flux brushes

[townfanjon]

this fad for 'cleaning up' the joints after soldering by brushing flux on em drives me crazy.

I maybe wrong but doesnt it help clean the joint up before you clean it ?

 

[Jay The Plumber]

I maybe wrong but doesnt it help clean the joint up before you clean it ?

clean yes..
with flux ? no, it only goes green and eats away at the pipe over time.

solder, swipe your finger around the joint, clean up with a wet cloth and done.
why does a joint need more flux after its soldered ?

 

[plumben]

I've always used my fingers, doesnt waste flux and the brush's are rubbish and end up lost broken or full of dust,

 

[Staffy85]

never really felt the need to use a brush to apply flux, always used the solder to apply it,

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

Selects - Plastic Flux or Glue Brush / Brushes - Pack Of 5 | eBay

 

[JCplumb]

I always used to use my finger to apply flux, stopped doing that after reading how nasty flux is, I now try to not breathe the fumes in too but not always possible...
Not sure of the brand, but I just use the couple of freebie brushes I blag off the merchant whenever I buy solder
They almost always last a roll, only time they don't is when I've had a spell of not soldering and they're left dirty and unused for too long, the bristles just clump up and drop off if left fluxed up too long.

 

[tamz]

Tbh i've never used a brush for flux. Always my finger or the end of the solder and i'm still alive and have silky smooth skin so the wife says

 

[Stigster]

I've had the same small laco flux pot with brush on the lid for about 3/4 years, just keep topping it up with flux from a big tub. I don't clean fittings with flux after soldering like some of the lads at work do so maybe that's why it's lasted so long

I do the same. My flux and brush stay clean and the small tub is a good size for the tool box. As a couple of other people have mentioned, this pasting flux all over the outside of the fitting drives me crazy too. About half the apprentices at the college I work in do this and I wonder where the idea started? It really winds me up much more than it should, especially when a nice tub of flux is full of bits of melted brush which can cause a bad joint if you don't notice it before you assemble the fitting.

Stop it!

 

[Howsie]

Tbh i've never used a brush for flux. Always my finger or the end of the solder and i'm still alive and have silky smooth skin so the wife says

Same here. I'm kinda of getting a taste for it now too!

 

[MOSSEP]

Whats wrong with cleaning the pipe up with it after soldering? It makes it bright and shiny, looks a good job when finished. I always do it and then wipe the pipe over with a damp cloth.