mig welding copper

This area is to be used for submitting plans, referencing and conversations related to building stills and accessories.

mig welding copper

Postby strongy12 » Mon Mar 14, 2016 8:54 pm

Has anyone tried mig welding copper? I dont have access to a tig welder but i do have a mig. i was wondering if you could use electrical copper wire in a mig welder, i have 100 meters of one mill solid core copper wire and was thinking about winding it onto a empty drum and trying to weld with it. ideas anyone?
strongy12
 
Posts: 133
Joined: Fri May 08, 2015 8:12 am
equipment: 4 inch bubbler

Re: mig welding copper

Postby Milky » Thu Mar 17, 2016 2:03 am

I'm not sure if there is a specific copper roll to might copper but I know with tig that using just copper filler rods on my bubbler, it was very hard to flow. I had to pump the amps into it and it was fine line between it flowing and burning a massive hole all the way through. I ended up getting actual copper filler rods which had a minute amount of silicone in it. That helps it flow at a lower temp.

So my guess is that you'll blow holes in everything as you will have to use such high amps in order to get the filler wire to flow.
Milky
 
Posts: 349
Joined: Wed Apr 03, 2013 7:15 pm
Location: Brisbane
equipment: Bender The 4" Copper Bubbler
Bender The 50L Electric Keg Boiler (2 xoxo 2000w 5 Star Elements)
Pure Distilling 2 Inch Reflux Still with 30 Litre Electric Boiler (2000w)
Homemade Copper 2 Inch Pot Still Condenser to fit the 30 Litre Electric Boiler.

Re: mig welding copper

Postby wynnum1 » Thu Mar 17, 2016 7:15 am

Copper as a very good conductor i think you have to heat up what you are welding cold copper is going to distort. With the stainless mig welding there is a lot of talk about different gases and penetration.
wynnum1
 
Posts: 1494
Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2011 1:18 pm

Re: mig welding copper

Postby strongy12 » Thu Mar 17, 2016 10:36 pm

Thanks guys, it was just a thought, I wont waste my time trying it now. I don't want to blow holes in my nice bit of 4 inch.
strongy12
 
Posts: 133
Joined: Fri May 08, 2015 8:12 am
equipment: 4 inch bubbler

Re: mig welding copper

Postby Kenster » Wed May 11, 2016 8:02 pm

Strongy, i have a ss/copper 3'' combo.
Have gone thru all the bull with trying to weld with my MIG, was even going to get a TIG... changed my mind...gas/filler rods..Blah Blah..$$$$
Got a bloke to TIG my 3'' ss col to the ferrule and silver braze the ss ferrule to the copper 3''...he really new what he was doing... all for 2 bottles of 40% neutral...Bargain... some stuff (big diameter builds) are better done by pros.
Good luck...Ken
Kenster
 
Posts: 643
Joined: Mon Aug 31, 2015 8:53 pm
equipment: Still Spirits... turbo 500...retired.(Boiler retained, added 3kw element with variable temp)
RPG...3''x1200mm LM/VM combo...400mm double wound coldie
3''x1200mm copper pot & shares leibig from combo.


Return to Hardware Research & Development



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 15 guests

x