"Lobster" wrote in message
...
John Rumm wrote:
Lobster wrote:

using them. What I'm not clear about, in transferring my skills to
end-feed fittings is (I think) how you tell whether you've got solder
down the copper-copper interface, and enough of it to make a proper
joint? Easy enough with Yorkshires, when you see the silver ring
appear...


If anything I find them quicker and easier than solder ring fittings
since they (having less metal) get to the right temperature slightly
faster.

Prep and flux as usual, apply heat to the joint and wait a few secs, then
offer up the solder to the joint and touch it on to see if it is hot
enough to flow. Once it is, the solder will flow easily. Feed in about
half an inch or so (assuming you are using typical plumbing thickness
wire). You will actually see the joint suck the solder in. Once you have
added solder, withdraw the heat, wait for a few secs and then wipe of any
excess with a damp cloth for a neat finish.

Hmm. So far, I'm afraid all my prejudices have been confirmed... Having
armed myself with a length of 15mm tube and a few straight end-feed
couplings, I've been having a play today. One time, it did seem to work
OK, and I achieved the 'silver ring'; however, other times the solder just
ran off the tube like water off a duck's back and landed on the floor,
nothing being sucked up into the joint.

I'm guessing the heat wrong? Any more tips, anyone, maybe for getting the
right temperature, if that's what it is?!

Thanks
David


Are you cleaning the outside of the tube and the inside of the fitting with
steel wool and then spinning it a half turn or so onto the cleaned and
fluxed tube? If the solder doesn't flow then it's usually due to inadequate
cleaning and fluxing.

Peter