Bernzomatic JTH7 High Temperature Torch Reprise; questions

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ToolsRMe

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This is a follow-up to my previous questions about the JTH7.

I've now used the JTH7 for about a week. To make a long story short, I love it.

It takes a little getting used to but I find the effort was really worth it. It uses propane (and MAPP if you want) but the propane flame is plenty hot. I'll have questions about that, below.

I love the hose. I can get into much smaler places. I love the flame: it heats a fitting much faster than my cheapo pencil burner.

I just installed copper for a tub, a shower, two sinks, and a toilet in a new room (we're renovating and moving the bathroom to a new room). I'm guessing I had about 100 joints to solder. I had only one leak and that was on a fitting that I had dry fitted and didn't sweat.

I highly recommend the JTH7 (I am not a plumber by trade). It's only shortcomings are (a) that it doesn't have a piezoelectric starter, (b) that the torch has trouble pointing straight down. In terms of (b), it is much better than my pencil torch when pointing straight down.



So here are some questions:

(1) Sometimes the copper and/or solder glows bright red. Is that a problem?

(2) Sometimes I see flames come out of the copper. I'm guessing theat the flux is burning. Could that be right?

(3) Sometimes I "prefabricate" copper by assembling pieces in my garage/shop. That means that one side of a fitting gets soldered while the other end does not. For example, a 90 degree el will be attached only on one side. When this happens, the other side goes quite black. I assume this is oxidation. How thoroughly do I have to clean the unsoldered side? Can there be a trace of black or does the fitting have to show copper everywhere?

(4) On a related question, does anyone know of a wire brush that can be fitted onto a drill to clean the inside of a fitting? I can make one but I'd rather buy one.
 

Cass

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So here are some questions:

(1) Sometimes the copper and/or solder glows bright red. Is that a problem?

(2) Sometimes I see flames come out of the copper. I'm guessing theat the flux is burning. Could that be right?

(3) Sometimes I "prefabricate" copper by assembling pieces in my garage/shop. That means that one side of a fitting gets soldered while the other end does not. For example, a 90 degree el will be attached only on one side. When this happens, the other side goes quite black. I assume this is oxidation. How thoroughly do I have to clean the unsoldered side? Can there be a trace of black or does the fitting have to show copper everywhere?

(4) On a related question, does anyone know of a wire brush that can be fitted onto a drill to clean the inside of a fitting? I can make one but I'd rather buy one.

_________________________________________________________________


#1 Your to hot if it is glowing bright red

#2 Yup, the flux is burning

#3 the unsoldered side needs to be bright copper and fluxed again. Try dry fitting everything in place then disassemble and flux reassemble and solder in place.
You don't need to be soldering in 2 different places. Black normaly won't accept solder. Soldering 1 side and burning the other is not good and you are taking to many steps to do the job.

#4 don't know of any wire brush for fittings that goes in a drill but I am sure you will find something that will work for you.
 

Rdtompki

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Bernzomatic 7000

I've got the Bernzomatic (sp?) 7000 torch. No hose, but it would work with one. This does have a piezoelectric starter and I love this as a safety feature; the torch shuts down when I change hands, for example, or anytime I set it down; haven't burned the house down yet. As a result using this torch is much safer. You've got to keep moving even with propane as this is so much hotter, but you can do fittings in a heartbeat and heating a coupling at the center (3/4") easily allows you to solder both sides. I should probably be using my cheap pencil torch for 1/2", however, as the size of the flame is not a good "fit" for this small pipe.
 
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