Page 1 of 1

Copper From Scrap Yards

PostPosted: Mon Mar 09, 2015 1:46 pm
by WTDist
Hi
I'm starting to scout out places to purchase the essential copper parts i need to completely modify my T500 into a reflux/pot still. Damn plastic has pissed me off for the last time with its leak.

Im planing on cutting the original column about 2 inches from the base and making a flange so i can attach a copper column with a reflux coil that can be bypassed if needed and just run as a pot still. Thanks for the idea Rumdidlyum.

Im starting to look for 2" copper pipe and bends and have come across a thread mentioning http://www.unitedmetals.com.au/ (United Scrap Metal Traders). Im unsure if i should go new or scrap metal. Price is always an issue but safety comes first. I cant remember if i saw in an earlier thread where someone was against scrap metal (might have been MacStill) as it could be contaminated and bad for distillation products for drinking.

Can someone guide me on whether I can go scrap metal traders or if i should go all new parts?
Thank you

Re: Copper From Scrap Yards

PostPosted: Mon Mar 09, 2015 2:33 pm
by 1 2many
Price is always an issue but safety comes first.


I think you have answered your own question mate, sure you can use scrap copper but you don't know what has been through it.

Me personally would buy new fittings for piece of mind. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Re: Copper From Scrap Yards

PostPosted: Mon Mar 09, 2015 2:50 pm
by WTDist
Thanks 12 many :handgestures-thumbupleft:
New is what i will go then, just thought i would get a second opinion first.

Re: Copper From Scrap Yards

PostPosted: Sun Apr 12, 2015 8:37 pm
by andybear
I'm not sure if this is too late for you or not, but half of the scrap that I got were new offcuts. Some of scrap looked like they just wanted beer money at the bosses expense. There was shit loads just squashed into manageable lengths, mostly in 1/2" and 3/4". But even the 2.5" stuff I got was new offcuts. And all at $10/kg. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Re: Copper From Scrap Yards

PostPosted: Sun Apr 12, 2015 9:15 pm
by Salmon
The 4" scrap I picked up had a "water" label on it. So I felt pretty safe. Personally I would go have a look first.

Re: Copper From Scrap Yards

PostPosted: Mon Apr 13, 2015 11:14 am
by WTDist
cheers guys. i have already planned on heading to the scrap yard at Murarrie from the post above and look for some 2 inch and other materials. I figure a bad piece of 2 inch wont matter it its the just a cover for a shotgun PC. 10$ a kilo sounds good, hopefully Brisbane prices arnt to bad. Just need to wait till school holidays are over so i can go looking alone (-|

Re: Copper From Scrap Yards

PostPosted: Mon Apr 13, 2015 12:41 pm
by Salmon
I got mine from Murarrie. Can't remember the exact pricing, but it was cheap.

If you are looking for new copper fittings I recommend Conduit in Kelvin Grove. They were significantly cheaper than Tradelink.

Re: Copper From Scrap Yards

PostPosted: Mon Apr 13, 2015 2:09 pm
by WTDist
Cheers Salmon. The conduit at kelvin grove looks good on the website so il give them a call and ask for prices when i know what i need from them. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Re: Copper From Scrap Yards

PostPosted: Wed Apr 29, 2015 10:00 am
by WTDist
just leaving the scrap yard at murrarrie in brissy near the gateway now. there's no 2 inch pipe for a shotgun condenser but there's plenty of 4 inch althoug not sure what it was used for though. just a heada up.for anyone looking for 4" in brissy :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Re: Copper From Scrap Yards

PostPosted: Wed Apr 29, 2015 11:03 am
by RefluxEd
WTDist wrote:Hi
...as it could be contaminated and bad for distillation products for drinking.


I wouldn't worry about that. Copper will not absorb any nasties and if you really want to be sure, while you ar brazing/soldering the heat will burn off just about anything.
Most of the copper I get from scrap yards are off-cuts, nothing has been through them, so if you want to be careful, go for off-cuts only. It's unlikely that you'll find the bends and caps at a scrap yard so you'll probably need to buy them as new.
Copper from a scrap yard costs about $14 per kilogram, you'll pay up to 10 times that at a plumbing supplier. Who want's to line the pockets of rip-off merchants like Reece? Go the sustainability route :handgestures-thumbupleft: and use what is discarded rather than energy intense new stuff. :handgestures-thumbdown: