My house was built around 1998 and has the original split system with a carrier 3 ton condenser outside and the air handle with propane furnace in the crawl space.

Because of its age, and the outside condenser making noises, I had someone quote a new system. The quote started at 8,000 for an Amana basic system and went to 15,000 for a Bryant with all the bells and whistles. Ouch......

To make a long story short, the person quoting found some things that probably need to be addressed. One, my filter grill is in a wall in the house but there is no "box" behind the grill attached to the return air vent. There is just a hole in the floor with the return air flex attached.

The installer made a note that under the house, the previous installer rather than attach a return plenum just ran the return line directly off the side of the air handler.

Lastly, there is a very small "plenum" just covering the A coil. from this is about 3 feel of flex duct that attached to the hard metal main 18 inch duct the supplies the branches that go to individual rooms.

So, I would like to build a filter housing, return air plenum, and maybe build a supply plenum myself 1st. Then maybe decide if I want to tackle replacing the current condenser/air handler.

My question is, how would you go about this size wise and mainly, is it necessary to use galvanized sheet metal or better to use regular metal then paint it? I can mig weld seems if necessary, but obviously that destroys the galvanized coating. What gauge would you use?

Thanks for your help!

On Mon, 22 Jun 2015 14:15:00 -0700 (PDT), stryped
wrote:

My house was built around 1998 and has the original split system with a carrier 3 ton condenser outside and the air handle with propane furnace in the crawl space.

Because of its age, and the outside condenser making noises, I had someone quote a new system. The quote started at 8,000 for an Amana basic system and went to 15,000 for a Bryant with all the bells and whistles. Ouch......

To make a long story short, the person quoting found some things that probably need to be addressed. One, my filter grill is in a wall in the house but there is no "box" behind the grill attached to the return air vent. There is just a hole in the floor with the return air flex attached.

The installer made a note that under the house, the previous installer rather than attach a return plenum just ran the return line directly off the side of the air handler.

Lastly, there is a very small "plenum" just covering the A coil. from this is about 3 feel of flex duct that attached to the hard metal main 18 inch duct the supplies the branches that go to individual rooms.

So, I would like to build a filter housing, return air plenum, and maybe build a supply plenum myself 1st. Then maybe decide if I want to tackle replacing the current condenser/air handler.

My question is, how would you go about this size wise and mainly, is it necessary to use galvanized sheet metal or better to use regular metal then paint it? I can mig weld seems if necessary, but obviously that destroys the galvanized coating. What gauge would you use?

Thanks for your help!
I can't tell you how to properly size the ductwork but surely there
are places on the web with that info. But when it comes to galvanized
sheet or painted sheet I would go with galvanized. I wouldn't weld
anything. If you need to make custom duct I would suggest soldering. I
did this in my house when I had to modify the installed ducting. I
just plain couldn't find any stock ducting for a couple places. So I
bought ducting that was as close as possible to the desired sizes and
shapes, some flat sheets of galvanized steel, and a roll of the same
stuff. I bent the pieces to size and I was going to use screws to
hold it all together and that aluminum tape to seal the seams. The
stock ducting was made so that the seams were sealed by crimping and I
couldn't do that. And even though that aluminum tape is made for this
type of work, and seems to stick forever (unlike DUCT tape) I decided
to try soldering. The ductwork was amazingly easy to solder. So I
soldered my custom pieces and only used the aluminum tape to seal the
seam where my custom work met the original work.
Eric

How did you solder it and with what? Does soldering not remove the galvanized coating?

On Mon, 22 Jun 2015 16:56:59 -0700 (PDT), stryped
wrote:

How did you solder it and with what? Does soldering not remove the galvanized coating?
Use a tinners iron - I have an electric one - the original "tinner's
iron" was heated with a blowtorch. Flux the galvanized and solder it
together - the zinc stays on the steel.

DON"T try soldering it with a torch. You WILL burn off the zinc, and
it will rust bedause you will overheat the joint.

On Mon, 22 Jun 2015 20:23:23 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 22 Jun 2015 16:56:59 -0700 (PDT), stryped
wrote:

How did you solder it and with what? Does soldering not remove the galvanized coating?
Use a tinners iron - I have an electric one - the original "tinner's
iron" was heated with a blowtorch. Flux the galvanized and solder it
together - the zinc stays on the steel.

DON"T try soldering it with a torch. You WILL burn off the zinc, and
it will rust bedause you will overheat the joint.
I soldered mine with a torch and didn't burn off the zinc. I used
regular lead fee plumbing solder and paste flux. The solder melts at a
much lower than it takes to burn off the zinc. You need to keep the
flame moving. If you let it dwell it can then heat up a spot enough to
damage the zinc. There are available (at least there used to be)
soldering tips for a propane torch that fit over the torch head and
use a screw to hold them in place. One of these would work very well
for soldering galvanized sheet.
Eric

On Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at 11:04:30 AM UTC-5, wrote:
On Mon, 22 Jun 2015 20:23:23 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 22 Jun 2015 16:56:59 -0700 (PDT), stryped
wrote:

How did you solder it and with what? Does soldering not remove the galvanized coating?
Use a tinners iron - I have an electric one - the original "tinner's
iron" was heated with a blowtorch. Flux the galvanized and solder it
together - the zinc stays on the steel.

DON"T try soldering it with a torch. You WILL burn off the zinc, and
it will rust bedause you will overheat the joint.
I soldered mine with a torch and didn't burn off the zinc. I used
regular lead fee plumbing solder and paste flux. The solder melts at a
much lower than it takes to burn off the zinc. You need to keep the
flame moving. If you let it dwell it can then heat up a spot enough to
damage the zinc. There are available (at least there used to be)
soldering tips for a propane torch that fit over the torch head and
use a screw to hold them in place. One of these would work very well
for soldering galvanized sheet.
Eric

I assume a propane torch?

A soldering tip for a propane torch sounds like a great invention. I have never heard of one.

On Tue, 23 Jun 2015 09:13:41 -0700 (PDT), stryped
wrote:

On Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at 11:04:30 AM UTC-5, wrote:
On Mon, 22 Jun 2015 20:23:23 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 22 Jun 2015 16:56:59 -0700 (PDT), stryped
wrote:

How did you solder it and with what? Does soldering not remove the galvanized coating?
Use a tinners iron - I have an electric one - the original "tinner's
iron" was heated with a blowtorch. Flux the galvanized and solder it
together - the zinc stays on the steel.

DON"T try soldering it with a torch. You WILL burn off the zinc, and
it will rust bedause you will overheat the joint.
I soldered mine with a torch and didn't burn off the zinc. I used
regular lead fee plumbing solder and paste flux. The solder melts at a
much lower than it takes to burn off the zinc. You need to keep the
flame moving. If you let it dwell it can then heat up a spot enough to
damage the zinc. There are available (at least there used to be)
soldering tips for a propane torch that fit over the torch head and
use a screw to hold them in place. One of these would work very well
for soldering galvanized sheet.
Eric

I assume a propane torch?

A soldering tip for a propane torch sounds like a great invention. I have never heard of one.

I think I still have mine, which I bought 40 years ago. But I find my
450 W iron more convenient to use.

--
Ed Huntress

On Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at 11:14:46 AM UTC-5, Ed Huntress wrote:
On Tue, 23 Jun 2015 09:13:41 -0700 (PDT), stryped
wrote:

On Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at 11:04:30 AM UTC-5, wrote:
On Mon, 22 Jun 2015 20:23:23 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 22 Jun 2015 16:56:59 -0700 (PDT), stryped
wrote:

How did you solder it and with what? Does soldering not remove the galvanized coating?
Use a tinners iron - I have an electric one - the original "tinner's
iron" was heated with a blowtorch. Flux the galvanized and solder it
together - the zinc stays on the steel.

DON"T try soldering it with a torch. You WILL burn off the zinc, and
it will rust bedause you will overheat the joint.
I soldered mine with a torch and didn't burn off the zinc. I used
regular lead fee plumbing solder and paste flux. The solder melts at a
much lower than it takes to burn off the zinc. You need to keep the
flame moving. If you let it dwell it can then heat up a spot enough to
damage the zinc. There are available (at least there used to be)
soldering tips for a propane torch that fit over the torch head and
use a screw to hold them in place. One of these would work very well
for soldering galvanized sheet.
Eric

I assume a propane torch?

A soldering tip for a propane torch sounds like a great invention. I have never heard of one.

I think I still have mine, which I bought 40 years ago. But I find my
450 W iron more convenient to use.

--
Ed Huntress

An online search yielded zero results. Am I understanding it correctly, a tip that attached to a propane torch and the torch heats the tip and the tip is what you solder with?

I would love to have a hi watt electric one but they are rather expensive to buy for just one project....

On Tue, 23 Jun 2015 11:45:20 -0700 (PDT), stryped
wrote:

On Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at 11:14:46 AM UTC-5, Ed Huntress wrote:
On Tue, 23 Jun 2015 09:13:41 -0700 (PDT), stryped
wrote:

On Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at 11:04:30 AM UTC-5, wrote:
On Mon, 22 Jun 2015 20:23:23 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 22 Jun 2015 16:56:59 -0700 (PDT), stryped
wrote:

How did you solder it and with what? Does soldering not remove the galvanized coating?
Use a tinners iron - I have an electric one - the original "tinner's
iron" was heated with a blowtorch. Flux the galvanized and solder it
together - the zinc stays on the steel.

DON"T try soldering it with a torch. You WILL burn off the zinc, and
it will rust bedause you will overheat the joint.
I soldered mine with a torch and didn't burn off the zinc. I used
regular lead fee plumbing solder and paste flux. The solder melts at a
much lower than it takes to burn off the zinc. You need to keep the
flame moving. If you let it dwell it can then heat up a spot enough to
damage the zinc. There are available (at least there used to be)
soldering tips for a propane torch that fit over the torch head and
use a screw to hold them in place. One of these would work very well
for soldering galvanized sheet.
Eric

I assume a propane torch?

A soldering tip for a propane torch sounds like a great invention. I have never heard of one.

I think I still have mine, which I bought 40 years ago. But I find my
450 W iron more convenient to use.

--
Ed Huntress

An online search yielded zero results. Am I understanding it correctly, a tip that attached to a propane torch and the torch heats the tip and the tip is what you solder with?

Yes. The tip is ahead of the flame, and there are ports for the flames
to come out of the sides of the tip, behind the copper part.

I found it very awkward to handle and use, but it would do the job in
a pinch -- if it didn't catch something on fire.


I would love to have a hi watt electric one but they are rather expensive to buy for just one project....

Mine is at least 60 years old. It was used for soldering copper
standing-seam roofs. I've used it for sheet-metal work and it's great
to have that much heat. The tip must weight over a pound.

I also had four furnace-heated soldering coppers, which I gave to a
collector some years ago. Those were great if you had a small foundry
or furnace to heat them, but heating them with a plumber's torch was a
pain in the rear.

--
Ed Huntress

stryped wrote:
On Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at 11:14:46 AM UTC-5, Ed Huntress wrote:
On Tue, 23 Jun 2015 09:13:41 -0700 (PDT), stryped
wrote:

On Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at 11:04:30 AM UTC-5,
wrote:
On Mon, 22 Jun 2015 20:23:23 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 22 Jun 2015 16:56:59 -0700 (PDT), stryped
wrote:

How did you solder it and with what? Does soldering not remove
the galvanized coating?
Use a tinners iron - I have an electric one - the original
"tinner's iron" was heated with a blowtorch. Flux the galvanized
and solder it together - the zinc stays on the steel.

DON"T try soldering it with a torch. You WILL burn off the zinc,
and it will rust bedause you will overheat the joint.
I soldered mine with a torch and didn't burn off the zinc. I used
regular lead fee plumbing solder and paste flux. The solder melts
at a much lower than it takes to burn off the zinc. You need to
keep the flame moving. If you let it dwell it can then heat up a
spot enough to damage the zinc. There are available (at least
there used to be) soldering tips for a propane torch that fit over
the torch head and use a screw to hold them in place. One of these
would work very well for soldering galvanized sheet.
Eric

I assume a propane torch?

A soldering tip for a propane torch sounds like a great invention.
I have never heard of one.

I think I still have mine, which I bought 40 years ago. But I find my
450 W iron more convenient to use.

--
Ed Huntress

An online search yielded zero results. Am I understanding it
correctly, a tip that attached to a propane torch and the torch heats
the tip and the tip is what you solder with?

I would love to have a hi watt electric one but they are rather
expensive to buy for just one project....

I'm surprised , they've been around for a long long time . I've had them
in torch kits I've bought , and Dad had at least one when I was growing up
(and I ain't young) . I know this because he used it to solder radiators .
He was a DIY guy , I learned from him ... I'm a DIY guy too .

--
Snag

On 6/23/2015 2:45 PM, stryped wrote:
An online search yielded zero results. Am I understanding it correctly, a tip that attached to a propane torch and the torch heats the tip and the tip is what you solder with?
...

I couldn't believe you couldn't find it, but I couldn't either. Here is
what they look like:
http://imageshack.com/a/img673/1849/V5KfjS.jpg

I've had one forever, but never use it. Maybe nobody does & that's why
they don't make them anymore.

Bob

On Tue, 23 Jun 2015 14:27:20 -0500, "Terry Coombs"
wrote:

stryped wrote:
On Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at 11:14:46 AM UTC-5, Ed Huntress wrote:
On Tue, 23 Jun 2015 09:13:41 -0700 (PDT), stryped
wrote:

On Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at 11:04:30 AM UTC-5,
wrote:
On Mon, 22 Jun 2015 20:23:23 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 22 Jun 2015 16:56:59 -0700 (PDT), stryped
wrote:

How did you solder it and with what? Does soldering not remove
the galvanized coating?
Use a tinners iron - I have an electric one - the original
"tinner's iron" was heated with a blowtorch. Flux the galvanized
and solder it together - the zinc stays on the steel.

DON"T try soldering it with a torch. You WILL burn off the zinc,
and it will rust bedause you will overheat the joint.
I soldered mine with a torch and didn't burn off the zinc. I used
regular lead fee plumbing solder and paste flux. The solder melts
at a much lower than it takes to burn off the zinc. You need to
keep the flame moving. If you let it dwell it can then heat up a
spot enough to damage the zinc. There are available (at least
there used to be) soldering tips for a propane torch that fit over
the torch head and use a screw to hold them in place. One of these
would work very well for soldering galvanized sheet.
Eric

I assume a propane torch?

A soldering tip for a propane torch sounds like a great invention.
I have never heard of one.

I think I still have mine, which I bought 40 years ago. But I find my
450 W iron more convenient to use.

--
Ed Huntress

An online search yielded zero results. Am I understanding it
correctly, a tip that attached to a propane torch and the torch heats
the tip and the tip is what you solder with?

I would love to have a hi watt electric one but they are rather
expensive to buy for just one project....

I'm surprised , they've been around for a long long time . I've had them
in torch kits I've bought , and Dad had at least one when I was growing up
(and I ain't young) . I know this because he used it to solder radiators .
He was a DIY guy , I learned from him ... I'm a DIY guy too .

I just did a quick search and I couldnt find them either. Rather odd
actually.

Ive got probably 5 or so of the copper tips that go on (usually with
a thumbscrew) the end of a propane torch, to solder with. They came
with each torch "kit" (usually in the metal box, right along with a
"fan" tip for paint scraping/large area heating etc etc). Anybody
want one...drop me an email with the OD diameter of your torch tip
and Ill see what I have. I normally use an acetalyne torch
(portable about 18" tall) with the proper hose/regulator/torch for
heavy soldering/heating in the shop..
http://www.sjjewelrysupply.com/image...0MC%20tank.jpg

but still have a dozen or so propane torches (for 1lb bottle) in
various conditions of usable

Gunner

On Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at 4:36:07 PM UTC-5, Gunner Asch wrote:
On Tue, 23 Jun 2015 14:27:20 -0500, "Terry Coombs"
wrote:

stryped wrote:
On Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at 11:14:46 AM UTC-5, Ed Huntress wrote:
On Tue, 23 Jun 2015 09:13:41 -0700 (PDT), stryped
wrote:

On Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at 11:04:30 AM UTC-5,
wrote:
On Mon, 22 Jun 2015 20:23:23 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 22 Jun 2015 16:56:59 -0700 (PDT), stryped
wrote:

How did you solder it and with what? Does soldering not remove
the galvanized coating?
Use a tinners iron - I have an electric one - the original
"tinner's iron" was heated with a blowtorch. Flux the galvanized
and solder it together - the zinc stays on the steel.

DON"T try soldering it with a torch. You WILL burn off the zinc,
and it will rust bedause you will overheat the joint.
I soldered mine with a torch and didn't burn off the zinc. I used
regular lead fee plumbing solder and paste flux. The solder melts
at a much lower than it takes to burn off the zinc. You need to
keep the flame moving. If you let it dwell it can then heat up a
spot enough to damage the zinc. There are available (at least
there used to be) soldering tips for a propane torch that fit over
the torch head and use a screw to hold them in place. One of these
would work very well for soldering galvanized sheet.
Eric

I assume a propane torch?

A soldering tip for a propane torch sounds like a great invention.
I have never heard of one.

I think I still have mine, which I bought 40 years ago. But I find my
450 W iron more convenient to use.

--
Ed Huntress

An online search yielded zero results. Am I understanding it
correctly, a tip that attached to a propane torch and the torch heats
the tip and the tip is what you solder with?

I would love to have a hi watt electric one but they are rather
expensive to buy for just one project....

I'm surprised , they've been around for a long long time . I've had them
in torch kits I've bought , and Dad had at least one when I was growing up
(and I ain't young) . I know this because he used it to solder radiators .
He was a DIY guy , I learned from him ... I'm a DIY guy too .

I just did a quick search and I couldnt find them either. Rather odd
actually.

Ive got probably 5 or so of the copper tips that go on (usually with
a thumbscrew) the end of a propane torch, to solder with. They came
with each torch "kit" (usually in the metal box, right along with a
"fan" tip for paint scraping/large area heating etc etc). Anybody
want one...drop me an email with the OD diameter of your torch tip
and Ill see what I have. I normally use an acetalyne torch
(portable about 18" tall) with the proper hose/regulator/torch for
heavy soldering/heating in the shop..
http://www.sjjewelrysupply.com/image...0MC%20tank.jpg

but still have a dozen or so propane torches (for 1lb bottle) in
various conditions of usable

Gunner

Could a person make one somehow by just putting a copper tube over the end of a torch and closing one end into a flat surface???

On Monday, June 22, 2015 at 2:15:03 PM UTC-7, stryped wrote:
My house was built around 1998 and has the original split system with a carrier 3 ton
condenser outside ... I had someone quote a new system.

The installer made a note that under the house, the previous installer rather than attach a return plenum just ran the return line directly off the side of the air handler.

So, I would like to build a filter housing, return air plenum, and maybe build a supply plenum myself 1st. Then maybe decide if I want to tackle replacing the current condenser/air handler.

I've seen HVAC sheet-metal shops bend up these things. Measure carefully, and
get them to do the work: they're fast, efficient, and already know how.
Check some local stores, see which filter sizes are well-stocked, and use
one of those sizes, but you probably already knew that.

On Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at 2:59:41 PM UTC-7, stryped wrote:

.... There are available (at least
there used to be) soldering tips for a propane torch that fit over
the torch head and use a screw to hold them in place.

Could a person make one somehow by just putting a copper tube over the end of a torch and closing one end into a flat surface???

Unless you want to hold a propane tank, keep it upright, and spew flames near the work, it works
better to use a soldering iron. This kind

https://www.etsy.com/listing/94088624/vintage-soldering-copper-soldering-iron

has the advantage of comfortable handle, works in tight spaces, is cordless...
temperature control is kinda primitive, of course, but I've made small ones
with heavy copper wire for tip and heat reservoir, with coathanger-wire handles.
That, and a butane lighter, and you're ready for soldering!

The key, is the heavy tip which acts as heat reservoir.

"stryped" wrote in message
...
On Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at 4:36:07 PM UTC-5, Gunner Asch wrote:
On Tue, 23 Jun 2015 14:27:20 -0500, "Terry Coombs"

wrote:

stryped wrote:
On Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at 11:14:46 AM UTC-5, Ed Huntress
wrote:
On Tue, 23 Jun 2015 09:13:41 -0700 (PDT), stryped
wrote:

On Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at 11:04:30 AM UTC-5,

wrote:
On Mon, 22 Jun 2015 20:23:23 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 22 Jun 2015 16:56:59 -0700 (PDT), stryped
wrote:

How did you solder it and with what? Does soldering not
remove
the galvanized coating?
Use a tinners iron - I have an electric one - the original
"tinner's iron" was heated with a blowtorch. Flux the
galvanized
and solder it together - the zinc stays on the steel.

DON"T try soldering it with a torch. You WILL burn off the
zinc,
and it will rust bedause you will overheat the joint.
I soldered mine with a torch and didn't burn off the zinc. I
used
regular lead fee plumbing solder and paste flux. The solder
melts
at a much lower than it takes to burn off the zinc. You need
to
keep the flame moving. If you let it dwell it can then heat
up a
spot enough to damage the zinc. There are available (at least
there used to be) soldering tips for a propane torch that fit
over
the torch head and use a screw to hold them in place. One of
these
would work very well for soldering galvanized sheet.
Eric

I assume a propane torch?

A soldering tip for a propane torch sounds like a great
invention.
I have never heard of one.

I think I still have mine, which I bought 40 years ago. But I
find my
450 W iron more convenient to use.

--
Ed Huntress

An online search yielded zero results. Am I understanding it
correctly, a tip that attached to a propane torch and the torch
heats
the tip and the tip is what you solder with?

I would love to have a hi watt electric one but they are rather
expensive to buy for just one project....

I'm surprised , they've been around for a long long time . I've
had them
in torch kits I've bought , and Dad had at least one when I was
growing up
(and I ain't young) . I know this because he used it to solder
radiators .
He was a DIY guy , I learned from him ... I'm a DIY guy too .

I just did a quick search and I couldnt find them either. Rather
odd
actually.

Ive got probably 5 or so of the copper tips that go on (usually
with
a thumbscrew) the end of a propane torch, to solder with. They
came
with each torch "kit" (usually in the metal box, right along with a
"fan" tip for paint scraping/large area heating etc etc). Anybody
want one...drop me an email with the OD diameter of your torch tip
and Ill see what I have. I normally use an acetalyne torch
(portable about 18" tall) with the proper hose/regulator/torch for
heavy soldering/heating in the shop..
http://www.sjjewelrysupply.com/image...0MC%20tank.jpg

but still have a dozen or so propane torches (for 1lb bottle) in
various conditions of usable

Gunner

Could a person make one somehow by just putting a copper tube over
the end of a torch and closing one end into a flat surface???

Do you have a brake to bend this sheet metal?

stryped wrote:
How did you solder it and with what? Does soldering not remove the galvanized coating?

Soldering duckwork seems pointless unless you just like soldering for the
hell of it. You can buy duct in L shaped sections that are pre-crimped and
form nice rectangle or square sections. Screw them together and cover in
the aluminum tape. They also make some sort of putty-like stuff for
sealing ducts that comes in tubs, like drywall joint compound.

On Tue, 23 Jun 2015 14:59:38 -0700 (PDT), stryped
wrote:

On Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at 4:36:07 PM UTC-5, Gunner Asch wrote:
On Tue, 23 Jun 2015 14:27:20 -0500, "Terry Coombs"
wrote:

stryped wrote:
On Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at 11:14:46 AM UTC-5, Ed Huntress wrote:
On Tue, 23 Jun 2015 09:13:41 -0700 (PDT), stryped
wrote:

On Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at 11:04:30 AM UTC-5,
wrote:
On Mon, 22 Jun 2015 20:23:23 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 22 Jun 2015 16:56:59 -0700 (PDT), stryped
wrote:

How did you solder it and with what? Does soldering not remove
the galvanized coating?
Use a tinners iron - I have an electric one - the original
"tinner's iron" was heated with a blowtorch. Flux the galvanized
and solder it together - the zinc stays on the steel.

DON"T try soldering it with a torch. You WILL burn off the zinc,
and it will rust bedause you will overheat the joint.
I soldered mine with a torch and didn't burn off the zinc. I used
regular lead fee plumbing solder and paste flux. The solder melts
at a much lower than it takes to burn off the zinc. You need to
keep the flame moving. If you let it dwell it can then heat up a
spot enough to damage the zinc. There are available (at least
there used to be) soldering tips for a propane torch that fit over
the torch head and use a screw to hold them in place. One of these
would work very well for soldering galvanized sheet.
Eric

I assume a propane torch?

A soldering tip for a propane torch sounds like a great invention.
I have never heard of one.

I think I still have mine, which I bought 40 years ago. But I find my
450 W iron more convenient to use.

--
Ed Huntress

An online search yielded zero results. Am I understanding it
correctly, a tip that attached to a propane torch and the torch heats
the tip and the tip is what you solder with?

I would love to have a hi watt electric one but they are rather
expensive to buy for just one project....

I'm surprised , they've been around for a long long time . I've had them
in torch kits I've bought , and Dad had at least one when I was growing up
(and I ain't young) . I know this because he used it to solder radiators .
He was a DIY guy , I learned from him ... I'm a DIY guy too .

I just did a quick search and I couldnt find them either. Rather odd
actually.

Ive got probably 5 or so of the copper tips that go on (usually with
a thumbscrew) the end of a propane torch, to solder with. They came
with each torch "kit" (usually in the metal box, right along with a
"fan" tip for paint scraping/large area heating etc etc). Anybody
want one...drop me an email with the OD diameter of your torch tip
and Ill see what I have. I normally use an acetalyne torch
(portable about 18" tall) with the proper hose/regulator/torch for
heavy soldering/heating in the shop..
http://www.sjjewelrysupply.com/image...0MC%20tank.jpg

but still have a dozen or so propane torches (for 1lb bottle) in
various conditions of usable

Gunner

Could a person make one somehow by just putting a copper tube over the end of a torch and closing one end into a flat surface???

Yes..if you leave sufficent venting and dont worry much about the
efficency.

Gunner

On Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at 3:46:05 PM UTC-4, Bob Engelhardt wrote:
On 6/23/2015 2:45 PM, stryped wrote:
An online search yielded zero results. Am I understanding it correctly, a tip that attached to a propane torch and the torch heats the tip and the tip is what you solder with?
...

I couldn't believe you couldn't find it, but I couldn't either. Here is
what they look like:
http://imageshack.com/a/img673/1849/V5KfjS.jpg

I've had one forever, but never use it. Maybe nobody does & that's why
they don't make them anymore.

Bob

I have also had one "forever" and haven't used it in at least 35 years. But, if you want a really kick-ass soldering copper, take a look at http://www.oldworlddistributors.com/...ing-torch.html and the other stuff they have on their site.