where have I been

[Donald]

I cannot seem to find my small box of supplies to sweat copper pipe and need to repair a fitting. I went to HD and a small kit with 4 oz of solder with some flux and a flux brush was $18. I was thinking $5 or $6.

Now granted its been awhile since I have bought any copper pipe solder. Thats what is expensive. Maybe several decades.

No wonder my plumber uses copper fittings he crimps with a very expensive crimper.

 

[andyd]

About 40 yrs ago they took lead out of plumbing solder. Silver is way more expensive and doesn't melt as fast. My kit is on the cellar stairs. I got to the point where I enjoyed it and then worked myself out of the job.

 

[CarbonSteel]

Originally Posted By: Donald
No wonder my plumber uses copper fittings he crimps with a very expensive crimper.
This would have more to do with the fact that it is easier to crimp the pipe connections than to sweat them. In the end, it is all about time which equals money.

 

[Kage860]

If you really want to blow your mind look at the prices of those crimping fittngs and valves.

 

[andyd]

Look at the spot price for copper in the finance section. CU is a semi-precious strategic metal.

 

[Delta]

Copper is quickly going out, not only because of fitting/pipe cost, the labor to do it all is going up as well. A good plumber is NOT cheap!

Personally if I have to do a repair on copper I'll cut out the whole section and replace it with PEX. I'll only have to solder a couple transition fittings and the rest use my crimper ($70 or so). Best investment so far as my house was plumbed in thinwall type M copper and is quickly deteriorating. Will it be as durable as copper, eh, probably not.

 

[slug_bug]

If your supplies are old you probably have a propane cylinder. You might want to pick up a cylinder of MAPP gas that burns hotter and works better with the newer lead free solder.

 

[edwardh1]

Dont look at antifreeze - the industry has screwed that up- used to be "green" now 10 kinds
stupid

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: slug_bug
If your supplies are old you probably have a propane cylinder. You might want to pick up a cylinder of MAPP gas that burns hotter and works better with the newer lead free solder.


I have propane, MAPP and oyx/acetylene.

 

[andyd]

I have way less than 70$ invested in my kit. When I was between careers, I labored for a plumber. I should have paid him for what he taught me. He let me use his crimper and gray tubing for a 25' run to the front hose connection. Thin wall copper shouldn't be allowed.

 

[yeti]

shark bite fittings.period.

 

[CourierDriver]

I have used these, they are great, no mess,no flux,no solder and stuff...

 

[Delta]

Originally Posted By: yeti
shark bite fittings.period.


Shark Bite fittings are great, but quite costly if you're doing alot of plumbing. I would eventually worry about the rubber seal rotting out, but maybe i'm just too paranoid. I guess for a quick repair they work great.

 

[BrocLuno]

Just go on eBay and look for old solder. 1# rolls are still less than $20.

If you cut out a section of copper and replace with Plex, you will loose continuity on any grounds soldered to your system further along the run

 

[Donald]

I have one copper elbow in summer cottage that popped undone. We winterized late last fall. I probably did the plumbing work in the late 1970s when I was still an novice plumber. Wait its 2018 and I am still a novice.

 

[bmwpowere36m3]

Solder $ is nothing when you price out ProPress stuff.... it only makes sense when you factor in high-labor cost. When I redid my house I went with PEX for 90% of piping. I only kept copper near the water meter and hot water tank. I also didn't want to stub out with PEX, so I transitioned with brass ells and chrome nipples where shut-offs where needed.