Never Need A Coupling Again! How to Swage Copper Pipe!

[@MrWoofie62]

That brought back a flood (pardon the pun!) of memories of serving my plumbing apprenticeship over 55 years ago. I've still got my pair of old Monument swaging punch tools in one of my toolbags somewhere. Been retired for nearly 7 years now but I still haven't got the heart to get rid of my work tools.

[@PlumbingsCool]

I applaud you for your services! 👏 👏 👏 No doubt you can certainly teach ME a thing or two! 😀 Yes, I completely empathize with you in that it's very difficult to part with so much that been integral to your bread & butter. I consistently tell my students to buy the best they can afford at the time, and to never skimp on the quality of tools...notably the hand tools that one reaches for every day. One of my primary pliers go way back decades, and they never miss a beat! Thanks for sharing! 👍

[@totheknee]

Don't get rid of them! Find someone like me who would love to have tools like that, and show them how to use them. Then you know they're in good hands for another generation. I got some _amazing_ machine tool instruments from two generations up on the condition that I don't sell them. Lol, I would NEVER even dream of selling them; they are _irreplaceable._ Edit: for the record, I was 31 years old when I got them. People like me exist, and we love good tools!

[@AmirMoore-d9w]

Thank you a million times. I have learned more in five minutes from watching your video than I have with watching others for an hour.

[@PlumbingsCool]

That's awesome! I can't tell you how much that means! 🙏

[@boblewis5558]

I'm an electronic engineer, not a plumber but have done ALL my own plumbing all my married life (golden next year! 😮). However, in electronics, that arguably uses even more copper than plumbing, it's always been the case that: 1. Copper both age and work hardens 2. To soften/anneal copper the exact opposite process to steel is used ... Heating copper to red or almost red heat then quenching immediately in cold water. It works for copper wire and cable, so I have no reason to believe it wouldn't for pipe. You can easily tell by its very pink appearance afterwards. I have never experienced cracking after doing so unless it is work hardened by continual flexing ... One reason why it is so easy to break a solid copper wire by bending back and forth.

[@totheknee]

Are you serious? I never knew that. I'll have to try annealing copper now...

[@amimoses1391]

Useful, easy to understand, thank you.

[@stevieg4201]

Pretty good video, we always go by the rule, 1/2” pipe, 1/2” of solder, 3/4” pipe, 3/4” of solder, when I teach people how to solder, I can’t say it enough, wipe your joints while the solder is in liquid form, it makes a cleaner joint, and you can see any voids, the pipe won’t turn green in time because the flux is being wiped away while in a hot state, just a suggestion, I thought the video was good, just a few suggestions for you, if we teach them how the long way, they can figure out shortcuts on their own once they understand the how and why first. Thanks for taking the time to make this video

[@PlumbingsCool]

Thank you very much for the kind words. I completely agree with you. The truth is that the soldering portion is a bit of a bonus to the swaging process. A dedicated soft-soldering video is planned, which I can promise will include thorough step-by-step instructions, among other details about soldering and exactly what it is. Thanks for the feedback!

[@Dicofol1]

Good stuff, we want more content. You don't need fancy video editing, quality content is King! :)

[@PlumbingsCool]

Thank you!...I will genuinely take your words to heart! 🙏 As I too WANT to GIVE you all more content, your words entertain the thought for me to abandon my other ventures and dedicate myself to this channel full-time. Let's see what the future brings! 😉 Thanks as always for your support!

[@ooyginyardel4835]

I always schmere some soldering paste on the swedge and inside the pipe before banging away. Makes life easier all around. Thanks for a great video.

[@PlumbingsCool]

Ah!...to ease the friction. Great tip! Thanks for your feedback.

[@bodinian]

I love this idea. My preference for using hard tubing makes me think I'd need some kind of tool to save time over the hammering.

[@PlumbingsCool]

The trick's in the tempering of the hard pipe! Thanks for your feedback!

[@josephrajakumar7717]

Thanks brother. I had to teach swaging and brazing . Thank you .

[@PlumbingsCool]

Awesome! Hope it helps out!

[@bonniebonnie9388]

This is an Excellent video of the subject to enlarge copper !!! Thank you so much 🙂

[@bonniebonnie9388]

excellent video! to show how to solder Too, I'm inspired to fix the Bathroom copper pipes its behind the bathtub in the wall, Thanks to your video I feel confident I can do it Thank you so much you are a God send✝️🙏 awh awh awh🎵🎵🙂

[@PlumbingsCool]

Thank you so much for your kind words and inspiration! 🙏

[@nobodydoesithalfasgoodasyou]

Oh this is perfect. My radiator would have been so beautiful if I'd seen this before 😅 I'm going to have to find another excuse to swage something

[@PlumbingsCool]

Comments like yours is what makes it all worthwhile! Delighted to be of assistance. 👍

[@JeanNankoo]

Thank you sir. Very interesting, instructive. Thanks

[@PlumbingsCool]

Thank YOU so very much! 🙏

[@calvinkeagan]

Love you man. Learn a bunch today.

[@PlumbingsCool]

Thanks so much for the encouraging words, man 🙏...at the end of the day, that you got something out of it is all that matters! 👍😁👍

[@SofiKaptain]

Very good and useful video

[@PlumbingsCool]

Thank you very much! 🙏

[@paulmanhart4481]

Good video. I’m trying to join 3/4” hard copper pipe K with 3/4” soft copper tubing. My thinking was that the OD of the soft tubing is 3/4 and the ID of the hard pipe is 3/4”. So with a little sanding on the inside of the Hard K, they should fit together. I’m making a 100’ inner and outer helix of soft copper for my aftercooler of my air compressor. So the air comes up in hard copper, does a 90 degree and connects with soft copper. Then it spirals up a cylinder and back down to another connector from soft to hard and another 90 to go straight down. All this will be in a large bucket and the copper pipe will enter through bulkheads. Chilled water is circulated through the bucket from top to bottom. So the top has one bulkhead for water input and the bottom of the bucket has three bulkheads; one for water exit, one for air in and one for air out. My concern is connecting the hard with soft copper. Your thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks, Paul

[@PlumbingsCool]

Sounds like you're making quite the interesting contraption! To begin with, I know of no issues with joining soft and hard copper together. Our codes require that all buried copper piping must be soft annealed (to prevent likelihood of kinking), and all buried joints must be brazed/hard-soldered. Although I don't think burial applies to your situation, you may want to nonethess consider brazing if you're running significantly high pressures, since brazing provides for a much stronger joint. Also, soft annealed is usually measured by its OD size, they do indeed sell 7/8" OD coil (our 3/4" ID Type K or Type L, which we utilize for underground water service. Therefore, you may be able to save yourself some grief by opting for 7/8" OD coil and simply connecting the hard and soft with a simple 3/4" copper pressure coupling. (Or of course you can save yourself a coupling or extra joint by simply swaging the soft side to accommodate the 3/4" ID hard pipe. Another alternative is to see if you can source 3/4" x 7/8" copper couplings and simply connect your two aforementioned pipes with them. Hope this somewhat helps. EDIT: Here's an example of a 7/8" x 3/4" reducing coupling: hvacdirect.com/7-8-to-3-4-inch-copper-fitting-reducer-coupling-cfw01035.html

[@paulmanhart4481]

@@PlumbingsCool yes. That helps. Although I already have both hard and soft copper so I’m dedicated to that size. Thanks for your help. Paul

[@throttlebottle5906]

just use standard sweat couplings and silver solder. if worried about strength braze it. if worried about smooth laminar flow use hvac/refrigeration fittings or radius bend the soft copper or anneal sections and radius bend the hard copper. alternate use all type k soft and get good at bending/straightening.

[@paulmanhart4481]

@@throttlebottle5906 I would think that if hard copper is stated as ID and soft copper stated as OD, that a 3/4” OD soft tube would fit inside a 3/4” ID hard pipe. I may have to put the pipe on a lathe and open the ID a bit to get a good fit but it should work. I’m making a double helix with 100’ of 3/4” soft copper. Fill tube with salt, wrap around a 7” diameter PVC pipe, then at half way, start wrapping down again on the outside of the first helix. So hot compressed air comes in from the bottom, circles up to the top and then circles back down and exits out the bottom. All this in a bucket of circulating chilled water to cool the air and condense the moisture. So both input and output must connect to 3/4” hard copper pipe. How do I silver solder? I’ll look it up on KZbin. Thanks.

[@throttlebottle5906]

@@paulmanhart4481 not sure what soft copper you're looking at or dealing with. but standard plumbing/hvac/refrigeration copper is all sized by O.D. (0.875" nominal) and the I.D. varies by "type"(wall thickness). with type K being I.D. of (0.745" nominal) the others type L/M are thinner wall and actually over 3/4" I.D. it's sized that way so the same fittings/connection methods work across the board. many years ago, that may not have been the case, especially in old soft drawn "water service" copper, which was generally flared and always used special fittings. but now it's also the same diameter and they most often use "packer" compression style with clamp fittings. to terminate. or the ones that have not went to poly pipe or pex.

[@kitty9374]

I have the husky swaging tool. Hope I learn from this video on how to use it

[@PlumbingsCool]

I certainly hope so too! BTW: The tool I use in the video is also the Husky tool! Let me know how it goes!

[@w5cdt]

FYI - You used the word “temper” instead of anneal when discussing heating the pipe. Temper hardens and anneal softens. I used to work in a copper tubing factory. ;-)

[@PlumbingsCool]

Thank you!...you're 100% right! I sometimes to use those terms a little too interchangeably! Noted, and thanks for the correction! 👍

[@johncoscia5258]

l can definitely see why they have other tools for job , thanks .

[@PlumbingsCool]

Right you are! In a pinch though, this cheap, simple solution can be a lifesaver!

[@105.1-THE-RAZORS-EDGE-RADIO]

Awesome dude !

[@PlumbingsCool]

Thanks so much! 😁 ✌️

[@socem2301]

Masterpiece 👌👌

[@PlumbingsCool]

WOW!...you are way too kind! Sooooo much appreciated! Thanks for the inspiration! 🙏

[@rigobertoacosta5941]

At this point, i would have brazed a couple of couplings but it is a cool tool ive never seen this before

[@PlumbingsCool]

You're 100% right...but it's not really a replacement for couplings, but rather for one of those "in a pinch" moments late on a Friday night when all the suppliers are closed. Just a little more flexibility for one's skillset!

[@rabiuabubakar6232]

Good class. please keep it up

[@PlumbingsCool]

Hey, thank you so much! 🙏 I intend to!

[@bigoldgrizzly]

An old process. I have a set of 8 lead pipe bobbins or dollies made of lignum vitae used for swaging and pulling through lead pipes that have deformed. These are driven by a steel weight on a rope which runs through the bobbin, thus acting as a hammer as the rope is moved back and forth. The set ranges from 2" to 6" diameter in 1/2" steps. Not that you'd want to, but I doubt if you could even source lead pipe in that sort of size.

[@PlumbingsCool]

Oh, goodness me...lead pipe! Now THAT'S classic old school indeed! No, I don't typically work with lead pipe, other than the typical 3" lead bends that serve water closets in century-old homes. Usually any revealed lead is cut out and replaced with more modern material. I didn't even know that swaging tools for lead even existed...thanks for for sharing and Happy New Year! 🥂

[@bigoldgrizzly]

@@PlumbingsCool I bought them with a view to making a set of carving mallets but on reflection, they are a little bit of history so they stayed intact. I used some lignum vitae lawn bowls instead. Happy healthy and prosperous new year to you Sir !

[@throttlebottle5906]

so your father/grandfather/relatives used to install lead water service and sewage many years ago? I think there's still way more lead and heavy leaded piping in the ground and water supply/drainage than they want you to know...

[@bigoldgrizzly]

@@throttlebottle5906 Not that I know of, but the use of lead supply piping was still the norm when my grandfather was born in 1880 and was still common when he died in WW1. I agree that there is still a lot of lead piping that has not yet been replaced and will likely be years before it is all eliminated.

[@mtnsofutah]

very educational, thank you

[@PlumbingsCool]

Delighted that you got something out of it!

[@inactive67]

I have seen this before but never thought about hard drawn copper I just assume it would have been a code violation like bending pipe. Thanks for the info

[@PlumbingsCool]

Well, you're not completely wrong, as most of the time swaging IS carried out on soft annealed pipe. With respect to BENDING pipe, our Ontario codebook is arguably somewhat obscure on what's allowed to be bent. It refers to bending pipe only of "soft or BENDING temper": So if the hard-drawn Type "L" SUCCESSFULLY bends with the proper bending tool (as I've done countless times), should hard-drawn pipe not be considered "bending" temper? 🤔

[@pbpism]

Thank's for the video. I was looking for a video on the many different brass fittings for flared copper joining. I am a bit lost as to what to use where so ended up reverse engineering the 60 year old pipes i took out of our shower.

[@PlumbingsCool]

That's interesting...I've never seen flared connections used for shower assemblies!

[@thomaswilliams400]

I'm curious, what would happen if, after heating your hard copper pipe you swaged it while it was still warm (not blazing hot)? Would that make it easier to swage? Would that mess things up in Pipe-land? It just seems to me that bending warm metal would be easier and less time-consuming than waiting for it to cool.

[@PlumbingsCool]

Good question. Although I'm by no stretch an expert in metallurgy, my understanding is that allowing the copper to cool slowly will allow it to soften without posing the risk of cracking or splitting when attempting swage while it's too hot. I suppose that also requires to define what you mean by "warm". If the pipe is warm - albeit cool enough for you to handle it without getting burnt - I suppose it would be safe to do so. I know some guys just don't have the patience to wait and quench the pipe with a cool wet rag to speed up waiting time. Although I've done this myself with solder joints, I think it does not soften (or "anneal") the copper as it would if you were to let it cool naturally - and may actually harden the material.

[@biancalosi9278]

Bravo!!🙂

[@PlumbingsCool]

Grazie!

[@brracing7861]

Thanks !

[@grahamhubsch9610]

Fantastic bro 🎉❤😂😅

[@PlumbingsCool]

Thanks so much!

[@OtisPlunk]

Nicely done.

[@PlumbingsCool]

Appreciate it! 🙏

[@willarceo6304]

I would use it as last resource

[@PlumbingsCool]

Absolutely. Although It's quite the Godsend when you're on the jobsite at 5pm on a Friday, and you discover that you're short a coupling! The more options at our disposal, the better!

[@wt9653]

I need to do this to make custom diesel heater exhaust pipe. It's doesn't get hot enough to melt copper.

[@PlumbingsCool]

If your application gets particularly hot, might want to consider brazing the joint, rather than just soft- solder it as I demonstrate in the video (which has a MUCH lower melting point than brazing).

[@wt9653]

@@PlumbingsCool I don't need brazing. I have to work on it once in awhile. It is a cheap Chinese diesel heater. I just need to slide over the exhaust pipe and put some 1200 degree silicone to seal it.

[@PlumbingsCool]

Ah, I see.

[@meljane8339]

I am presuming that a ring mandrel and maybe a deep socket could perform similar effect of a swaging tool, ie. For improvise. ?

[@PlumbingsCool]

Hmmm....I suppose in a pinch it may work...although you'd need a fairly accurately-sized socket to ensure that there's just the right amount tolerance to allow for a proper hub size. Given that these swaging tools are less than $10, I'd much rather prepurchase one and keep it in my tool box in case I'd ever need it, rather than shuffle around to create a last-minute compromise (although it'd be fun to see if your suggestion would work!)

[@meljane8339]

@@PlumbingsCool maybe a swaging tool would make a better ring mandrel? (What are they usually made of?)

[@PlumbingsCool]

Maybe! Swaging tools are typically made of nothing more than hardened steel.

[@johnnychang4233]

Can we apply the swaging technique to a street male or female fitting?

[@PlumbingsCool]

Interesting question, but you'd be hard-pressed to successfully swage a street fitting - namely with this specific tool - primarily because you're going to bottom out the tool at the fitting's turn when you try to insert the tool. You need at least 3 or 4 inches of straight clearance to drive the tool into the material. Besides, if you're needing to swage a street fitting, it probably means you're trying to connect that end to a straight piece of pipe, which would serve as a better candidate for swaging. Also you would NOT be able to swage a female fitting, since a female fitting is exactly what you're trying to achieve by swaging (turning a male end into a female). Besides, you'd still have the same bottoming-out issue as previously mentioned.

[@mattlikesbikes]

Would this also work to help re-round copper? My service line into the house has ovalized a touch from years in the ground. Planning to cut in a new fitting, but won't be able to solder an oval tube into a round fitting.

[@PlumbingsCool]

Although I'm not sure how dire of a state the shape of your pipe is, generally yes, swaging the pipe will most certainly round it back to its normal shape. HOWEVER, you should do this only if you intend that pipe end to act as a hub/female, because using the swaging tool will not only round it out, but also expand it to receive standard-size pipe. If you're simply looking to restore the shape to round (without expanding it), your best bet is to round it out by inserting and twisting a set of needle nose pliers, ensuring not to over-do it so as to enlarge the outside diameter of the pipe. Another trick would be to take an adjustable crescent wrench and adjust the Jaws to the exact proper size of the outside of the pipe and simply gently run the wrench Jaws around the oval pipe until it begins to reshape to round. Finally, if you are soldering underground, you might want to consider brazing ("hard-soldering") the pipe with a proper brazing allow such as Sil-Fos, which is significantly stronger than traditional soldering and actually mandated by Code at least up here in Canada whenever soldering joints below-ground. Hope this helps, and good luck!

[@timthemechanix]

good idea but it was so much easier and cheaper to replace it all with pex. I bought all the part pipe and fittings for under $200 on line and in one day completely replaced every piece of copper pipe in my home with pex and then the scrap copper recycle paid almost half the cost spent on pex.

[@PlumbingsCool]

True, that Pex is cheaper. But Pex can't always be use in every application. Plus I'm not fond (to put it kindly) of any plastic piping for most any water pressure applications, for several reasons. I acknowledge that Pex is legal, approved and isn't going anywhere in the foreseeable future. But if I could choose the water delivery system in my house, its copper hands-down. Thanks for your input!

[@robertboyd321]

yes thanks, I slipped while holding the coil between my legs once & de-nutted myself.A rather painful experience.

[@PlumbingsCool]

😳

[@LuckyRick2004]

Great video, i have a problem, the input service line to an old house i have has a slightly larger than 3/4 in pipe. The valve attached to it froze and cracked. No 3/4 in adapter (shark bite, copper adapters, etc) fit.. I want to go from the 3/4+ to a 3/4 male or female adapter. Any ideas how to expand beyond 3/4 in by about 3mm or so to fit it? Thanks ,,any suggestions would be greatly appreciated....

[@PlumbingsCool]

Given your stated dimensions of +3mm, it strangely sounds like you have 7/8" ID tubing (or 1" OD), which is not typical in plumbing; usually it would jump from 3/4" ID to 1" ID. If so, the easiest way would be to acquire a 7/8" ID x 3/4" ID coupling, such as this one: supplyshop.com/products/7-8-od-x-3-4-od-reducing-coupling-copper-fitting-bm34016 Failing that, provided that you're working with thick enough copper tubing (Type L or K), You may be able to swage the existing pipe to 1" ID using the properly-sized swaging tool, and then fit a piece of 1" ID pipe into it and solder or braze the joint. From that point you can simply adapt from 1" nominal pipe size to 3/4-in nominal pipe size using a standard 1x3/4-in reducing coupling. Hope that makes sense. Let me know how it works out!

[@mcpoogle9058]

The pasco pipe sizing tool for 3/4 pipe will be the easiest way to deal with that situation. It’s the opposite of swaging, you hammer it onto the pipe end and it will squeeze it back to its original outside diameter thereby allowing you to use regular fittings on it

[@lagunafishing]

Thanks for all the excellent information. At first I was thinking about reaming as a solution to make thin wall tubing for a project I'm working on and to be perfectly honest, I never even considered swaging copper pipe before! 👍👍 Can you please tell me if it's possible to swage copper while it's still hot in a vice to a. make it easier and b. produce thinner walls?

[@PlumbingsCool]

Thanks so much for the the positive feedback! 🙏 I'm glad you found the information useful...that's what it's all about! Regarding your swaging questions: 1. You can probably theoretically swage copper pipe while still hot and in a vise, although you may still need to provide quite a bit of counterforce with your other hand, as you hammer the tool in; otherwise, I'd expect that the vise's teeth wouldn't be able to hold the pipe steady enough without causing the pipe to slip with each hit (tightening the vise TOO much will squish or damage the pipe. An alternative to hammering would be to try an expansion-type swaging tool, although they will set you back more than this simple tool, and I'm not sure how effective the cheaper expander would be. 2. By "thinner walls", I'm presuming you're referring to making the pipe larger than the female hub counterpart of pipe your swaging (for example, turning a 1-inch pipe into a 1-1/4-inch female?). If so, then theoretically it should be possible, although I never tried. Two things to keep in mind: With respect to plumbing, our Code explicitly states that pipe can only be swage to accept pipe of the same diameter diameter - I imagine other areas would be the same. Still, if you'd like to proceed (in the name of science!), I'd suggest using heavier-walled piping, such as Type "L" or even thicker Type "K", because they'll provide you with more material tor stretching out (like a balloon!). Of course, the thicker the wall, the more force/effort you'll require to drive the tool. Hope that helps, and thanks again for watching!

[@lagunafishing]

@@PlumbingsCool Thankyou very much for taking the time to reply. My project involves using micro bore copper tubing as a starting point to produce thin walls, as opposed to mating much larger plumbing pipe together as shown in your excellent video. It might be possible to hold it gently in a vice while resting one end up against a stop end? - without having to worry too much about damaging the end as it can be cut off and discarded. I'm only aiming for short sections of about 2" lengths anyway. I could probably attempt a press fit in the vice rather than hammer it? I shall try that and with a bit of luck the swage tool won't get stuck if I do it in stages! By the way I'm watching here from the UK and already subbed to your channel. Thanks again! 😊

[@PlumbingsCool]

Watching all the way from across the pond...that's awesome, thank you! Well, whatever you're making certainly sounds intriguing, to say the least. Here's what I learnt in life so far: Sometimes, we simply need to take a leap of faith and try something to see if it works out. Ask yourself, "what's the worst that can happen"? In your case, you'll end up with some a few £'s spent and a bit of scrap copper. But more importantly, you'll end up with a LESSON!...which may ultimately spawn some new ideas for you. One problem I find is that as we grow into adulthood, we lose the element of play and experimentation, which stifles our creativity. Good luck!

[@lagunafishing]

@@PlumbingsCool Thank you. Yes I agree, taking a leap of faith is sometimes the key to success. I've never been afraid of trying new things and discovering the possibilities! Failure is also an opportunity in which to learn and improve. Saying that, I'm also old/wise enough to recognise the talent and expertise of others too and often take inspiration. I'm 62 in a few days time - proving we're never too old to learn! 😊

[@PlumbingsCool]

Never too old! You've gotta keep poking at life to keep things interesting! Happy upcoming birthday! 🎈🥂🎂

[@bobbuilder3748]

Can a pipe expander (manual or hydraulic) be used on hard pipe without heating?

[@PlumbingsCool]

Technically, yes...but boy, oh boy will it be so much more effort manually. Hydraulically/mechanically should be no problem as well, although I'd drive to slowly to allow the pipe to expand in a more controlled fashion to avoid tearing the pipe. I've bent hard Type L pipe with a manual bender before, and although I get a proper bend 99% of the time, there is the odd time where the pipe breaks due to bending too quickly. Hope this helps, and appreciate your time!

[@Johncamel10]

I am planning to build my own marine heat exchanger and I cannot find the term of how to finish the copper pipes on the end plate so then I can inset the whole set up in an over all pipe and solder the end caps. Would you be able to help me to find the right way how to turn the end of the copper pipe and then solder it?

[@PlumbingsCool]

Hmmm...I could be wrong, but might you be referring to "Flaring"? kzbin.info/www/bejne/m4DPhGiKqaaeedk

[@fiercefix]

Watch out for your hands dude you only get one set for life . Using them like a vice & Hitting them like this is a sure fire way to get problems later in life.

[@PlumbingsCool]

😂 🤣 😂 Boy, you've got that right! 🫒🍌

[@rickss69]

Actually, had you quenched it right after heating it would have remained soft and been much easier. This is the method you use when you wish to bend hard tube as well without it collapsing/kinking.

[@PlumbingsCool]

It did soften...and remained so. I've been able to soften and bend even thinner Type M hard copper tubing by heating it and allowing it to slowly cool - and it didn't tear or kink. I'm certainly not a metallurgical expert by any stretch, but my understanding is that rapid quenching produces significant stresses, uneven tempering and micro-tears to the copper's surface, thereby weakening the pipe. Truthfully, I know trades guys who insist on both sides of the argument (weather or not to quench) and I've yet to come across a solid, scientifically-viable verdict. 🤷

[@BillWalters77]

How to make a larger diameter swagging tool for PVC pipe? Thanks

[@PlumbingsCool]

Sorry, you out of luck, there. There is no proper formal way that I know of to expand any plastic piping (with the exception of Uponor, also known as Propex or formerly Wirsbo, which is used for water supply lines.) The only way I know of to reshape hard PVC piping is to gently heat it up, but I don't know of any such plastic swaging tools - at least in the plumbing field.

[@frederickneal4781]

You should probably use a ball pein hammer because it's more heavy duty and strikes with more force & also hit the swaging tool vertically into the pipe and maintain a tight grip on the pipe with your other hand.

[@williamemerson1799]

Nice, just a couple questions. 1; Are there any drawbacks to joining hard copper to soft? 2; Is there a tool that swages' DOWN the diameter of the pipe so it can be inserted inside a pipe of the same diameter so as not to show any type of hub swelling? This is for art and crafts type stuff so inside restrictions won't matter. Good info in the video.👍🍻

[@PlumbingsCool]

Thank you kindly! There are no drawbacks or restrictions with respect to joining hard and soft copper piping - although soft is easier to swage or flare (which is why you may wish to actually soften the pipe by tempering it with heat before doing so). Although it is strictly against Code (and arguably not physically possible) to INCREASE the original diameter of the swaged pipe, I know of no tool or method for compressing it to a smaller diameter. Also, even if you could, you'd likely not want to, because doing so will cause a DOWNSIZE in inside pipe diameter, which is virtually a cardinal sin in plumbing! 😁 Hope this helps and thanks for watching!

[@williamemerson1799]

@@PlumbingsCool Arts and crafts, not plumbing. Good channel by the way. Thanks for the quick reply.

[@PlumbingsCool]

Ah, arts & crafts!...one of the many versatile alternate uses for plumbing materials! Thank you sincerely for the kind words! 🙏

[@meljane8339]

@@williamemerson1799 I think it is called "'drawing' a wire," or tube...

[@meljane8339]

It is. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wire_drawing I think it is possible to do so with a tap and die, but you would have risks involved with the integrity of the metal (ie. It would get scratched up). You might want metallurgical consult for something larger than jewelry in the drawing process. It's possible it might be fairly involved, or just simple.

[@TeeDontWhiff]

So when swaging 3/4 copper tubbing I would need to use a 5/8 tool tool to accommodate for the diameter?

[@PlumbingsCool]

The first thing you'd need to determine is whether the tool's sizing refers to Inside Diameter (I.D.) or Outside Diameter (O.D.). 3/4" I.D. Is equal to 7/8" O.D. You also need to determine whether your aforementioned 3/4" pipe is that size in I.D. or O.D.. In plumbing, we refer to most pipe sizing based on its I.D.. To swage 3/4" I.D. pipe, we would need a 3/4" I.D. swage tool. If the tool's size markings refer to O.D., then you'd need a 7/8" O.D. tool to swage the 3/4" I.D. pipe. Hope this helps!

[@rameshpersaud7131]

Great job where to buy the tools

[@PlumbingsCool]

That one is a cheap & simple ten-dollar Husky brand version from Home Depot. You can opt for the more expensive and higher quality #Ridgid brands, which should be available through your local Plumbing supplier or pipe tool supply shop. www.ridgid.com/ca/en/swaging-tools

[@blackericdenice]

I've been trying to hook up my 5/8 a/c lines for days. No one sell a coupler.

[@PlumbingsCool]

5/8" for AC is usually what we call 1/2" in Plumbing. Measure the outside diameter of your AC pipe: If it measures 5/8", then a simple 1/2" copper pressure coupling from a plumbing supplier should suffice.

[@blackericdenice]

@@PlumbingsCool The couplers I find are either the same size or too big. I think I saw the tool you used at Harbor Freight. I'm going back there to get it.

[@PlumbingsCool]

I'm wondering whether you need 5/8" ID. I'm not sure if that specific tool is going to help you, because it maxes out at 5/8" OD. Here's something I found online, but it's Walmart Canada. www.walmart.ca/en/ip/Uxcell-5-8-Inch-ID-Straight-Copper-Coupling-Sweat-End-Welding-Joint-Pipe-Fitting-4-Pack/PRD5ZHV28H0VEGT So if you're in the US, copy/paste this into your Google search: 5/8" ID copper coupling Good luck!

[@ForPropertyInvestors]

I like to know how to solder a 3/4 inch copper pipe right through the side of a 44 gallon steel drum, 6 inches into the inside and about same on the outside and not using bulkheads and compression joints ect as they are expensive? Must be an easy plumbers trick somehow? Needs to be for waste veg oil!

[@PlumbingsCool]

Now that sounds like a very specific use! 😊 Although I can't quite envision exactly what you're trying to build, or its usage, what I can tell you is that (regardless of connection method) steel and copper should NEVER touch, as doing so runs the risk of corroding the copper as a result of dielectric reaction. Steel or even brass is no problem. Also, your best bet wouldn't be to solder the connecting piece, but rather to either braze it or weld it. I'm wondering if you could simply take a 12" length of 3/4" Schedule 40 steel pipe and insert it through a drilled 7/8" hole at the side of the drum (the approximate outside diameter of the 3/4" steel pipe), and simply weld or braze it up. I'm not sure how strong the joint will be, but it might be the most practical way to serve your purposes.

[@_JohnRedcorn_]

I’d just use map gas

[@PlumbingsCool]

Nothing wrong with Mapp gas, and it definitely burns hotter than propane - although it is a little more expensive and a little harder to source.

[@mikev.1034]

🤘👍

[@PlumbingsCool]

🙏 😊

[@craigssellingmine]

whats the name of these tools?

[@PlumbingsCool]

Swaging tool.

[@williammorris3303]

Even though this can be done, you may still want to use couplings, this stresses the pipe and will eventually lead to a failure imo

[@PlumbingsCool]

While I'd agree with you that couplings are certainly more cost-efficient when you factor in the labour, the main benefit of knowing how to swage is that it adds a simple-yet-effective tool to your arsenal in case you're ever in a pinch because you ran out of couplings. Not a practical everyday function, but certainly good to know. As for weakening the pipe, here in Canada swaging is perfectly legal by Code as long as you abide by the requirements: 1. You can only swage pipe to accept piping of the same size (you can't stretch 1" pipe into an 1-1/4" hub), and 2. It must be a minimum thickness of Type "L". Any thinner (M or DWV, and you WILL shred the pipe!) Thanks for your feedback!

[@jedtaylor5816]

When using a pipe bender the copper on the outside edge of the radius is stretched, not too different to stretching the copper in a swaged joint. Not heard of any failures due to pipe bending which is universally used in plumbing.

[@berniel3358]

Nice , but copper fittings will do it

[@PlumbingsCool]

Oh, absolutely! This is only intended to be an in-a-pinch alternative in case that coupling can't be found! 😁

[@macanina100]

Seems more time consuming than just using a 2 dollar coupling.

[@PlumbingsCool]

You're absolutely right...until you realize that you need to leave the jobsite to run to the supplier because you happen to not have a simple coupling on hand. An unscheduled trip to the supplier is one the biggest time-wasters when doing a job. So although swaging isn't likely to replace couplings any time soon, having that simple skill can pay you back in spades when the moment requires it.

[@meljane8339]

@@PlumbingsCool that, or indentured servitude to a franchise or other financial backer. Plus, you can prep your own stuff on your own downtime.

[@stevejohnson6053]

100% not worth the effort

[@PlumbingsCool]

The intention of swaging is not to outright replace couplings; it's simply an extra tool in your arsenal when you're in a pinch.

[@stevejohnson6053]

@@PlumbingsCool i suppose as an emergency in case you need a coupler and don't want to waste an hour going out to obtain one. i see one that you can use a power drill with. i'm gonna try that

[@PlumbingsCool]

Exactly!

[@BobHolster-om8rf]

IF YOU MISS. YOUR BALLS WILL NOT ONLY BE SWAGGING . THEY JUST MIGHT BE HURTING. ON THE SMALLER PIECES YOUR FINGERS COULD MAKE A GOOD TARGET. IN THIS CASE YOU MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO USE YOUR FINGERS OR BALLS. GOOD LUCK AND BE CAREFUL.

[@PlumbingsCool]

😳