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How To

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Soldering - Copper Pipe

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Take a look at this short video describing the tools needed to solder copper pipe for plumbing projects. In the video Jeff provides a quick tool and supply review and then he solders a fitting on to a piece of copper pipe.


Soldering and Solder – Solder is a filler metal used to fill a void between two mating pieces and contains a large amount of tin. Solder, depending on its composition, melts when it reaches between 190° and 840° F. Filler metals that melt above 840° F are used in a process that is similar to soldering called Brazing.

Sweating, Sweated or Sweat – Sweated fittings are a type of joint that is designed for quick assembly within plumbing configurations. The fittings used in the demonstration video are sweated fittings – the small fitting fits over the main pipe and is therefore a sweated connection. The fitting can be an elbow, sleeve, or any one of a number of different fitting shapes but they are all sweated fittings. The video demonstration is of a sweated fitting being soldered.

You will often hear the terms "solder" and "sweat" used interchangeably when referring to joining copper plumbing together but there's a slight difference. For example, we could say that all sweated fittings are soldered but not all soldered connections are sweated. That's why you don't hear the term "sweat" when referring to soldering electronic components as there are no sweated fittings being used in a radio or other electronic component.