I had a burst pipe in a crawl space, and when I managed to get back there I
discovered it was 3/8" soft copper. Unfortunately I had no 3/8" fittings.
(do they even make 3/8" fittings, other than compression?)

So I "fixed" it by getting the hole as small as I could with pliers, and
then by wrapping two layers of silicon tape around it. Then I put some
cable ties around the tape for good measure.

Seems to be holding so far. Assuming it does not blow immediately, should
it be good indefinitely or will it deteriorate? Anyone use it for this
purpose before?

toller wrote:
I had a burst pipe in a crawl space, and when I managed to get back
there I discovered it was 3/8" soft copper. Unfortunately I had no
3/8" fittings. (do they even make 3/8" fittings, other than
compression?)
So I "fixed" it by getting the hole as small as I could with pliers,
and then by wrapping two layers of silicon tape around it. Then I
put some cable ties around the tape for good measure.

Seems to be holding so far. Assuming it does not blow immediately,
should it be good indefinitely or will it deteriorate? Anyone use it
for this purpose before?

Let's just say in my home I would never find out.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit

It doesn't "deteriorate", but it's not going to last for long. Simple
expansion and contraction will cause a leak and as long as the leak stays
ahead of sediment plugging the leak, it will continue to grow larger. It'll
get damp, drip, squirt, and then let loose, probably sooner than later.
Best to get a better fix while the weather's decent for working.

Pop

"toller" wrote in message
...
I had a burst pipe in a crawl space, and when I managed to get back there I
discovered it was 3/8" soft copper. Unfortunately I had no 3/8" fittings.
(do they even make 3/8" fittings, other than compression?)

So I "fixed" it by getting the hole as small as I could with pliers, and
then by wrapping two layers of silicon tape around it. Then I put some
cable ties around the tape for good measure.

Seems to be holding so far. Assuming it does not blow immediately, should
it be good indefinitely or will it deteriorate? Anyone use it for this
purpose before?

I'd suggest to trace it back as far as you can, and replace the tubing.
Water copper isn't all that expensive.

Compression is what you see at the store, for water copper splicing. Flare
for refrigeration guys. Sweat fittings for HVAC guys. Braze for puron.

--

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
www.mormons.com


"toller" wrote in message
...
I had a burst pipe in a crawl space, and when I managed to get back there I
discovered it was 3/8" soft copper. Unfortunately I had no 3/8" fittings.
(do they even make 3/8" fittings, other than compression?)

So I "fixed" it by getting the hole as small as I could with pliers, and
then by wrapping two layers of silicon tape around it. Then I put some
cable ties around the tape for good measure.

Seems to be holding so far. Assuming it does not blow immediately, should
it be good indefinitely or will it deteriorate? Anyone use it for this
purpose before?

again, sounds like something the guy who owned the house before me would do.
might as well break out the duct tape

"toller" wrote in message
...
I had a burst pipe in a crawl space, and when I managed to get back there
I
discovered it was 3/8" soft copper. Unfortunately I had no 3/8" fittings.
(do they even make 3/8" fittings, other than compression?)

So I "fixed" it by getting the hole as small as I could with pliers, and
then by wrapping two layers of silicon tape around it. Then I put some
cable ties around the tape for good measure.

Seems to be holding so far. Assuming it does not blow immediately, should
it be good indefinitely or will it deteriorate? Anyone use it for this
purpose before?

don't forget to plug w/chewing gum before applying the tape

Replacing the pipe is obviously the right thing to do but I have a little
storry that might help some of you in a real emergency.

Years ago I saw ad on late night TV for a product called Magic Tape and I
just laughed to think anyone would believe those rediculous claims.. One
day I was in a trade supply shop and they had a similar product on the shelf
and I decided to buy a roll. The stuff sat in my tool box for over a year
until one very cold night I walk down to my basement a noticed a leak in one
of my boiler pipes. My 125 year old house doesn't have much insulation and
the idea of shutting down and draining my system was out of the question.

I grabbed that roll of tape and damb if it didn't work just great. It
stopped the leak completely and I proceeded to completely forget the pipe
needed repair until the follow spring. When I started to cut off the tape
( it bonds to itself and becomes a solid blob) to do a permanent repair I
was shocked to see the pipe had actually seperated from the fitting and
there was a gap of almost 1/8", but still no leak. The vulcanised blob had
stetched but held the pipes together and I was really impressed. Since
then I haven't been able to find the same product but I have used the
product from the TV ad ( Magic Tape) and it's not as easy to work but has
saved my butt more than once.

I don't work for the company I'm just a statified consumer.

Jimbo
wrote in message
news:SEyee.3421$Fa1.1572@fed1read02...
don't forget to plug w/chewing gum before applying the tape

that is pretty amazing.... it bonded wet to the iron and yet you were still
able to easily cut it off? ... magic tape indeed

wasn't doubting jimbo, just agreeing that it's amazing stuff

Bonded wet to copper pipe. The stuff I used back then wasn't Magic Tape and
for the life of me I can't remember it's name on the package and the
supplier can't either. I have used Magic Tape many times since then and yes
if stretched properly before application it works real well. If I' not
mistaken the tape is even rated for high voltage but don't quote me on that.

Jimbo
wrote in message
news:JuSee.3593$Fa1.175@fed1read02...
that is pretty amazing.... it bonded wet to the iron and yet you were
still
able to easily cut it off? ... magic tape indeed