I am installing a solar hot water heater, and I had to make a run of pipe through the attic. I was concerned about leaks, so I used a 50 foot roll of soft copper so that I would have no joints in the attic. Now I have to connect to the soft copper. It seems to deform when I cut it with my tubing cutter, then the end is not round and the fittings will not fit on well.

I am looking for tips or hints

Thanks

Peter

Just solder it. Solder will take care of any irregularities.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
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It depends on the wall thickness of the tubing. If it's quite thin, you'll need a very good cutter with a sharp blade to cut it cleanly without crushing it.

Try using a cut wheel in a Dremel or other rotary tool. The high RPMs will make it cut clean without crushing.

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1985 300TD - Red Dragon
1986 300SDL - Coda
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Flare fitting?

X2 with VERY small turns on the cutter.

It seems to be going ok when I take my time. The problem was when I cut the first piece, it was really close to the end of the pipe, so there was not a lot of pipe on one end to help keep it from deforming. I was concerned that there were some tricks I didn't know, or I needed a special fitting

Thanks for the help

On your cutting tool ,there is a black knife like piece on the side that pops up. it is shaped in a point, use this to deburr,and true the end of your pipe. Copper is fast becoming a thing of the past. in the future check out P.E.X fitting and water disribution pipe, It is polyvinly, doesnt freeze, wont leak (coppor will eventually wear out ) you dont have to solder you can transition to copper or galvanize and you can bend it any way you need to ,no more offsets, requires special tools to install the crimp rings, You can rent these tools if you do not want to purchase them

I'm a bit of a heathen, but for soft copper, I use the .046" thick cutting wheel that fits on an angle grinder. You can get wheels that are for alum and other non-ferrous metals at welding shops, but even the steel wheel does OK, bit of temporary build up on the wheel. Goes through soft copper like a hot knife through butter, no distortion. Then I hit the corners with a sanding block.

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Te futueo et caballum tuum

1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

A good cuttig tool from (ridged) only costs $20.00, and has extra (correct) cutting wheels,should last a lifetime,can also be used on brakelines & such.

I use a hacksaw blade turned around backwards in the holder-costs nothing.

Try sticking a wooden dowl the same size as the inside diameter into the tube before cutting it. it will help the copper hold its shape...

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OK, why install a "solar HOT water heater", if the waters hot, why heat it more.


Sorry I just couldn't resist.

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1990 500SL

I was always taught to respect my elders.
I don't have to respect too many people anymore.

I was thinking about it, but decided not to comment, in good taste...

~Nate

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Well, I have one, two actually, one of those compact ones too, top quality -- well, Rigid -- for cutting hard copper they are the thing to be sure. I guess I worry about soft copper, I mean it's not straight always and that affects good cutting.

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Te futueo et caballum tuum

1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K