Welding copper and copper alloys

[Cippee]

I like welding copper and it's alloys. I like this video and though I would share it. You want a test weld a 1/2" copper pipe using a 14 gauge copper wire as filler metal. It's quite tricky. Silicon bronze is easier to weld then copper though. When ever I have to weld copper or it's alloys I'm happy. However I don't like brass the zinc sucks and will make you sick.

http://www.youtube.com/v/12Q0uejml7s?autoplay=1

[Jake98]

Is that you Cippee? Good video.. It amazes me how steady some peoples hands are.

[Cippee]

No it isn't me I don't have that steady of hands either. I think it's off a miller advanced tig welding techniques. I would have to prop to steady my hands.

[sportbike]

It's Ron Covell. He is a pretty well known metal working instructional video guy. Has a bunch of stuff related to auto restoration and fabrication available.

[jp2code]

No kidding. It didn't even look like his arms were braced on anything.

[welderdude]

I actually tried the same thing. Ill post a picture if I can find the piece of pipe. What's amazing is how much amperage it takes to form a puddle. for the 1/2 inch pipe, I used somewhere around 60 to 80 amps.

[Cippee]

Yeah and I love how the pipe starts to glow red..

[welderdude]

Here are some pictures of my attempt at welding a piece of 1/2 inch copper pipe. Its kind of weird because the puddle is kind of gummy. it doesn't flow very well along with the fact that its so darn conductive. I need to try it with a sheet of copper because I had more trouble with the fact its round than the fact that its copper.

[jp2code]

It came out pretty good.

Did you TIG that? What gas did you use, machine settings, etc?

[jp2code]

Next time I need to work on the plumbing in my house, maybe I'll just TIG the pipes back together instead of using that nasty solder.

[welderdude]

I did that a couple of months ago. I used my gms 400 on lift tig. I don't have a pedal for it either.
I had a cheap not so flexible wp 9 torch with a 1/16 ceriated tungsten sharp.
I used pure argon at 15 CFH with a #5 cup.
I was around 60 to 80 amps. I don't remember exactly though. I just know it takes A LOT of heat to get it to work. I couldn't imagine trying to tig even 1/8'' copper yet alone anything thicker.

[jp2code]

>> "I couldn't imagine trying to tig even 1/8'' copper yet alone anything thicker."

What size was that pipe you just showed pics of?

[redbeard]

Next time I need to work on the plumbing in my house, maybe I'll just TIG the pipes back together instead of using that nasty solder.

And just think of all that money you'll save on fittings!

[redbeard]

>> "I couldn't imagine trying to tig even 1/8'' copper yet alone anything thicker."

What size was that pipe you just showed pics of?

Should be either .028(type M) or .040(type L) wall thickness.

[dyethor]

Ill post some pics on this thread tomorrow when I can take pics at work. I made some distillation parts out of copper all tig welded. I like to use a bronze filler rod if the joint doesn't need to be aesthetically pleasing, otherwise I use cut up a sheet of copper into thin strips and use them as filler rod.

[Cippee]

You can use copper wire also. 14ga works good.

[dyethor]

Yea I've used copper wire but there are different alloys and they hardly ever give whats mixed in. I like to know what I'm burnin so I'm not like hey that flows nice but I have no idea what it is.

[dyethor]

Its not the best looking welds. These were my first go on copper with a tig machine. Previously I had only been using silver.

[redbeard]

Its not the best looking welds. These were my first go on copper with a tig machine. Previously I had only been using silver.

So what kind of hooch you brewing with that setup?

[dyethor]

Its for water. It was an old setup. My current setup is all stainless steel besides some internal copper stuff. Its out put can go up to 94-95% pure ethanol, That's about as high as you can go without a vacuum setup. I do have some rum aging with vanilla bean up on the shelf. All for cleaning purposes of course.