Soldering painted copper

[finchy01]

Hi all, this is my first post here about my 1st job! I'm soon to be replacing a bathroom bit by bit starting the furthest appliance away and working my way back to the cistern. To do this I'm having to connect the new pipework to the existing stuff as I go along until it ends up all nice new cooper. My question is this, the existing pipework is all painted. How do I go about soldering the new pipwork to this. I would say that I would just clean of the end of the old pipework from all the paint with some wire wool. But just wanted to check if this is the case or if there is an easier way. (They didn't teach us this at college!) Thanks guys!

 

[danielp]

make sure you roughly go back on inch and make sure all paint is off

there are a number of ways to do it normally the pipe slice when you cut it takes a the majority of, what i use is cleaning strips or equivalent and my grips round the end . wire wool will work but best to heat it up for a little bit with the torch because wire wool isnt very abrasive

 

[dontknowitall]

I use paint stripper and kitchen roll. Takes about 3 minutes.

 

[Mushybees]

Heat it with a blow lamp then clean with wire wool. No mystery.

 

[migoplumber]

all of the above, cant believe you were never told that in college!!
good luck

shaun

 

[dontknowitall]

You'd be surprised how little they teach on these courses. Plenty of theory and plenty of fitting new stuff and regulations but as to how to undo 25 year old taps, finding stop valves and things like that you're on your own.

 

[migoplumber]

yeah i can imagine, its probably a bit like being an apprentice. you learn by your mistakes.

 

[johnmcginty]

You'd be surprised how little they teach on these courses. Plenty of theory and plenty of fitting new stuff and regulations but as to how to undo 25 year old taps, finding stop valves and things like that you're on your own.

Totally right , never even saw a compact inlet or drop valve untill I left training college.

 

[newbie1]

how on gods green earth are they taking money and saying off you go you are now a plumber and leaving you asking how to solder 2 bits of pipe
do yourself a favour and try and find a plumber to work with until you have gained some experience

 

[stevetheplumber]

i find scraping gloss paint with a stanly knife takes it of in large pieces emoulsiun is harder and i go for the heat and wire woll/cleaning strips method
as everyone has said this is the difference between an apprentice and a fast track plumber knoledge only comes with experience