it right. Like others said, ditch the soldering iron. Use MAPP gas.

Cut the copper with a proper tubing cutter. This will ensure that the pipe remains round.

Ream the inside of the cut. It will have a "lip" after being cut. This lip will cause turbulence inside the pipe, which can cause corrosion. (probably not an issue with the amount of liquid flowing through our homebrew equipment, but it is an issue on water supply lines)

Clean the area to be soldered with sandpaper. I like the sanding "mesh" sold in home improvement stores and plumbing supply shops. It looks like metal screen with grit on it. It doesn't "load up" like normal sandpaper. Wear gloves while doing this, otherwise you can get oil from your skin on the copper. Make sure the gloves are clean. You don't need junk from the gloves getting on the clean copper. I like the brown cloth gloves sold for gardeners. They are very cheap.

Cover areas to be joined liberally with flux. This prevents oxidation while heating the joint. Oxidation prevents solder from bonding to the pipe. It may sound obvious but I've seen many attempted repairs by home owners who told me they thought they didn't need flux.

Apply heat to area to be soldered. Once it's hot enough that the solder melts on contact, move heat to the fitting. The solder will get sucked in to the fitting. Use solder sold for plumbing (lead-free AND large diameter. I believe the stuff I use is .118" dia. Don't use the tiny little strand-looking stuff meant for electronics. It may appear to make a good solid joint, but you might have very little penetration when using the tiny stuff.)

Be safe. If you are attempting a plumbing repair, use a heat shield. If you have never soldered inside a wall, you might consider doing everything but the soldering and then have a licensed and bonded plumber do that. If he burns down your house, his insurance pays. If you burn down your house...good luck.
 
Be safe. If you are attempting a plumbing repair, use a heat shield. If you have never soldered inside a wall, you might consider doing everything but the soldering and then have a licensed and bonded plumber do that. If he burns down your house, his insurance pays. If you burn down your house...good luck.

All good recommendations BeerRunner.

I use a tin pie plate when I need a heat shield. It wedges in there fairly snug and prevents any scorching.
 
I recently put in a frost-free spigot, which was my first plumbing project.

It's not that hard. Just take your time. Take the necessary safety precautions. Reread what Beerrunner said and perhaps see if you can find youTube video to get a good feel on how to do it.
 
Wow! You guys are direct. I guess I'm going to have to get a MAPP torch. I hope that my original post helps out some people that would otherwise be unwilling to start DIY projects, though.
 
Wow! You guys are direct. I guess I'm going to have to get a MAPP torch. I hope that my original post helps out some people that would otherwise be unwilling to start DIY projects, though.
Direct? That's a nice way of calling us a**holes. :D LOL. Nah... I think the consensus is not to fear the unknown and just jump in and do it. Taking the necessary safety precautions and reading up on the subject at hand of course.
 
Glue is a 4 letter word.

I have a propane/MAPP torch for soldering, and a small butane one for plexi work and deserts. yeah, I can bake. Good desert just a different kind of panty-grease.

B
 
I just realised that this thread was the OP's very first post! Since then, he has had his man card revoked, been shown men's ass cracks and received numerous cooking tips!

Oops!! Sorry, man! And welcome to your new posting experience! :eek: :mug:


LOL oh man, that funny , but at lease this way he will have no illusions as to the manor in which men with cards speak to each other when beer is on the line.

Welcome to the board.:mug:

i have no opinon on the joint glue but i know that i loth with all my body commprestion fitting for copper tubing, i hate them :mad: so much and are just a wate of money and source of agravation, at least when used on old work.
 
I also use my MAPP torch for lighting my charcoal....30 seconds of contact and the coals start to glow!

But have you ever used your BK propane burner to help keep the smoker hot while smoking a turkey in -10F weather? :cross:

As far as the copper glue stuff goes, no experience with it here, but soldering isn't that hard to learn, and I agree having a torch around is nice for other stuff too.

I was helping my friend clean out his basement so we can build a permanent brewey and discovered a mapp gas torch that is self igniting (also a nice 4 gal stainless brew kettle and a brand new corny keg his old rommate left :rockin: )

Having used a propane torch for years, I had no idea how much more heat mapp produces. It's almost like an oxy/acetylene torch for starting the charcoal, but much more portable. A few seconds and everything is on fire (whether you want it to be or not :eek: ) Which brings up a good point: If you're going to be doing any work with a torch indoors, keep a fire extinguisher handy. In fact, everyone should have one in with their brewing gear anyway, it could save you a house, or a life.

Anyway, sorry for rambling, I always write long responses when I'm drunk.

Later,
Don
 
Ya know? I'm not losing my sense of humour here, but I think we are doing the OP a disservice. He made his first post to give us a heads up on an easy alternative to soldering. Pretty much all we've done since then is tell all HBT how great we are at soldering as though it somehow defines our masculinity.

Let's face it guys, we are not talking about plumbing in our water heaters here. This is just our rigs! Very little pressure to deal with, this stuff will work just fine. I'm sure this stuff works perfectly well despite the fact that it doesn't give us an opportunity to stroke our manly egos and/or our manhood at the same time. It's only frickin' plumbing!!!
 
OTOH, people who might be afraid of pipe sweating ought to know the truth: it's really simple and easy, the basic tools are dirt cheap, and it's vastly superior to glue. Stating these simple facts is no disservice to anybody, quite the opposite.

By the way, I found this great stuff called "malt extract." You can buy it at most brewshops, and it eliminates the need for grain and mash tuns. ;)
 
By the way, I found this great stuff called "malt extract." You can buy it at most brewshops, and it eliminates the need for grain and mash tuns. ;)

I found this nifty bottled product at the package store called Beer. You can just buy it and drink it. No need to wait at all! :tank:

:D
 
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