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Soldering copper is not rocket science. Sure, it uses some scientific principles, but for the most part it is simply a process. Most of the opportunities that this Las Vegas handyman has for soldering, are for leak repairs. Every once in a while, we will find a valve that needs to be replaced, and there are special precautions to be taken when applying heat to these valves.
You want to protect the valve from damage. Specifically, protect the valve's inner workings from the heat of the torch. Many of the valves mechanics are made of plastic and flexible washers, and heat doesn't mix well with these.
If you will be working on a shower valve with a mixing cartridge inside, you must remove the cartridge before you solder the copper. You can remove the cartridge with a cartridge puller or a pair of pliers. If you leave the cartridge inside the valve while applying the torch, the plastic cartridge and O-rings can melt and virtually glue themselves to the inside of the valve.
For ball valves and gate valves, you want to fully open them up to allow the heat to escape and dissipate. Then you can apply the torch and solder the copper pipe.
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