What did you do to your home/shop today?

[2004LB7]

Anybody solder gutters anymore?

Putting up some new deep galvanized gutters to replace the vinyl ones since I had to remove them for the eaves repair. Decided that I didn't want to pay extra for the connectors and corner pieces. So I tried my hand at soldering them. Not my greatest work as zinc doesn't take solder as well as copper and brass

This is my homemade corner.



End cap


And I had an uncomfortably large gap between the valley flashing and roof/gutter so I had to put some screws into hold it down. Normally it's not recommended to install screws in this location as this is were the water will be running down and you don't want leaks here. So I made them waterproof with solder. Some guy down the road doing a repair and needing to take these screws out is probably going to be cursing at me



Still have a few more pieces to put up and solder. But coming inside to eat dinner now

 

[malibu795]

Over last few months been working on little insulated office/shop in my shop. Basically will have a wrap around work bench. though will end up being 2 different heights.. need a place to store my engines. The main shelf is 32 deep by 41 tall which allows me to clear a dressed BBC under neath.
Top shelf is 16" deep and roughly 21" above the main bench/shelf.
There's enough room I can assemble something on an engine stand and easily walk completely around it.
Adding some organization to my normal chaos

 

[Pure Diesel]

Anybody solder gutters anymore?

Putting up some new deep galvanized gutters to replace the vinyl ones since I had to remove them for the eaves repair. Decided that I didn't want to pay extra for the connectors and corner pieces. So I tried my hand at soldering them. Not my greatest work as zinc doesn't take solder as well as copper and brass

This is my homemade corner.
View attachment 125641
View attachment 125643

End cap
View attachment 125642

And I had an uncomfortably large gap between the valley flashing and roof/gutter so I had to put some screws into hold it down. Normally it's not recommended to install screws in this location as this is were the water will be running down and you don't want leaks here. So I made them waterproof with solder. Some guy down the road doing a repair and needing to take these screws out is probably going to be cursing at me
View attachment 125639
View attachment 125640

Still have a few more pieces to put up and solder. But coming inside to eat dinner now
View attachment 125644

What was your heat source? Were you using an iron or a small torch? Rosin core solder? I know sometimes the oil on galvanized will inhibit the solder adhesion, so a clean surface is important. The screw solder joints look good. The corners looks like you heated the solder and didn't get the sheet metal up to more temp. This is only coming from my 40 years of plumbing experience on copper pipes soldering and brazing(so take it for it is). The heat flow and transfer of the solder to the metal through capillary action is what's important. If its water tight then your good.

 

[Dozerboy]

I can't think of the last time I saw someone even install anything but aluminum gutters. Lol

 

[2004LB7]

What was your heat source? Were you using an iron or a small torch? Rosin core solder? I know sometimes the oil on galvanized will inhibit the solder adhesion, so a clean surface is important. The screw solder joints look good. The corners looks like you heated the solder and didn't get the sheet metal up to more temp. This is only coming from my 40 years of plumbing experience on copper pipes soldering and brazing(so take it for it is). The heat flow and transfer of the solder to the metal through capillary action is what's important. If its water tight then your good.

Oh, I know all about the capillary action and creating a good bond. I've been soldering and sweating pipes for about 30 years. Galvanizing just doesn't wick up the solder like copper does. Doesn't matter how much or little heat you use it is very touchy. Too much heat and the zinc burns. Too little and the solder doesn't stick. Copper is 100 times easier. I used zinc chloride flux. It works but leaves a greasy mess that turns black. So while it may look like I may have overheated some areas, that is just the flux doing its thing.

I used a combination of propane torch and a 130 watt soldering iron. Preheat the metal and apply with the iron was how I did most of it. Some was all torch like the bottoms and end caps. I believe that one of the reasons copper is so much easier to solder is that it conducts heat better so it's more even and the solder flows around with the heat. With galvanized steel the heat is only where you put it with little conducting further away. This means the solder doesn't really flow. It will definitely stick and bond properly but only right where the torch or iron is held. So that's why it may look like a cold joint

But as they say, your last joint is always better then your first. So, I went back to some of the first ones and redid them.

And... Just filled it up with water as much as it will hold before spilling over to do a leak test. All good so far. I don't have a downspout installed yet so nowhere for the water to go until I drill a hole in it

Soldered the valley to the gutter


Lap joints



Inside the gutter. Notice the amount of black residue around the edges of the solder and floating around in the flux, I'm pretty sure that is zinc oxide that has been removed by the flux. Takes a wire brush, water and a rag to clean it up



Here are a few images I pulled from the Internet showing what the pros do for solder joints. Doesn't look that far off from mine and they have the proper tools


And even when done on a copper gutter

 

[Pure Diesel]

Jason,
I hope you didn't take anything I said as a criticism. Anything I've seen you produce or do has always been great.
When I did custom homes in the late 80s & 90s, I loved watching the gutter guys do the copper gutters and down spouts. It's like the stainglass guys. It's an art.

Sent from my Pixel 6 Pro using Tapatalk

 

[2004LB7]

Jason,
I hope you didn't take anything I said as a criticism. Anything I've seen you produce or do has always been great.
When I did custom homes in the late 80s & 90s, I loved watching the gutter guys do the copper gutters and down spouts. It's like the stainglass guys. It's an art.

Sent from my Pixel 6 Pro using Tapatalk

No, I think maybe I just misunderstood you a little. All's good .