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This is WORST then Polotics: The FLUX agruement!

9K views 59 replies 18 participants last post by  Wethead 
#1 ·
Check this out:

I plumbed in NYC and Long Island for 12 years ALWAYS was told if I did NOT clean my copper it would leak.

I move to NC, and Work for Connor-spear (call them to confirm this), AND they tell me:

"Grit cloth, fitting brush" Naw man, "It's self cleaning flux"

So, I listen and what do you know, I worked for them for like a year thousands of fittings and never cleaned one, or the pipe , just applied flux and soldered, what do you know, NOT one leak...

I move back to NYC, and tell the boys, about this, they laugh at me while I don't clean my fittings and then cry at the end of the day when I am done AND They are still working....

I have seen it and heard it " clean the pipe or else "

NOPE: Self cleaning flux will work....don't believe me try it tomorrow

Feedback?
 
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#6 ·
No, i get you wet head, try it tomorrow like he said, brush some flux on a piece of copper and heat it up with your torch and see if it does not shine like a new penny. Do it all the time, only time i will clean a pipe or fitting is if it is dirty with grime, dirt ect.
 
#9 ·
i've always used nokorode flux and my old boss would ask me about it every time i saw him. "oh, you use that stuff huh?" then he shows me this other stuff that i can't remember the name of but it was "self cleaning". i'm thinking that can't be right and ask him "so you don't have to clean the pipe and fitting with this stuff?"

"no you still have to clean them but it's self cleaning"

:tongue_smilie:





paul
 
#16 ·
Joe,
the folks at the Copper development agency give seminars on joining copper tube and fittings. For soldering or brazing, you really need to mechanically clean the pipe and fittings. Cleaning creates microscopic subsurface scratches called interstices. The solder actually bonds the two surfaces together. Without cleaning, the solder is more of a gap filler. Check out the CDA website.
http://www.copper.org/homepage.html

Jeff
 
#17 ·
Joe,
the folks at the Copper development agency give seminars on joining copper tube and fittings. For soldering or brazing, you really need to mechanically clean the pipe and fittings. Cleaning creates microscopic subsurface scratches called interstices. The solder actually bonds the two surfaces together. Without cleaning, the solder is more of a gap filler. Check out the CDA website.
http://www.copper.org/homepage.html

Jeff
Jeff,

I AGREE 100% , but the BOYS over at Conner-Spear saw it totally different and REFUSED, and In fact ALL of NEWBERN , NC does NOT sell grit cloth or turn brushes :)

I am a "cleaning" man myself trust me and I a sure when the other NYC dudes show up they will agree here in NY we clean, BUT for NC when I worked there they didn't and made me not clean,........and PS Oatey does call is self cleaning :)
 
#20 ·
I know, I agree, Dudes call :

Name: Connor-Spear Plumbing Co
Street: 403 Airport Road
New Bern, nc 28560-6619
Phone: (252) 633-1606

ASK THEM,

Say ...Do you remember that "yankee" that used to work for you in 94 , He told us that you dont clean pipe.

Call. Hell call now and leave a message, I bullsh i t you not
 
#26 ·
I know that flux itself is a strong enough acid. One of the worst burns i have recieved to date was from selfcleaning flux landing on the top of my hand after heated extremely. Ilplumber, you know you have sweated before with no cleaning, and i know you sleep well at night?
 
#38 ·
Just my .02
Using an abrasive cloth creates small grooves in the copper. This allows the solder to "Grab" on to something. Think of it this way, take 2 pieces of paper between your hands, now slide your hands across one another, easy huh? Now try the same thing with 2 sheets of sandpaper, cant do it huh?
Thats because there are so many lands and grooves that they can not slide across each other. Thats the theory behind cleaning the pipe with an abrasive cloth. It gives the solder grooves to fall into so there is no way they will ever come apart.

Be it as it may, the product may indeed work well, but me? Remember, you cant teach an old dog new tricks!

BTW, I am also a building contractor. And trust me, I have seen a lot of "New way" of doing things faster all the time. Does it work? Not always. Is it cheaper? Why yes, yes it is, only if it TRUELY works, if and I mean IF it fails, then its more costly to make repairs. I will stick to tried and true methods.
 
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