What is a sweat fitting and how do you do it? I just bought a cabin and it
has all copper piping. A neighbor told me that it is very difficult and very
expensive to get a Plummer up here. I want to add a water filter to the line
from the well and it is all copper.

Evon wrote:
What is a sweat fitting and how do you do it? I just bought a cabin
and it has all copper piping. A neighbor told me that it is very
difficult and very expensive to get a Plummer up here. I want to add
a water filter to the line from the well and it is all copper.

Sweat fittings are just the copper fittings that you solder using solder
made for that use.

Get yourself a book that covers plumbing. It will have written
instructions and pictures to help you learn. Get a good torch, it will be
worth the little additional expense. Buy some fittings and a little pipe to
practice with. Get a pipe cuter at the same time. Read the part about
using bread to keep the area dry in the book. It really works.

A trip to the DIY store should get you all the stuff you need without
paying too much. This is a skill that anyone can learn without much effort
and do an OK job, but do practice before you try the real thing so you have
the feel for it.

--
Joseph Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math

Evon wrote:
What is a sweat fitting and how do you do it? I just bought a cabin
and it has all copper piping. A neighbor told me that it is very
difficult and very expensive to get a Plummer up here. I want to add
a water filter to the line from the well and it is all copper.

http://www.misterfixit.com/nosweat.htm

Travis Jordan wrote:
Evon wrote:
What is a sweat fitting and how do you do it? I just bought a cabin
and it has all copper piping. A neighbor told me that it is very
difficult and very expensive to get a Plummer up here. I want to add
a water filter to the line from the well and it is all copper.

http://www.misterfixit.com/nosweat.htm

And
http://64.90.169.191/copperhome/DIY/...ingschool.html

Travis Jordan wrote:
Travis Jordan wrote:
Evon wrote:
What is a sweat fitting and how do you do it? I just bought a
cabin and it has all copper piping. A neighbor told me that it is
very difficult and very expensive to get a Plummer up here. I
want to add a water filter to the line from the well and it is
all copper.

http://www.misterfixit.com/nosweat.htm

And
http://64.90.169.191/copperhome/DIY/...ingschool.html

If you can get all the water out of the line that you are working on
then you can use a low cost propane torch instead of the more expensive
torches recommended in the article above.

Is there some reason why you don't just screw on an filter at the
faucet end?

It is pretty easy once you have the hang of it; but I would hate to try to
learn it from a book rather than from a person, though I suppose it is
possible.

There are epoxy glues made to take the place of solder. If you only plan on
doing a few, it is probably easier to glue than to learn to solder; and
cheaper than buying all the gear.

toller wrote:
There are epoxy glues made to take the place of solder. If you only
plan on doing a few, it is probably easier to glue than to learn to
solder; and cheaper than buying all the gear.

Interesting...I learn something every day!

Anyone here with actual experience with this stuff? Do your local
inspectors let you use it?

http://www.justforcopper.com/

"Evon" wrote in message
news
What is a sweat fitting and how do you do it? I just bought a cabin and it
has all copper piping. A neighbor told me that it is very difficult and
very
expensive to get a Plummer up here. I want to add a water filter to the
line
from the well and it is all copper.


No Sweat. Honest. you don't have to sweat anything to install most filters.
You just cut the line and use the compression fittings supplied.

wrote in message
ups.com...
Is there some reason why you don't just screw on an filter at the
faucet end?

Probably because that would only filter the water at that faucet. There are
many reasons to use whole house filter. I have two in line because my city
water contains rust. Some wells brink up sand or other particulates that
tend to wear out valve seats.

You don't always see the sediment in the water. Before filtering, I'd wear
out the seals in a faucet in a year. Since filtering, I've not replaced any
in over 15 years.

as edwin said, i would consider compression fittings if they will work.

"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in message
news:E_qLd.582$ya6.78@trndny01...

"Evon" wrote in message
news
What is a sweat fitting and how do you do it? I just bought a cabin and it
has all copper piping. A neighbor told me that it is very difficult and
very
expensive to get a Plummer up here. I want to add a water filter to the
line
from the well and it is all copper.


No Sweat. Honest. you don't have to sweat anything to install most filters.
You just cut the line and use the compression fittings supplied.

"Travis Jordan" wrote in message
...
toller wrote:
There are epoxy glues made to take the place of solder. If you only
plan on doing a few, it is probably easier to glue than to learn to
solder; and cheaper than buying all the gear.

Interesting...I learn something every day!

Anyone here with actual experience with this stuff? Do your local
inspectors let you use it?

http://www.justforcopper.com/


The glue I used was an epoxy; your link is not, so I can't comment on JFC.

I did the epoxy (on some pipes that were pressed against wood, so sweating
was impractical) two years ago, and they have held together so far.

toller wrote:
The glue I used was an epoxy; your link is not, so I can't comment on
JFC.

I did the epoxy (on some pipes that were pressed against wood, so
sweating was impractical) two years ago, and they have held together
so far.

This stuff?
http://www.noblecompany.com/copper.html

I've used it. It's OK but I think I work just as fast with a torch and
solder. You must follow the directions exactly or it will leak every
time. For just a couple of joints in a hurry, I'd use it again.

Jim

I want a whole house filter, because sometimes there is sediment and odor in
the water. It stains the toilets and makes terrible coffee.
wrote in message
ups.com...
Is there some reason why you don't just screw on an filter at the
faucet end?

Just thought I would add a few tricks I've learned over the years.

1) Get a few pieces of shingle step flashing that you can use when heating
pipes close to anything burnable, I've gone as far as adding a wet rag
behind the flashing just to keep everything cool.

2) Keep some old bread around if the pipe is on a bit of a down angle and
the water keeps dripping stuff a piece of bread in there about 6 inches back
to help keep the working pipe end dry.

3) A shop vacuum is great way to get water out of pipes that are really hard
to drain.

4) When in doubt add more soldering paste.

5) Clean, Clean Clean those fittings (roughing up the contact area between
each pipe) Sand paper, wire brush or my favourite a battery post cleaner.

HOPE THIS HELPS SOMEONE

HotRod wrote:
....
2) Keep some old bread around if the pipe is on a bit of a down angle and
the water keeps dripping stuff a piece of bread in there about 6 inches back
to help keep the working pipe end dry.

Ever have trouble getting the soggy remnants out? Hadn't thought of
that though.

The biggest trick in sweating copper pipe is getting everything clean, shiny
clean. I use steel wool. Then work some flux into your clean pipe and fitting,
heat and apply solder. If you are doing it right the solder will wick up into
the joint.

Never even bothered to take the bread back out, turn on the tap and it will
find it's own way. The only problems I've ever had was getting wood chunks
(from drilling holes) stuck in the cooper pipe after I shove them through
small holes. I know use a shop vacuum to try and suck out such things before
I put the taps on.

Just on note for the newbie.

If you clean the pipe and add enough solder paste you can solder your
fittings upside down, most people tend to think that they need gravity. I
fit everything together and then solder it in place, I usually keep a wet
towel around to cool down joints if I need too.

Yes, but this is for a "cabin" that presumably will be infrequently
used... For your house, yes the whole house thing makes more sense.

wrote in message
oups.com...
Yes, but this is for a "cabin" that presumably will be infrequently
used... For your house, yes the whole house thing makes more sense.


If I used a cabin infrequently, I still don't want crap in my water. If you
don't mind drinking sediment or having it clog your heating system, by all
means, go for it.

"Travis Jordan" wrote in message
...
toller wrote:
The glue I used was an epoxy; your link is not, so I can't comment on
JFC.

I did the epoxy (on some pipes that were pressed against wood, so
sweating was impractical) two years ago, and they have held together
so far.

This stuff?
http://www.noblecompany.com/copper.html

Yes, that looks right.

I've posted several times about Copper-Bond.
I've switched over to it after over 30 years with a torch,
and was damned good with it as well.

"Travis Jordan" wrote in message
...
toller wrote:
There are epoxy glues made to take the place of solder. If you only
plan on doing a few, it is probably easier to glue than to learn to
solder; and cheaper than buying all the gear.

Interesting...I learn something every day!

Anyone here with actual experience with this stuff? Do your local
inspectors let you use it?

http://www.justforcopper.com/

Evon wrote:
I want a whole house filter, because sometimes there is sediment and
odor in
the water. It stains the toilets and makes terrible coffee.

Then I definitely suggest you not use the toilet water to make the
coffee.

Duane Bozarth wrote:
HotRod wrote:
...
2) Keep some old bread around if the pipe is on a bit of a down
angle and
the water keeps dripping stuff a piece of bread in there about 6
inches back
to help keep the working pipe end dry.

Ever have trouble getting the soggy remnants out? Hadn't thought of
that though.

When the water flows through the pipe the soggies break into smaller
and smaller pieces till they just pass through whatever spigot or
whatever is open. If you're concerned, when turning the water back on,
have a downstream faucet already open and with its aerator screen
removed. Flush a few gallons through, and you're good to go. You want
to flush out any internal slag anyway.

%mod%

HotRod wrote:
Just thought I would add a few tricks I've learned over the years.

5) Clean, Clean Clean those fittings (roughing up the contact area
between
each pipe) Sand paper, wire brush or my favourite a battery post
cleaner.

I have a tool with "innie" and "outie" wire brushes to clean the
outside of 1/2" and 3/4" ID copper pipe and the inside of their
respective fittings. It's like a battery post brush on steroids. I
think I bought it at the BORG, but "real" suppliers have them as well,
as well as more specific sizes which can be useful in cramped quarters
where the multi-tool can't fit.

%mod%

In article et,
Evon wrote:
I want a whole house filter, because sometimes there is sediment and odor in
the water. It stains the toilets and makes terrible coffee.

FYI:

For me it's not bad coffee (no one complains) but TEA --
some kind of scum appears on top, and the tea also tastes
really horrible.

(Am talking about well water, very rural, in West Texas --
*much* mineral content.)

(Otherwise, water tastes ok, cooks ok, etc).

So, for tea, I use bottled water.

(Oh, also, when shampoo hair, must chase with some of that
bottled water, else the slipperyness stays.)

David