How to make flaring copper tubes

Installation of copper pipelines can be carried out in several ways. One of the most common is the application of the method of soldering individual sections. This makes it possible to achieve tightness, but it is not always practical due to the low maximum pressure in the system. For heating or water supply systems, it is best to use the flaring of copper pipes.

Appointment

The essence of this process is to change the geometry of the end part of the workpiece. This is necessary to connect different parts of the pipeline by the socket method with subsequent pressing of the junction site. The device for expanding copper tubes has various parameters and directly depends on the diameter of the product, the wall thickness and the required speed of the procedure.

To understand the essence of the process, you can consider the stages of its implementation.

1. Preparation of cuts: trimming, grinding the edge of the cut.
2. Determination of the increase in the outer diameter in the connected part of the pipe.
3. With the help of a special tool, a mechanical action is applied to the end of the workpiece, as a result of which the inner diameter increases.
4. Installation in the resulting socket of another piece of pipe. Then the connection is fixed by soldering or by crimping with a mechanical tool.

When installing pipelines, you can select models with ready-made mounting sockets or perform the procedures for their formation yourself.

Factory-made

If the length of the copper main is large and does not contain a large number of turning parts, you can purchase a product with factory flaring. For this purpose, special shafts made of high-strength steel are used. After the pipe is made, its end part is crimped by two rollers. The method of rolling increases the geometric dimensions of the product in a certain part of it.

The advantage of the factory flaring is compliance with all pipe parameters: wall thickness, length of the socket and its diameter. However, when assembling, often the dimensions of the finished structures do not match the required ones. This leads to an increase in substandard pruning and, as a consequence, a significant increase in the cost of purchasing materials. Therefore, for the laying of small highways it is recommended to use a tool for expanding copper tubes.

Forming the roll yourself

When laying the piping of the air conditioner, water or heating system from copper pipes, a special tool must be used. Before carrying out the work, it is necessary to determine the diameter of the main line. In this case, the flaring of copper pipes must be done independently.

For water pipes, products with a cross section of 20 to 32 mm are often used. If you install a heating system, the optimal diameter is from 32 to 40 mm, depending on the parameters of the boiler. For the installation of air conditioners, products up to 16 mm are used.

Proceeding from this, the flaring of copper pipes with their own hands can be carried out by several types of tools. The main criterion in the selection should be the quality of the received bell and the possibility of using interchangeable nozzles for pipes of different diameters.

Tool

The simplest way to change the geometric dimensions of the butt is to use a cone cylinder made of solid material. Its external diameter must coincide with the maximum value of the cross-section of the future bell.

However, without great practice, defects may appear on the walls of the pipe. If the flaring of copper pipes to do with greater mechanical force than necessary, then eventually the metal can crack. To prevent this, a stopper is welded to the end of the cone. But this is not always a guarantee of proper work.

An alternative to this method can be the use of a special tool - an expander. It is a cone head, on the surface of which the stoppers for pipes of various diameters are placed step by step. By pressing the lever, the bell flares uniformly to the required level.

For a large amount of work there are devices with electric drive. The processes in them occur automatically, which guarantees a quality product. The main disadvantage is the price.

Advantages

If you do the flaring of copper pipes yourself, it is recommended to purchase a special tool. The use of devices that are not designed for this purpose can lead to a significant deterioration in the connection location.

The advantages of a professional rolling tool are as follows:

• Uniform thinning of the walls as a result of mechanical action.
• No rupture or deformation on the surface of the pipe.
• The speed of work will allow to establish the highway in a short time.

With a small amount of work, it is not necessary to buy a professional tool. Currently, there are many companies that provide a rental service for rolling equipment for a small fee.