Home Distiller

I was putting my new top-end together and for some reason I couldn't get the joints to solder. I started out using a propane torch and had all kinds of trouble controlling the heat. So I disassembled the joints, cleaned them again and switched to a oxy/acetylene torch.

Well the 1/2" went a little better, but I simply could not get the 3/4" to go... Tried it three times with two different fluxes and solders and no dice. By this point I was about ready to smash the whole rig up with a 6 pound sledge hammer.

I ended up doing two of the ugliest brazes I've ever done on the water jacket and called it a day before I went ballistic.

I have done many pipes in my life and never had any problems like this... Now that I think about it I can't help but laugh, but at the time I was getting really, really mad and cursing at it... It was probably responsible for most of the problems :p

Ever have one of those days?

Only ever had one day when I struggled with soldering. It was the new flux I was trying. The solder beaded up like I was trying to solder glass to aluminium. Pitched the flux, bought some Oateys and never looked back. Looks like you just need a breather and to hit it on a different day. Good luck.

Yes........ quite regularly. It sucks when you cant get your still together, but worse when you have water to the whole house shut down to solder a joint, it keeps leaking, the pipe is getting too short, you just think its gonna go and Boom. That one drip of water ruins your chances again. To top it all off, your old lady is bitching>>>>> "Are you done yet, I need to take a shower" or " I just took a big shit, and I cant flush it down!" Yeah, your not alone, those days happen.

Haha!

newbrewer: It wasn't just soldering. I was having a bad day and I walked into the project with a bad attitude. I checked the joints and they are all sealed but it looks like I did it while wearing oven mitts and a blindfold

MuleKicker: That's the whole different story... When I bought my house I had to go through all of the plumbing from well pump to faucet, but not all at once! I've heard my fair share of water-related gripes. Seems like I work well under pressure like that. All I need is somebody to threaten me all day long and I'll be good to go

I was a rageaholic and I was all out of rageahol

Soldering gets easier with practise.


OD