Copper Brake Pipes

[ron]

Hi All
3/16" AND 1/4" dia copper brake pipe is easily and cheaply available in 25 ft rolls at a fraction of the price that model engineering suppliers sell it at, it is normally guaranteed internally clean as well for obvious reasons!
Only snag is I've no idea what grade of copper it is, and so far haven't been able to find out, but having replumbed 2 cars with it over the years it doesn't seem to be much different to what we're using.
It is copper and not cupro/nickel which is also available for brake pipes.
Anyone any comments or think of any snags.
Ron

PS It has the following printed on it if it means anything to anybody;
3/16" 20G Copper M2006A 12.51 120/1

[SteveW]

Ron,

I'm surprised you use copper. There was an item on the local news the other night about a bunch of ner do wells hijacking the external 22mm gas pipes from houses and too dumb to turn off the gas. I hope they don't get to hear about your application.

The only good news is that another bunch managed to blow themselves up nicking a boiler. Should have turned it off first

Back to brake pipes, when I re-did my old A40 thirty years back it was steel pipe.

In a similar vein a friend was very chuffed on buying a bunch of 1/2" 'solid' copper rods until I suggested they might be steel earthing rods with an over coat of copper.

[baggo]

Hi Ron,

According to the Automec website the brake pipe they sell is to BS2871 Part 3, C106 which suggests it is 99.85% pure copper. I think C106 is the grade recommended for boilers so I can't see any problem using it for our pipework. The code on your pipe is a manufacturing code and date of manufacture I think.

Automec sell it in sizes from 1/8" dia. to 1/2" dia. (1/8" dia. £12.07 + VAT for 25 feet).

John

[ron]

Steve
They are definitely solid copper, you would be hard pushed to find steel brake pipes for classic cars nowadays unless you got them specially made, just a bit curious as to why you can buy a 25ft roll for less than a tenner when the model engineering suppliers charge over a pound a foot?
The cupro/nickel ones are popular with people who take it very serious, it's colour looks nearer to the originals steel pipes.
Ron

Hi John, just saw your post, Automec are the main suppliers I know of in the game, that's whose kits I used but there are also plenty of suppliers on Ebay that are a good bit cheaper for rolls of pipe, anyway that's one less thing I need to buy ;D