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Fred

On Sun, 3 Jan 2010 12:07:41 +0000, (A.Lee) wrote:

It is fine, so long as you do it slowly, and dont make the bend radius
too tight. A better solution is to bend copper pipe to shape, then take
it to be chrome plated.

Thanks. I wanted to fit a new radiator but SWMBO would prefer visible
horizontal runs of chrome rather than boxing out the skirting board to
hide copper. I wanted the pipe to continue into the other room, which
means the tee from the bottom pipe needs to go up and over the top
pipe; the only way I can see to do this is with a bend, hence my
question. Unless anyone can think of a better way to do this?

It'll be classed as mixed copper or brazier copper. This is 30% or so
cheaper than plain copper. I've dealt with 3 scrap dealers, they all
only pay for mixed copper. It has to be brand new, or look brand new to
get plain copper prices. One joint, or a bit of solder on it, and it is
mixed.

I never knew that. I wasn't sure whether the chrome was more expensive
than the copper and hence would have got a better price; obviously
not. I once took a bag of copper pipe to the scrap yard; all the pipes
were bare except one had a stuck lock shield valve on the end. They
told me the whole lot was mixed copper because of this. Next time,
I'll cut it off before I go! I don't know why they couldn't have
weighed the other pipes separately.

I was interested in the other reply that mixed copper gets melted down
and used in alloys. I naively thought there was a production line
where men with angle grinders cut off all the joints before the pipe
was melted.

Thanks again.