Remove Excess Solder after I sweat pipe?

[imunwell2]

I sweat some pipes and as most new at this do, I have excess solder blobs at some of my joints. :(
Will these cause me any problems or are they just a cosmetic issue? If I need to remove them, how can I safely do it without compromising the joint? They have already cooled.

Thanks in advance!! :D

[statjunk]

Re-heat and wipe with a rag.

Tom

[Gary Swart]

It's really just a cosmetic thing. You get better at leaving a joint looking go with practice, but sometimes because of the location, it becomes difficult. I learned to sweat joints when I installed an air supply system in my shop. The joints were/are just butt ugly. However, only on leaked and after 7 years they are all holding just fine. Later joints in my house water supply look somewhat better although still nowhere near professional standards. I know I waste solder and flux, but everything hold which is the point of it all, I think.

[JeffH]

Just a word of caution, sometimes OD blobs are indicitive of using to much solder in general. An excess of solder on the ID of the pipe will cause restricted flow.

[patrick88]

It is best to give the joints a good wipe so you clean any flux off and so you can make sure you got the solder all the way around. If you have a joint that is hard to solder wiping it sometimes solves a problem.

[Dunbar Plumbing]

I sweat some pipes and as most new at this do, I have excess solder blobs at some of my joints. :(
Will these cause me any problems or are they just a cosmetic issue? If I need to remove them, how can I safely do it without compromising the joint? They have already cooled.

Thanks in advance!! :D




Of course you do; make it look like you care. Wipe it clean so that if you need to work on this line in the future....you can do so easily without having to cut around the green corrosion and drips of slobber.

[cwhyu2]

1/2 in solder for 1/2in fitting and as pipe gets larger adjust to size.
Wipe them still hot liquid.

[Furd]

Don't use a synthetic or synthetic blend rag to do the wiping. :D

[kordts]

Wait till the joint tins up before you wipe it. If you wipe while it's still wet, you smear solder around the pipe and fitting. You can also disturb the joint and cause it to leak.