Guest ON3GO Posted June 25, 2006 Share Posted June 25, 2006 Would this be a good idea or no? i would think so. i know it would be more money and harder to weld over Alum piping but i think it would be pretty trick. how would one weld Copper piping, where could one find 3in piping and also do they even make mandrel bends in copper? thanks mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillZ260 Posted June 25, 2006 Share Posted June 25, 2006 I guess you can tig copper? Or only braze? Just fyi, the price of copper has more than doubled TWICE in the past 12 months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 Copper conducts heat much much better than aluminum. In that sense it would be good. But I think it might weight more for the same strength, and I don't know if it can be worked as thin as aluminum. Why not solder it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
proxlamus© Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 ummm.. copper is a soft metal.. soo i dunno about that http://autospeed.drive.com.au/cms/A_2540/article.html "Generally speaking, aluminum seems to be the material of choice for all automotive heat exchange, but there are other materials that offer distinct advantages and disadvantages. Silver, for example has a lower coefficient of heat than aluminum, and will support more heat exchange in an otherwise identical situation. The price increase is surprisingly small as well. For air to water cores, copper offers even better heat properties at a fraction of the cost of both aluminum and silver. Unfortunately, due to copper's corrosive properties, it generally isn't appropriate for street use in an air to air situation." Soo.. I guess Copper has very bad corrosive properties.. which is a no no Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mario_82_ZXT Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 What if you clear coat it? Mario Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slownrusty Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 Mike I swear you never stop thinking....LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ON3GO Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 Mike I swear you never stop thinking....LOL! well im jobless right now so i have nothing to do but sit around and think. i cant work on my Z's since no place to work and we are moving out of this rental real real soon. i sold a car the other day so i do have some money sitting around but i think im gonna buy 2 migs and a tig... mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
proxlamus© Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 one mig isnt enough.. so two will do ? LoL.. aww ol blue is gone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ON3GO Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 one mig isnt enough.. so two will do ? LoL.. aww ol blue is gone? nope i still have it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 Copper was (has) been used as a material for heat exchangers for centuries in stationary and marine applications. Cost is the main reason its not used on automotive applications. It also fatigue cracks easier then aluminum. Welding copper can be difficult because it transfers heat away from the weld even faster then aluminum. You can weld copper using any welding process that supports DC negative and you can weld copper to steel. I've TIG welded lots of copper and you need to polish it after because it develops a layer of black copper oxide in the heat affected zone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 I meant to add that the stock Z radiator is made of brass, a copper-zinc alloy. The cupronickel brake lines John suggested in a different thread is another copper alloy. If you have ever seen an old MG-TC, they used soldered copper pipe as radiator hoses. So not really a new idea. I worked summers in a nuclear power plant that used copper alloy heat exhangers to cool the steam exhaust from the turbine. Copper ions were breaking free from the condenser and weakening the piping containing the reactor coolant. They had a hell of a time replacing the copper-alloy heat exhangers with stainless steel ones because they had to be so much larger. About the only metal that conducts heat better than copper is silver. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHO-Z Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 You can get about any fitting needed in DWV copper. It is used for drainage systems so the elbows are longer radius. It can also be soldered with 95/5 so putting it together is simple. They sell the 2" stuff at Lowes so you could look there for ideas on how the fittings look. Go to your local plumbing supply and check it out. I have put some of this stuff together many years ago when I worked in the pipe trades. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNeedForZ Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 If it's just for the looks, you can make a steel one and then electroplate it in copper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZROSSA Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 Making pipes from copper is very easy, just braze them. Pumbing supply shops will have all the stuff you need as well. Douglas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big-phil Posted June 29, 2006 Share Posted June 29, 2006 copper is about $3.20 a pound! ouch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaleMX Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 The heat exchangers on our air compressors are made of copper. They break from time to time and I just braze them up. They never break at the braze, they always find a new spot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezzzzzzz Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 You can find cupronickel pipe/tube at boiler shops and any similar business that serves the ship building/repair industry. I work in a naval shipyard and visit the piping shop often looking for bits I might use in my projects. The weight per foot of cupronickel or copper is much more than aluminum and the cost would be well up there too. Brazing is the only viable method of joining for most DIY's. A healthy torch, silver flux and some high silver content brazing wire would do the trick. We're talking IC's here and although the temps can be up there the benefits of using copper or cupronickel (the better choice) just aren't justified for the application IMHO. I'd rather build from aluminum and then anodize it in some awesome color to mix or match. You can probably get close to a copper color too. I think you'd be dollars ahead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaleMX Posted July 2, 2006 Share Posted July 2, 2006 Copper conducts heat much better than aluminum. But so does silver. Here's a link with some numbers. http://www.engineersedge.com/properties_of_metals.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Okimoto Posted July 2, 2006 Share Posted July 2, 2006 Considering copper intercooler piping for the Dusen-Z? Yes, fill her up with high grade petrol and we shall party like it's 1923! sorry about that. The first thing that came to mind when I thought of copper in a car are very old cars. But why not consider silver? It has a low melting point, but silver would look even better than copper. Since you're spending the money on copper, it would only be a few bucks more. Plus you can do all the seams with a soldering iron. But yeah, you can use type L or M copper piping. Dip it in some acid and then clearcoat it, I think it would look just awesome. The only thing I would be afraid of is cracking at the leaded joints (if you choose to use solder). The sizing is not a problem, I regularly specify 2 1/2" piping in plumbing. Would you even use regular fittings? Do you need a di-electric union when you hit the intercooler and chassis? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaleMX Posted July 2, 2006 Share Posted July 2, 2006 It would crack it you soldered it, I'm sure that Mike would braze it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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