I have a burst copper pipe - can I braze the crack?

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Had a hard freeze a few months ago and left a garden hose attatched. Well it burst the pipe. Pipe is 1 inch diameter copper plumbing stuff.Crack is 2 inches long running lengthwise down the side of the pipe.Can I hammer the gap together and braze this up? I can easily buy a new pipe section but thought I'd give this a shot first.Lincoln PowerMig 180cVictor O/ABandaids and aspirinI don't know what I don't know!?
Reply:I would say yes, but you may have more than one choice in brazing filler.  Usually copper is silver soldered.  I just had an underground tube rupture on my HVAC.  The repair guy fixed a huge hole in the copper tube using some kind of flux coated filler rod and a small butane or gas bottle torch.  I don't know what kind of confidence I have in his repair since he did not splice in a new segment though.  I think he just scabbed it over.  It cost me $350 for labor, brazing, and 21 lbs of new freon.  He said if it doesn't hold, he will be back in 3 years.  I expect AC to go 10 years with no service though.  Your jeopardy is a lot lower of course.If you silver braze, you might need the crack opening to only be .002-.005".  That is a typical braze clearance.  You can braze bigger gaps, but at risk of internal porosity.  It is actually a statistical problem more than an insurmountable obstacle.  Mabye you could get away with a huge gap by using silicon bronze (commonly called Everdur) filler.  Some other people might have more input on this than me.  My background is actually welding.  If you have a TIG, you could use the silicon bronze fairly easily though.Last edited by obewan; 04-10-2009 at 02:07 PM.Reason: added comment
Reply:Ya if you clean the sides before you close it and flux it the silver brazing will hold better than all the soldered joints for sure... just clean it good and maybe put a patch on it if you mess up the first time,  but if you can get to it without an mgm production I would just change out the little piece would be the best way to go. then you would have 4 more joints with the couplers.... Easiest Quick patch will most likely hold out longer than all of us if done right anyhow . GOOD LUCK   My 2 centsLincoln 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:could even chop it off under there and put a compression fitting on it.no fire necessary
Reply:It's actually threaded into a bigger piece. No cutting necessary. It's alreeady on the bench. I will advise of the outcome gents. I just refilled my acetalene bottle and it needs to sit for a spell.Lincoln PowerMig 180cVictor O/ABandaids and aspirinI don't know what I don't know!?
Reply:copper phosphorus works nicely too.only thing worse than an ugly woman is an ugly weld
Reply:cut the busted piece out,replace with new piece,use sharkbite fittings to put the new piece back together
Reply:Yes,there is another product by Harris called Stay-silv 15.  It is a stick .050x 1/8"  which used to be called sil- foss. Just be sure there are no soft solder joints or pipe doped joints close to it which would need to be protected from the heat.   Wet rags could work.  Just close up opening  like with a pair of channel locks, heat pipe until cherry red and apply sil-foss. It will flow smoothly over split and adhere to pipe. Its a awesome fix.  You may want to test on practice piece to see how it flows. Perfect easy 100% fix. Did this hundreds of time on heating and chilled water coils that freeze. They usually split on the return bends which is easy,its when the tube splits that is a real pain. Sometime surgery is required to remove fins to expose tubing. GOOD LUCK! bob
Reply:It worked out. Low fuming bronze bare rod and "stay silv" by Radnor.Not very sexy looking but it's hidden in the ceiling of the basement. I pressure tested it and all is well. I should also add that this assembly is sold as a unit for $26 at Home Depot. It's some kind of freeze resistant deep set valve, but I left the hose screwed on one night.Before:[URL=""]After:[URL=""]Last edited by skywest; 04-10-2009 at 07:07 PM.Lincoln PowerMig 180cVictor O/ABandaids and aspirinI don't know what I don't know!?
Reply:I know it is cool to be able to weld (or braze) everything and anything...But $2.00 in parts and 60 seconds sweating a new joint on with a propane torch is the real way to fix this sort of thing. Why weld it?Tim
Reply:Originally Posted by tmarks11I know it is cool to be able to weld (or braze) everything and anything...But $2.00 in parts and 60 seconds sweating a new joint on with a propane torch is the real way to fix this sort of thing. Why weld it?
Reply:Why climb a mountain?Why sail the seas?Why ask a hot chick out on a date?Man, come on!  Are you seriously asking why? The man wants to know his own limits. Could he fix it? He didn't know until he tried. Right or wrong, it is done. If it breaks he may buy a new one. But for now he found that in a pinch he found a solution that could have happened Christmas Eve with a house full of guests from out of town waiting to take showers. Home Depot is closed. What do you do? PUNT!!!!Ok, there. I am done.HeheheheheHave a happy Easter guys!!!Nice fix.Lincoln Power Mig 210MP MIGLincoln Power Mig 350MP - MIG and Push-PullLincoln TIG 300-300Lincoln Hobby-Weld 110v  Thanks JLAMESCK TIG TORCH, gas diffuser, pyrex cupThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 101My brain
Reply:What ever happened to frost free faucets?????? I use them on my farm and I have never had one freeze up on me.Co-Own CNC shop:Miller :1251 plasma cutter, MaxStar 700 TIG/Stick, & XMT 456 Multiprocess Welder.&  2 Hypertherm HPR260's Plasma CutterSorry I had a bad stroke but now I am back.
Reply:Skywest - Always glad to see a braze job! I know it passed the pressure test, but if there's potential for flood damage I'd say the fix needs a quick rework.The filler build-up should be heaviest over the crack, especially near the ends. Maybe it's just the picture, but it seems to show only a thin "tinning"over the crack, especially at the left end. The thin cover may not survive temperature/pressure cycles or a water-hammer episode. If there's no flood danger, or if the repair is only exposed to pressure while the water valve is open, you could probably let it ride.Otherwise, for peace of mind, I would say it needs one more quick heat and flow, and a burst test to maybe twice normal water pressure.Good Luck