Proctologically Violated©® wrote:
Awl--

Hopefully my last plumbing Q! Man, am I buried here!

I have previously screwed up sweating ball valves, and frankly don't
see how the teflon seals withstand the heat, even with "good
technique", which mine most likely is not, given the rare plumbing
that I do.
So what I do is buy threaded ball valves, and separately sweat a
suitable length of copper pipe to copper adapters, screw those in to
the threaded valves, and continue sweating some safe "thermal
distance" from sed ball valve.
Sometimes I'll even use a union, depending...

Am I bein a wus?? Is there a more reliable way to sweat ball valves?
I know there is some precedence for this, as I have seen sweat valves
w/ removable flange-type ends, presumably for just this problem--but
of course they cost big(ger) $$.

In general, I sort of mix threaded w/ copper, like for caps: Instead
of sweating a cap to a tee, I'll first sweat an adapter, and then
screw on a threaded cap--makes subsequent connections easier, I
think. I always found sweating previously-wet copper "in line" a
real pita.
Also, along the lines of ball valves, I noticed diff. 1/2 threaded
valves have diff IDs!
Gas ball valves have the smallest, but a nice thumb-handle. Can I
use these for water, as well?
Water ball valves have the longer handle, but even these have diff.
IDs, which I find surprising. Any idears on why? Just diff. mfrs?

A'ight, thanks! I hope this it, fer plumbing!!

----------------------
Mr. P.V.'d
formerly Droll Troll

Take them apart; remove the fiddly bits; solder; re-asemble.
Works for me.
Ken.