Painted copper pipes

[Lawrence]

what's the best way to get paint off copper pipe? I'm going to install a replacement hot water cylinder and all the existing pipework has been painted.

I've tried a scouring pad without much success.

I need to cut in to the existing pipework in a number of places and make new connections either with soldered joints or compression fixings.

[htg engineer]

try heat - a blow torch and wire wool.

[Lawrence]

do I run the risk of damaging / distorting the pipe if I use a blow torch to clean off paint?

will using a blow torch also remove old solder that had run down a pipe?

I need to cut in to a pipe that has been painted and I've now discovered has a mass of old solder on it and unless I can clean it off in some way I am going to have to remove it and lift the floor boards to find a good bit of pipe to join it to.

Help!

[htg engineer]

wont distort copper pipes, using a blow torch is how the pipes would of been joined originally.

Yes this will also remove any solder, you shouldn't need to heat up the solder too much, just be careful not to melt the solder forming the water tight joints, if the pipes are full of water this will prevent this from happening as the water will keep the pipes and solder cool.

[Lawrence]

thanks htg engineer - I'll give it a g!