[Rev. Noch]

Does anyone have a tutorial or advice for bending copper tubing? I am attempting to build a fog chiller like the one here: Fog Chiller.

I'm having trouble with getting the tubing coiled tighter without kinking it. I thought that I was doing what was suggested on the site with rolling it around something, but I have not had a lot of luck.

I'm using 3/8" copper tubing as suggested.

 

[slightlymad]

Sounds like what your wrapping it around may be to small. 3/8 tubing can also usually be found pre coiled then you just have to tighten it up and and hold it together. Heating it up also helps.

 

[Rev. Noch]

Thanks, sounds like I should try heating it up. I got the pre-coiled tubing but it doesn't seem to be able to tighten up as much as on the site on it's own. After playing with this stuff, I'm wondering if that's what he did also. I'll bet he just didn't get into that detail.

 

[Toetag]

Bending copper like that is no easy task at all! I have tried many times trying to build exatcly what your are and i failed every time. A suggestion is to go with a different design b/c well copper just is not cheap at all when you can get the same effect with a simple design with half the cost or more. Unless you really have your heart set on building this one...Then i understand i was there once

 

[yardhauntjunkie]

There is a little tool that kind of looks like a spring. You slide it onto the tube and then you can bend the tubing by hand because you are displacing the pressure of the bend over the whole area of the curve. That way there is no kinks. They sell them in the plumbing area at the hardware. I would assume they are 5 bucks.

 

[yardhauntjunkie]

I don't want to dissuade anyone from building a Halloween related project, but I too have to say the expense of this project might not justify the outcome. I looked at the design on the page mentioned above, and if your intended use for the chiller is inside I say go for it. I am sure it works great(probably one of the better ones I have seen). But if your intended use is outside I might think twice about building something as elaborate as this. I too had grand visions of elaborate fog chilling dreams. Some of them actually worked on calm windless summer days. However when Halloween rolled around and there were even small BREEZES (not even wind) the elaborately chilled fog blows away just as well as the simply chilled fog does. I too was warned of all the pitfalls of an elaborately designed fog chiller but went ahead and did it anyways. I think that is the fun of all this. But, it is nice to save the time and money. The guy on the page for the fog chiller with the copper tubing even had to bring his inside to test it because it was too windy outside.

 

[Rev. Noch]

I don't want to dissuade anyone from building a Halloween related project, but I too have to say the expense of this project might not justify the outcome. I looked at the design on the page mentioned above, and if your intended use for the chiller is inside I say go for it. I am sure it works great(probably one of the better ones I have seen). But if your intended use is outside I might think twice about building something as elaborate as this. I too had grand visions of elaborate fog chilling dreams. Some of them actually worked on calm windless summer days. However when Halloween rolled around and there were even small BREEZES (not even wind) the elaborately chilled fog blows away just as well as the simply chilled fog does. I too was warned of all the pitfalls of an elaborately designed fog chiller but went ahead and did it anyways. I think that is the fun of all this. But, it is nice to save the time and money. The guy on the page for the fog chiller with the copper tubing even had to bring his inside to test it because it was too windy outside.

I appreciate your advice, I'll likely try and see this through if I can find the tool you mentioned. Especially since I already have the copper. My dad works at a Lowe's so I'll see what we can find.

Do you happen to have a picture of the tool or a site that has one?

 

[yardhauntjunkie]

Rothenberger 25188 Copper Tube Bending Spring - For hand bending of soft copper tubes

This is what I was talking about.

 

[Rev. Noch]

Rothenberger 25188 Copper Tube Bending Spring - For hand bending of soft copper tubes

This is what I was talking about.

Wow! Great, that may be exactly what I need. It's starting to feel as though this project is probably foolish, but I guess I'm committed at this point. I'm sure I'll either revel in my accomplishment or suffer an agonizing defeat. Wish me luck.

 

[yardhauntjunkie]

Wow! Great, that may be exactly what I need. It's starting to feel as though this project is probably foolish, but I guess I'm committed at this point. I'm sure I'll either revel in my accomplishment or suffer an agonizing defeat. Wish me luck.

I want to make it clear that I think the project seems like it will work great. I just have found from personal experience that mother nature tends to win when it comes to fog outdoors. If the fog were for indoors or you have no wind outdoors where you are I think this would be great. I was thinking about putting a refrigeration unit in my fog chiller (I dispose of appliances for a living), but to be honest it would be pointless in my situation because the fog gets blown away no matter how chilled it is. I went with the cooler and ice design and it works great(when there is not wind).

 

[Calloween]

I found this
Cal-Van Tools Heavy Duty Multiple Size Tubing Bender - Model 758 at Sears.com

 

[Ghost of Spookie]

That copper bending spring looks pretty cool. I was thinking you might be able to insert some smaller diameter plastic tubing inside the copper to fill in the inside and assist in bending without crimping, but this simple spring looks great. And cheap too. I think if I were going to make a mad scientist room, the tool would come in handy to shape metal coils for lab equipment. Gee you never know what you will learn by reading these posts. Thanks so much everyone.

 

[HalloweenJared]

I've always heard filling the tube with sand (or rice if larger diameter) and then bending it. The fill inside keeps the sides from collapsing. Makes sense - but I've never tried it (never had the need to bend any tubing )