Where the world gathers forplating, anodizing, & finishing Q&As since 1989
-----
Soldering vertical seams in ductwork
"Duct Diagnostics and Repairs"
by Technician's Guide
from Abe Books
or
Affil. Link
Your purchases make finishing.com possible
Q. 500 hundred feet to go and still on the first seam ! I am a HVAC duct installer and am currently working a job site with some pretty strict rules of how things are to be done. The situation is a 8 ft wide by 3 ft tall intake duct needs the seams to be soldered. I seem to have mastered the horizontal, but just can't get the vertical. That gravity! Any suggestions?
John Hamiltonhvac installer/avid welder - Westminster, Colorado, U.S.A
August 9, 2010
Q. Hi, my problem is this, I have 18 gauge galvanized sheet metal gutter that has to be installed in a very awkward position and I was told to weld the joints with a wire feed welder. I was told to do this because "it's not possible to solder on a vertical surface, only horizontal". That doesn't sound correct to me, there has to be a way, maybe similar to sweating pipe. The help of a older or more experienced sheet metal man would be greatly appreciated.
Thank You
HVAC, and sheet metal - Fresno, California, US
"Roofing, Flashing, and Waterproofing"
For Pros By Pros
from Abe Books
or
Affil. Link
Your purchases make finishing.com possible
A. I would assume that it would require a relatively tight joint to be able to "sweat solder" it.
Another thought is to use a low temp alloy weld rod. It seems to work well on many metals. To me, it is a misnomer to call it weld rod as it is much closer to being a "different" solder.
- Navarre, Florida
December 21, 2021
A. Vertical bead soldering is possible. It takes a lot of practice
John JuneauFreelance flashing specialist - French settlement, Louisiana