how do you go about brazing a 1 long by 1/8 wide hole in 1/2 in a vertical copper steam pipe.
This is not a steam pipe. Copper isnt used on steam. One would cut out the section and replace it with 2 couplings and a new section of copper.
You are correct. We move almost a million cfm of winter air past steam coils of aluminum finned copper pipe in one building alone. In fact, we've had to do this very same repair this season when our boiler plant lost pressure. Use silver solder (Silfloss). Available at welding suppliers. Requires oxyacetylene torch. It will stand up to the pressures of the steam and hammering You may be able to cover up the split (the bigger the blob, the better the job. LOL). If not, cut out the area and patch using slip couplers (and silver solder). Good luck!
If you use a silver bearing braze rod (stay silv 15) and really know how to braze, it shouldn't be too tough. Try to close the split up as much as possible and be very careful with your flame, keeping the pipe just hot enough to barely keep the rod molten. Heat it enough to get good adherance all around the split, then let it cool for a few seconds until the braze just begins to harden, then try to keep it at that temperature while you work the rod from bottom to top. Good luck.
This is not a steam pipe. Copper isnt used on steam. One would cut out the section and replace it with 2 couplings and a new section of copper.
You are correct. We move almost a million cfm of winter air past steam coils of aluminum finned copper pipe in one building alone. In fact, we've had to do this very same repair this season when our boiler plant lost pressure. Use silver solder (Silfloss). Available at welding suppliers. Requires oxyacetylene torch. It will stand up to the pressures of the steam and hammering You may be able to cover up the split (the bigger the blob, the better the job. LOL). If not, cut out the area and patch using slip couplers (and silver solder). Good luck!
If you use a silver bearing braze rod (stay silv 15) and really know how to braze, it shouldn't be too tough. Try to close the split up as much as possible and be very careful with your flame, keeping the pipe just hot enough to barely keep the rod molten. Heat it enough to get good adherance all around the split, then let it cool for a few seconds until the braze just begins to harden, then try to keep it at that temperature while you work the rod from bottom to top. Good luck.
