How to weld copper

Video: How to Solder Copper Pipe The CORRECT Way | GOT2LEARN

Content

Steps
Tips
Warnings
What do you need

Copper and its alloys are widely used as materials of construction, especially in electrical engineering and for the manufacture of pipes. Copper is highly conductive and highly resistant to corrosion and wear. Such unique characteristics also require a special approach to this metal. Working with copper requires special techniques. Before working with this metal, study its properties and how to handle it. Learn to determine the type of copper, its alloying and thickness, since all these characteristics are very important to consider when choosing a welding mode. For some applications, copper is better soldered than welded. Learn when it is best to apply a particular method. This article focuses on welding copper pipes.

Steps

1 Prepare your workplace. It is best to work on bricks or a concrete stand, but if this is not possible, simply remove flammable objects and materials before starting work.
2 Clean the work area of old paint, oil and other hazardous substances that can damage the weld by mixing with the molten metal. Lead, phosphorus and sulfur are also very harmful additives in copper welding.
3 Make sure to weld at a sufficient distance from wooden walls and furniture, or install dampers to prevent sparks from entering the wood surface.
4 Remove dirt from the surface of the copper pipe by rubbing the outside with sandpaper and inside with a wire brush.
5 Establish what type of copper all welded fragments are made of. Some alloys do not mix with each other. An example is a copper-tin-zinc alloy, which cannot be welded with a copper-nickel alloy using standard methods.
6 Select the correct filler wire. It must be stronger than the copper-based alloys to be welded.
7 Put on your protective gear and make sure you don't have any exposed skin.
8 Hold the electrode at an angle of more than 70 degrees to the surface to be welded. This will provide a softer heating and avoid overheating.
9 Prepare the metal for welding, depending on its thickness. For a sheet with a thickness of 3 mm or less, make rectangular joints, for a thicker sheet of metal - beveled joints.
10 Hold the electrode at a steep angle while making a horizontal weld. This makes welding easier for the beginner. If you need to make long seams that require a different electrode position, break them into smaller pieces and then weld them together, again guiding the electrode at an oblique angle to the metal surface.

Tips

Practice on unnecessary metal fragments before challenging work.

Warnings

Copper has a high electrical conductivity. Therefore, it is extremely important not to have exposed areas of the skin to which an electrical discharge can spread.