Copper Tube Work?

Is the copper pipe from Menard's or Home Diaper got too much other metal content in to make an effective welding backer? Experience? I wanted to get a piece and flatten it to finish a quick project today, but not sure if will work at all. Don't want to order a piece of copper bar and wait for it. Thoughts?

 

I bought some copper bar at my local metal scrap yard you might want to check around locally. I dont know about the tubing.

 

I have a bunch of copper pipe from the local hardware (Lowes, Depot, etc) that I use as backer so I have various sizes. I just flatten down the pipe in a vise and go.

Not ideal, but it works just fine.

 

Flattened copper pipe from Home Depot worked for me, try it on a piece of scrap metal first..... It works!

 

x2. I use it all the time.

 

Yes. I cut a larger piece of copper pipe along its length, flattened/striaghtened it out, and was able to get a large backer out of it.

 

Copper tubing works just fine. Flatten it a bit, bend to suit the shape you're going to weld and weld away....

 

Household copper is pretty pure stuff, at least very clean. If you want to get fancy with bending it, look for the type "L" which comes in coils. It bends a lot easier without work hardening.

Bob

 

i got my " copper on a stick" too !!! flattened down pipe screwed to a broken harbor freight handle. has held up for years, the same cant be said for the H.B. hammer

 

i use used tubing scavenaged from plumbing,air conditioning whatever comes around.works fine

 

Another good use for copper tubing is wire lugs. I keep various sizes around that I flatten, drill and crimp onto big wires - and of course it solders well too.

 

Harbor freight sells a copper spoon to back up holes while mig welding. I bouught one for about $7 or $8. It works well.

 

I use whatever is handy, I have flattened soft copper tube with good success, I have also used aluminum that I had lieing in the floor.

 

I bought one of these off Ebay a while back but don't think I paid this much for it. 260972361745

The one I got is pretty solid and has a decently heavy piece of copper on it.

It shouldn't be that hard to scrounge up a decent piece of copper or copper pipe or tubing that can be flattened though.
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Bronco, the best material to use is" buss bar" usually found in electrical panels. I have some that I've used for backers that is 1/4 x 2, just the right size. Over the years, I've
made at least a half a dozen of them,each to suit a different need and I've still got more
than 6 or 7 feet left.

..............Jack

 

Use what you have handy. To flatten copper pipe, heat it to a dull red and then quench it in water. It will be much more malleable. After flattening if you what to fold it to make it thicker, reheat and requench first.
I use a piece of buss bar that I riveted to a piece of 1/8"x 1/2" steel for a handle. I used 1/8" brass welding rod for the rivets. I taped up the handle with electrician's tape. The handle can be rebent to get it into hard to reach spots.

~Alden

 

Thats what I use. Made a backer stick for my buddy too. Works fine. They were scraps from a plumbing project and bought at Menards