Sweating Copper

I seem to have good luck with my joints but they just don't look as nice as when a pro does it. How long do you heat the pipe for before putting the solder to it? Or is there something else Iam missing .-----Thanks Bill

joints

You do not heat the pipe, you heat the fitting. And you do it until the solder will flow into the joint smoothly. You also can wipe the joint immediately afterwards to eliminate drippings.

I'm no "pro" (as is proved by all my postings ), but what I have learned in the past 200 or so joints seems obvious NOW...LOL...heat the fitting, don't try and heat it in one second - take a little time and just heat it (MAPP gas is better than LP); first you will notice the flux start to "run", then it will start to "smoke" - 90% of the time the fitting is ready for solder.
When the solder starts to run, go completely around the pipe with the solder...if/when it literally starts to run down the pipe(away from joint) your done.
I try and do both sides of 1/2 and 3/4 fittings in one heat application. I will also try and sweat as many joints in one line as possible, at a time.
Then wipe the joints down with a damp cloth - you have to remove the excess flux or it will start to corrode the pipe...you will notice old flux turns green quickly. It you have to, warm the pipe up again to get the flux running and wipe with a damp cloth.

Here's a tip:
Keep a spray bottle handy (filled with water). In the event you need to put something "out" (like a 2x4, insulation, your pant leg) a few spritzs and no worries of an actual fire. This tip may be based on my own (lack of) experience, or may have been found someplace on the web - I'll never tell

Here is a tip, add dishwashing liquid to water in a spray bottle. When you have finished 1-2 additional joints go back to the first one and spray the joint with the mixture and the soap will remove the flux with no wiping. If it is too cool it won't work and if to hot the water bounces off, it not hard to figure it out. What you want is for it (the joint)to foam when sprayed and it will drip off. If you like the look of a wiped joint then by all means wipe it.

soap

If it is a "chlorinated" dish soap, it can cause "microfractures" in the copper tubing.

All the modern dish soaps I know of can't have chlorine added due to the fumes created. If chlorinated water would affect it then you can use bottled.

My first experience with sweating copper pipe was when I install an air compressor in my shop and ran amok with 1/2" copper pipe Those fittings were and still are butt ugly. I still use too much solder, but not as much as back then. Bottom line though, no leaks...ever. The only leak I've ever had was when I replumbed my house and forgot to flux a joint. My joints are getting better looking as I gain experience, but when I'm doing a vertical joint, I still get lots of tear drop shaped solder down the pipe for a foot or so. So, don't sweat the ugly sweat. (pun intended) Just wipe 'em with a damp rag to get the flux off.