origin of the term \"sweating\"

Greg Durgin_2

On the jobsite I am describing to a new, young helper the process of installing copper piping. A little later in the day, after seeing some piping being installed with torch and silver solder, he asks me, "Why is it called "sweating"? I don't have an answer for him. I thought about it all day. Nope, I don't ever recall hearing or reading the source of that term.

Can anyone give me something to take back to him.

Thanks,

Greg Durgin

Mark Hunt

Well


I don't know how the term got started, but I do know that Murph does a lot of "sweating" when ever he turns the water on to piping he soldered.



Mark H

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[Deleted User]

okay try this, i'm putting two and two together here

but i'm really still guessing, but at least you would have something to tell him..Mueller Brass came up with the modern use of copper pipe for water service. Prior to this it was lead or threaded steel. The original solder fittings have a hole in the side of the socket. These are still known as Mueller Streamline fittings, which was there market name..Mueller still puts ''Streamline'' on their soft copper packaging. Here is an excerpt from their instructions (dead man stuff here)-The method of connecting is by introducing the copper pipe into the fitting to a positive stop or shoulder, and introducing through a solder feed hole in the fitting, stick or wire solder after applying heat from a blow torch. Immediately the solder is introduced into the feed hole, it is distributed by capillarity, and covers the entire area between pipe and fitting and appears as a bright ring at the junction point between pipe and fitting....i would gather that someone started telling someone else to put solder through the hole till the pipe joint sweats...i'm still guessing, but knowing the history of the streamline fitting, it would make sense to me.

Unknown

I thought

they call it sweating because when you're heating the joint it actually looks like it sweats when it's ready for the solder ?

[Deleted User]

could be

theres a plumber here whose really old--was in the invasion of normandy-- and still sharp as a tack. He was around when copper was first introduced around cleveland, i'll have to ask him at next months meeting..i regularly save up questions for him,,,thats a good one.

MURPH'_2

i really did not mean it.....

sorry murph.



Mark H

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Mark Hunt

IMPOSTER!!!!!!!!



Mark H

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Bill NTSG

Correct!

Ron Jr, you are correct.

J.C.A.

Sweating....

Was what I avoided early this morning while installing a Buderus panel. I used the propress instead! BUT... was what I did ALOT OF on the next job. A construction (fixed) thermostat failed and the joint was about 95° when I walked in !This was the place Scott spoke of which got soaked by a burst pipe over the winter. They wanted to keep the heat up to at least 65° so the mold wouldn't grow any further. Owner went out there last night and was kind of surprised to find it was 88° in the place .

As far as installing and repairing pipes, I think Ron got it . Chris

Greg Durgin_2

Thanks for the responses.

I will take a fresh look at the phenomena of soldering.

Greg