cheminot Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 I have noticed that it is possible to buy copper pipe of up to 16mm in coils (25-50m long), I have used 10mm pipe in coil form but wonder how easy it is to use in the bigger sizes. It is considerably cheaper in this form but I wonder how well it copes with being straightened and formed into tighter bends. Has anyone any experience with this and if so any tips on its usage?Cheminot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gyn_Paul Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 As long as you're bending it with springs or a bending tool it's adream to use. Esthetically you might prefer the hard, 3m stuff forplaces where it's on show as (at least for me) it's hard to get it deadstraight as you unroll it, and a pair of 16mm pipes running down the wall, weaving likesnakes between the saddle clamps looks not only amateur, but faintlycomic!paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LesFlamands Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 You may as well use plastic PER if it is not going to be on show. You need to use copper for gas or oil lines (in a gaine). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Trollope Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 The copper pipe in rolls is annealed (have I spelt that right?), which makes it easy/necessary for bending. When you want to bend the straight stuff, you must anneal it first (heat it to cherry red & plunge it into water) otherwise it will snap/crack. Annealing weakens copper, so I assume that the rolled stuff is not as strong. Never given me any problems, tho. Used plenty of it before I discovered PER.BTW, you will probably need to reform the ends on the tube, to allow a good joint, as it tends to deform easily when cut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gyn_Paul Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 That's interesting, Nick, I always assumed the softer rolls were purercopper, and that the straight stuff was an alloy of copper and a tinybit of something to make it harder.I've never found I've needed to anneal the hard stuff to bend it(within reason) provided it either had a spring inside it or I wasusing a bending machine, but maybe the French stuff is different to theUK 15/22mm.paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Trollope Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 [quote user="Gyn_Paul"]That's interesting, Nick, I always assumed the softer rolls were purer copper, and that the straight stuff was an alloy of copper and a tiny bit of something to make it harder.I've never found I've needed to anneal the hard stuff to bend it (within reason) provided it either had a spring inside it or I was using a bending machine, but maybe the French stuff is different to the UK 15/22mm.paul[/quote]Aye, the French stuff is much thicker. Gawd knows how much I have broken trying to bend it (albeit with a roller type bender, rather than a spring). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave&Olive Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 hi just a quicky on copper pipe. when the uk was forced to go metric ie with copper pipe and other things the inside dimensions of copper pipe was un altered they reduced it on the the thickness to give 15mm pipe hence uk thin pipejust for info dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Trollope Posted January 10, 2006 Share Posted January 10, 2006 [quote]hi just a quicky on copper pipe. when the uk was forced to go metric ie with copper pipe and other things the inside dimensions of copper pipe was un altered they reduced it on the the thickness to give 15mm pipe hence uk thin pipejust for info dave[/quote]So UK 15mm is 14mm I/D then? That could be useful to someone wanting to adapt to Frencg sizes - 15mm to a bit of 14mm to 16mm - obvious or too obvious? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thumper Posted January 10, 2006 Share Posted January 10, 2006 When I plumbed in our central heating last month, I ordered copper pipe via Screwfix (15mm and 22mm) and BES (28mm) in the UK ahead of the journey out - more for convenience sake than anything else, but it was also cheaper. I noticed, when it arrived, that most of it was stamped "Made in France". I've never had any problem bending 15 or 22mm provided I've used an internal spring. I haven't found a 28mm spring yet but it's tough stuff and I don't reckon my knees could cope! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alcazar Posted January 10, 2006 Share Posted January 10, 2006 I've bent 28mm stuff, albeit around a very gentle curve of about 3 foot radius! It was for the hot water part of a part pumped c/h system, and the boiler manufacturer recommended very gentle curves. Three foot radius was about the best I could achieve!Alcazar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fridgeman Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 Hi AllI have not used the French coiled copper pipe so I am takeing a chance here, I think it's refrigeration quality pipe, so it will have a thicker wall, will be soft and is easy to bend, just make sure you are using the right size bending tool, I say this because some of the cheaper tools are way off size......... Bonne Chance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave&Olive Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 hi i have found out the best tool to use for bending the small bore pipe work is my brake pipe bender , works wonderfull dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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