build a boka or a t-500 column ?

[YHB]

ok iv'e got 2 stop ends one im going to drill 3 holes one for temp gauge the other 2 is coil in/out

Chubby,

You need 4 Holes.

The forth one is the most important - the vent, this cap must not be sealed.

[YHB]

i didn't heat the copper up till it was red hot just had it near the coil as i was doing it in the garage so it was very cold and it just helped with the bending .

Chubby

It is difficult to see the copper get red, I have to do it in the dark. Heat up the pipe two inches at a time and it will get red, move along to the next two inches repeat this until you have done the lot, then quench it all in cold water.

[YHB]

just out of intrest has any one used copper brake pipe
either 1/4 or 3/16

and if i made it out of 3/16 or 5mm
would a 5" double coil be able to knock the vapour down in a boka still ?
or would i have to make it a little bigger and say have a
8" coil in a 32" pipe ?

Chubby,

If you use brake pipe make sure it is the pure copper variety, there are a few alloys available, and apparently these are not recomended.

Yes a smaller pipe size will require a slightly longer coil, and the smaller size / longer coil will increase the pressure required to get an adequate flow of water through it.

If you are on a high pressure system ie the cold water pipe is connected directly to the mains, you will probably be OK. If your tap is in the bathroom on the first floor and supplied by a tank in the loft then you may be struggling.

[YHB]

i may even see if a friend has a tap and die set big enough to do the inside of the 54mm tube and do it like the t500 but not sure i could get the bolt big enough.m

Chubby,

The pipe is not thick enough to thread, if you want to put an internal thread on the pipe then you could use this.

http://www.jtmplumbing.co.uk/end-feed-f ... e-6086.htm

[chubby_78]

yhb your a diamond thanks for answering those questions .
i have found a place for the copper and pipe bender .
so brake pipe not needed .

the flame on the torch wasnt close enough to heat it up all tho having looked at it today it has changed the coulor of the pipe so my be it was too hot.

thanks for the conector i my give it ago and the water pressure want be a problem as it mains fed.m

[Almanac]

When annealing copper the pipe should glow red and will become discoloured but that can be fixed with a little cleaning with steel wool or a Scotch Brite pad

I don't think you can get the copper too hot with a small DIY torch.

AM

[chubby_78]

im just using a propane butane mix so i dowt i would of got it that hot.
if any lives near a boy's shop they have the refills for £3.49 for the large can.

i suspected the pipe was to large to be bent round such a small pipe .im itching to get started again .

im still undersided witch way to go if anyone as the dimensions of the t-500 and may be a few pic of the innerd of the colum id much apperciate having a look .

yhb id never seal the top off for this and i forgot to mention i was looking at placing a safty valve or an extra peace of pipe .m

[chubby_78]

result i am proper chuffed

i recived the 1/4 pipe and spring today
and i made the coil after i figured out i was using a pipe that was way too small and could'nt possibly bend another pipe round itwithout kinking it .

pic shows u three coils two was the first and second goes at using the 8mm copper pipe and the 1 is with the 1/4 copper pipe roud a slightly bigger pipe and using the spring .



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

i did try to solider it all up today but the blow torch decided to play up.

so once iv got a new one il start again.m

[chubby_78]

i managed to get in the garage for a couple of hours over christmas
and made me a boka style head .

a few things i would do diffrently next time if there is one .
make a proper clamp to hold copper tube while cutting angles
maybe see if i can bend 8mm pipe instead of 6mm as u can not buy fittings for the 6mm well not over christmas.


if u look close at the top of the coil i have sliped 8mm over 6mm and solidered it up so i could get some fittings .




im quite chuffed i didnt mess the cuts up either i may have to buy a decent miter saw.

i have enough copper left to make something else and im itching to build somthing else

[YHB]

That is starting to look like a serious bit of kit. A great start to the new year, and long may it continue.

Toodlepip

[chubby_78]

cheers for that and happy new yr to everyone .m

[chubby_78]

i must be getting sad as i impressed my self today.

i got home early and had a couple of hours till the wife got home so i thought id use the peice of pipe i had left from the boka build .
this is based on the t500 it has a small coil with 6 turns and it's made out of 6mm tube

i didnt have an end cap so this is ware i impressed myself
i cut a bit big enough to flatten and solder to the end and once ground down and buffed up it looks good (well i think so )







i know the cut wasn't cut stright but there is a reason for it .m

[YHB]

You are right it looks good. Isn't copper a great metal to work with?

Getting you started was hard enough - getting you to stop will be even harder. You are now officially and addict.

Toodlepip

[chubby_78]

i do feel as if i need to build more as it was satisfying after i gave it a quick polish just to see it may look once it was cleaned up.

and yes copper is amazing very easy to work with and a very forgiving metal .

plus if i make another it will save me £4.00 on a stop end

.m

[chubby_78]

ok im proper gutted as i managed to finish my other
column then end up dropping it ten minutes later and braking it in too

http://imageshack.us/a/img213/1050/t500v.jpg


on the other hand atleast i know it wasnt strong enough

iv ordered some bits that should be here tomorrow to fix it so i should have it done buy tomorrow night if the wife doesn't find me some thing to do.lol