Copper Tube

[mika]

Hey people,
I've read somewhere on this site about people discussing copper prices and that kinda thing. From what I can re-call, 1/2" was a good number (immersion wort cooler). Just been to Bunnings (no affiliation... blah...blah....blah).
12.7mm (1/2") x 0.91mm (??") x15m for $49.
Says it's 'Type B', made in China (where else :huh: ) to AS1432:2004.
Got no idea what that Standard covers. I'm ofay with the mild steel standards, but coppers news to me.
Anybody know the standard, is it good ? Seemed to bend easily enough.

 

[tangent]

just used a whole roll from bunnings
very easy to work
15m cools your wort VERY quickly
too easy to fit garden hose to 1/2 inch copper - 2x worm screw clamps

 

[mika]

So is good Ya ?
Is price good also ?

 

[PhilS]

That's all I used for my wort Chiller & Mash manifold. Easy to work with & solder with a Mapp torch I bent it around a large milo tin.

Very cheap at that price too

 

[stephen]

From what I have gleaned from the local hardware shop there are two types of copper tube available (there may be more but I'm relying on the hardware shop dude's 'expertise')

The first is 'hard drawn'. Very brittle if you try to bend it. Requires heating to enable bending. Sold in straight lengths only.

The second is 'annealed'. A soft type of copper tube that is easily shaped by hand to pretty well any shape required, ie malleable. Sold in rolls.

Hope this helps. I'm sure there are plumber types out there that can expand on this.

Steve

 

[mika]

Yeah, this stuff is in a roll and according to PhilS is good on price too. Hmm... think the aquiring of AG brewing gear is going to start sooner than I thought

Cheers !

 

[sintax69]

Another one falls down that slippery road soon you will be spending all night on the net browsing brew shop instead of porn, then getting cold sweets when the postie arrives with your lastest ebay buy and finally when driving the kids to school you will slam on the brakes race out of the car and grab a keg some one has dumped on the side of the road for throw out day.

Welcome to the grain side mika welcome Hahahhahahah

 

[timmy]

Then there is fridge pipe, the new pipe is R410a rated, has heavier walls to cope with the higher pressure of R410a refrigerant.

Otherwise the stuff at bunny's is plumbing grade which is good for brewing use.

 

[Trent]

Ah
So THATS why I had a little trouble bending my copper pipe without kinking it, had to be pretty careful. One of my mates was at the time a fridge mechanic, and picked me up a roll of fridge pipe. Still does the job pretty good but. The Bunnings stuff should be fine, Mika
ATB
Trent

 

[Bobby]

try your local hardware store also. in my case it was cheaper. picked up a roll for $35 at the mitre 10 down the road. :beerbang:

 

[tangent]

make sure the mitre10 roll is 15meters
the bunnings price is pretty good but $35 beats $49
also, i didn't solder anything, just made a coil with both ends sticking out so they hang over the side of the kettle. (if there's any leaks, it won't squirt water into your brew)

 

[Andyd]

On the point of bending, the difference between the two types is that the type sold in straight lengths will break if you try to bend it without first heating it.

The coiled type will bend easily, but will also kink easily while you are bending it. There are a couple of options you have to stop this:

1) Don't try to bend it too tightly
2) Keep the inner radius of the bend supported while allowing the outer radius to stretch.

For the second, more options:
1) Buy a spring bender (from Bunnings or JustTools etc), and use that to bend your copper without kinking it. This works fine to relatively long lengths, but doesn't bend short runs very well at all.
2) Buy a bending tool (Possibly Bunning, but definitely someone like JustTools - around $40). These are great for doing small radius bends, but won't bend particularly tight coils, and will usually only go up to 3/8" pipe, although you can get 1/2" benders that are slightly more expensive
3) Build your own bender. There are a few links out there to books that show you how to make one. Either bang "build pipe bending machine" into google, or this is a link:

http://www.lindsaybks.com/dgjp/djgbk/pipe/

I have no affiliation with it, but the pictures provided are probably enough for you to get an idea of what would be involved.

Have fun!

Andy

 

[tangent]

my advice is to take it SLOWLY, if you f#%k it up and try to bend it a few times, it'll harden and you're more likely to break it or put a crack in it. Think a bit ahead and slowly wrap it around something. I used a fizzy drink bottle full of water. When i was finished it was stuck inside so i let the water out and collapsed the bottle.

 

[Uncle Fester]

try your local hardware store also. in my case it was cheaper. picked up a roll for $35 at the mitre 10 down the road. :beerbang:

[post="110680"][/post]​

Well and good... unfortunately for all Canberran's, the "Mitre 10 down the road" is in Yass!

M

 

[redbeard]

dont u have magnet mart in canb ?? dont they compete with bunnyz ?

 

[poppa joe]

Fill it with sand n plug the ends...
cheers PJ

 

[mika]

Don't think bending it will be a issue, don't need it that tight for a brew pot.

BUT !!! NEWSFLASH... Bunnings have pulled the product. That'll teach me to hesitate

Something to do with the packaging.. mumble, grumble...meant to be back later...or so they say.

Thanks for all the feedback people, it's great advice.. might have to check out Mitre 10 and see what they have to offer... they're mostly a bit hopeless over here, but we'll see.