On Tue, 20 Apr 2010 16:56:31 -0400, willshak
wrote:

jake wrote the following:
Will a Home Depot propane Bernzomatic produce enough heat to remove a
3/4 sleeve copper fitting (my main shutoff valve) ?

Have verified the lines are copper and purchased a pressure collar
type fitting for replacement shutoff valve

Picture of line and new replacement part at
http://i41.tinypic.com/33jjo8i.jpg

Need to produce enough heat to be able to remove the old collars off
the main pipe

All I use for plumbing is the propane torch. You might want to clean all
that paint off beforehand. It will stink when burned. You have to make
sure that once you melt the solder, you have some room to lift the pipe
off, otherwise the shutoff valve will just get stuck between the pipes.
Another alternative is to cut the pipe some distance from the valve to
lift the pipe off, then use a coupler.
Make sure the pipe is empty of water, or else you will be there all day
trying to melt the solder.

Good luck getting a compression fitting to seal on that scuzzy looking
pipe!!! You need the pipe CLEAN AND SMOOTH for that.
I'd cut the pipe and splice in as needed to solder the new valve -
with the pipes completely dtained and dry. With water in the pipe you
will NEVER get the soldered joint melted off.,