Welding copper tube

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A customer came in with some copper tube and wanted me to chop it up and weld it back together the same as his templates.  He tried to get it mandrel bent, all that happened was it broke as soon as it started to stretch.  So I found a rough center, laid out some 1" marks based off of the center point, marked centerline on either side of the tube and marked a spot on the saw to match the lines on the tube so I could flip it back and forth so there were equal degree cuts on the pipe. I set a stop on the saw and that got me into the ball park with each piece.  As I fit it together, I had to do a little fine tuning with a sander because the templates were not a perfect arc.  after I clamped down the first piece, I used a square to make sure they were true to the new template/plate.  Then I cut 1/8" pieces of the pipe, cut and hammered them out straight for filler rod.  It's a good idea to use the parent material as filler since different batches will not always match and you'll see a lighter or darker spot where you used filler rod.  It welded pretty nice.. A little tricky on the heat since it takes so much to get started.  The whole piece was smoking hot when I was finished.  I ended up sanding the welds down with a sanding disk, then a barrel abrasive.Oh yeah, these tubes are for a water exhaust on some vintage boat. Attached ImagesCommon sense in an uncommon degree is what the world calls wisdom.
Reply:What settings were you using,  I bend alot of copper tubing, but have never had a problem with it braking or kinking.  The end result looks really nice.2 Trailblazer 302's2 HF251-D1'sDynasty 200DXLincoln Powermig 140CHypertherm Powermax 30Airco Torches out the a$$
Reply:Man, that's neat"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Wow a custom elbow I like that good job few lil pieces .... so will it  all turn green together  and not be striped with using the parent mat.Lincoln 225 Tombstone,Miller Big 20,Hobart 180,150' Argon,A/D hobart hood 22 Ton Log splitter,79 F350 dump eats 4.75 TONS and still turns cutters,grinders,And a  Hypertherm POWERMAX 30
Reply:The tube is 3" with about a 1/16" wall.. He traveled half way across the state to have it bent.  I wonder if he annealed it if that would have made a difference.  Maybe it was the wrong composition for that type of thing.  We tried to mess with some acid in the shop, but it was the wrong kind to put a green patina on the tube.The whole job of 2 elbows took a little over 5 hours.Common sense in an uncommon degree is what the world calls wisdom.
Reply:Interesting, and interesting job.  Have any pics of the finished elbows, or is that first (fuzzy) pic all you have of the end result?Yeah, copper gets hot when you add heat and the heat spreads quickly.    The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:o-a? tig? what settings?...
Reply:gorgeous gores. A true artist. Have you tried filling the pipe to be bent with sand and capping both ends... This usually works well, distributing tensile forces more evenly.Miller TrailBlazer 251Miller HF-250-1Miller MaxStar 150 STLHyperTherm PowerMax 380 plasmaLincoln PowerMig 180Millermatic 252Miller Diversion 180
Reply:Very nicely done! Next time, try the sand fill trick...also, when tigging copper, Use a heavy Gage electrical cable, stripped, and un- twist the strands. The single strands, somewhere around 3/32", makes for great filler wire.....You spoke of patina and various colorations. I've found that end finish, color of copper, when welded, heated, etc. Is very controllable. Heat to desired color, if you don't like, sand or brush and start over.Miller TrailBlazer 251Miller HF-250-1Miller MaxStar 150 STLHyperTherm PowerMax 380 plasmaLincoln PowerMig 180Millermatic 252Miller Diversion 180
Reply:Nice, I have always wanted to try to weld copper.Miller Dynasty 200DX Tig Welder
Reply:When they make musical instruments they freeze soapy water in the pipe and bend.  The ice holds the shape and the soap lubes it.  After the bend wait for the melt and you got a bend.  I don't see why that wouldn't work.  Didn't look very unusual wonder what it was for.
Reply:What ever the reason it couldn't be bent. The job looks awsome! Did the customer happen to mention Chris Craft? They used to use alot of copper in their old boats.Lincoln Ranger 8                        Lincoln 175                          Drill pressLincoln 225 mig                            Plasma                              8 ft brake        52" jump shear
Reply:isnt a milk bath a good way to patina copper?  somebody told me this before gives it that aged green patina very quicklywww.burdettenetworks.com
Reply:If you want to patina copper quickly, all you need is a 6 pack of beer. 2 step process: #1. After completing project, drink 6 pack of beer to celebrate as you put away toold. Step#2. Pee all over the copper project, and let it sit for a while. Then wash it off with a hose. Instant patina.If you think I am lying to you, I did this in the roofing/ sheetmetal industry for 10 years. Works very quickly.And then, after so much work...... you have it in your hand, and you look over to your side...... and the runner has run off. Leaving you holding the prize, wondering when the runner will return.
Reply:Originally Posted by RojodiabloIf you want to patina copper quickly, all you need is a 6 pack of beer. 2 step process: #1. After completing project, drink 6 pack of beer to celebrate as you put away toold. Step#2. Pee all over the copper project, and let it sit for a while. Then wash it off with a hose. Instant patina.If you think I am lying to you, I did this in the roofing/ sheetmetal industry for 10 years. Works very quickly.
Reply:Originally Posted by RojodiabloIf you think I am lying to you, I did this in the roofing/ sheetmetal industry for 10 years. Works very quickly.
Reply:Rojo is right. The Japanese have copper finish to an art. Some people's urine turns copper blue instead of green, some blue and creen and others just green. I've used it myself and it works in about 24 hrs.