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Canadian Tire had a decent price on 1/2" copper ($14 for 12') so I picked up 4 pieces (including couplers) last night to make a new immersion chiller.

I think it will be too hard to bend by hand (around a corny) and I want the coil to be as tight and clean-looking as possible. I need the coil to fit through the cut-out keggle.

Is a ratcheting tube bender the way to go? Is that something a typical tool-rental place would carry? Otherwise, I think something like this would be a massive pain in the ass to to use.

I wouldn`t think half inch OD copper is all that hard to bend by hand. I sure have bent enough in my day without kinking it.

I wonder if anybody has ever tried a vertically aligned chiller - as opposed to horizontal coils. It would be simple to bend 90/180 degree angles with the benders.

mr x wrote:I wonder if anybody has ever tried a vertically aligned chiller - as opposed to horizontal coils. It would be simple to bend 90/180 degree angles with the benders.

Yeah! That's an interesting thought... make it more of a square/rectangle shape and even if you used elbows, might be a bit more soldering(sp) but you could take advantage of that wasted space in the middle of the chiller and replace it with several vertical tubes...

Hogie, what if you tried using a 45' fitting instead of a 90'? Might make it easier to stick to a coil pattern

So it turns out I bought the wrong kind of copper... the kind that can't be bent without heating it.

Does anyone know where in the HRM I could find 50' of 1/2" soft copper? Not having any luck sourcing it on the Island.

Otherwise, I might just buy this. It's really not much more expensive than a custom build.

http://morebeer.com/view_product/19523/ ... 5_10_Split" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Rona in Bayer's Lake had 50' coils of 3/8" soft copper ... not sure about 1/2"

LeafMan66_67 wrote:Rona in Bayer's Lake had 50' coils of 3/8" soft copper ... not sure about 1/2"

Do you happen to know the price?

Found this on their website.

http://www.rona.ca/en/l-type-copper-pipe-0144007--1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

$135 for 1/2" 60'. Looks like I'll be ordering the More Beer chiller.

hogie wrote:Found this on their website.

http://www.rona.ca/en/l-type-copper-pipe-0144007--1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

$135 for 1/2" 60'. Looks like I'll be ordering the More Beer chiller.

There's also these guys: NY Brew Supply, a little bit cheaper, and a little bit closer to home, so shipping might be a bit less. I bought a 25' ⅜" chiller from them a while back, kicking myself that I didn't go the 50' ½" route, though at that time I was just doing partial boil extract brewing.

hogie wrote:Found this on their website.

http://www.rona.ca/en/l-type-copper-pipe-0144007--1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

$135 for 1/2" 60'. Looks like I'll be ordering the More Beer chiller.

Why not 2 of these joined together?

http://www.rona.ca/en/copper-pipe-0144048--1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

25ft of 1/2" for $30.99?

chalmers wrote:

hogie wrote:Found this on their website.

http://www.rona.ca/en/l-type-copper-pipe-0144007--1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

$135 for 1/2" 60'. Looks like I'll be ordering the More Beer chiller.

Why not 2 of these joined together?

http://www.rona.ca/en/copper-pipe-0144048--1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

25ft of 1/2" for $30.99?

Nice! Missed that one.

Maybe check out these guys! http://www.stainlessbrewing.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I haven`t bought from them but did exchange some e-mails. They seem eager to please, which is hard to find in the retail world. Plus stainless is waaaaay cooler looking then copper. Bear in mind the heat transfer is not as good but in this small of a scale probably not detectable. Also at 3/8" there is quite a bit of back pressure, if you have low water pressure, the 1/2" might work better. Prices look good to me.
HPhunter

For Christmas this past year, my brother got me 60ft of 1/2". He picked it up at Bird-Stairs in Fredericton. I'm not sure 100% what he paid, but I know it was quite reasonable. They'd be worth checking with.

They have a few locations: http://www.birdstairs.ca/Main-Cat/Locations.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I need to get my hands on a chiller as well, so I'm interested in knowing how this worked out for you.

I called Wolseley here in New Glasgow who said that the 3/8" x 25' stuff is refrigeration tubing and is not considered food grade... can anyone comment on this? They sell 1/2" x 66' soft copper tubing for $181.18, but maybe a plumber friend could get it cheaper. I figure that it's probably just as well to buy a chiller already built at these prices.

I didn't check Bird stairs

I'm leaning toward buying from one of the sources already mentioned in this thread if anyone is interested in getting in with me

hogie wrote:Canadian Tire had a decent price on 1/2" copper ($14 for 12') so I picked up 4 pieces (including couplers) last night to make a new immersion chiller.

I think it will be too hard to bend by hand (around a corny) and I want the coil to be as tight and clean-looking as possible. I need the coil to fit through the cut-out keggle.

Is a ratcheting tube bender the way to go? Is that something a typical tool-rental place would carry? Otherwise, I think something like this would be a massive pain in the ass to to use.

Andy should know the answer to this.

hogie wrote:So it turns out I bought the wrong kind of copper... the kind that can't be bent without heating it.

Does anyone know where in the HRM I could find 50' of 1/2" soft copper? Not having any luck sourcing it on the Island.

Otherwise, I might just buy this. It's really not much more expensive than a custom build.

http://morebeer.com/view_product/19523/ ... 5_10_Split" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I got my 50' coil of 1/2" from kent in bayers lake - one piece, no soldering

Dirt Chicken wrote:I got my 50' coil of 1/2" from kent in bayers lake - one piece, no soldering

How much was it?

SCORE!! Kent had a damaged 50' coil of 1/2" copper for$20. Only damage was one end so got 40' for 50¢\ft. And its 1/2" ID to boot, (more surface)
guess I should get into the city more often.

Confused about this copper I bought from Rona. The coiled copper is too small for the couplers I got from Home Depot. The package says it's 1/2" but measures more like 7/16". But the hard copper I bought for the arms says it's 1/2" but measures 5/8" and fits the couplers... OD vs. ID thing I guess but what's the best solution here? Do u need to flare it? I need to join 2x 25' coils together, then also join rigid arms onto each end.

hogie wrote:Confused about this copper I bought from Rona. The coiled copper is too small for the couplers I got from Home Depot. The package says it's 1/2" but measures more like 7/16". But the hard copper I bought for the arms says it's 1/2" but measures 5/8" and fits the couplers... OD vs. ID thing I guess but what's the best solution here? Do u need to flare it? I need to join 2x 25' coils together, then also join rigid arms onto each end.

Guys at the office say that the "refrigeration" copper has a different OD than "General Purpose" copper tubing - refrigeration copper tubing would require differnt fittings. The 50' coils of tubing in HFX Rona are refrigeration type (checked last weekend), while the 25' coils are GP type.

Further to that, they guy I spoke to at Wolseley told me the refrigeration copper isn't food grade. Not sure if it makes a difference for this application though.

I ended up buying this in the end http://www.nybrewsupply.com/copper-wort ... -x-50.html

bluenose wrote:Further to that, they guy I spoke to at Wolseley told me the refrigeration copper isn't food grade. Not sure if it makes a difference for this application though.

I ended up buying this in the end http://www.nybrewsupply.com/copper-wort ... -x-50.html

Did they ship USPS? What were your total shipping costs?

Jimmy wrote:

bluenose wrote:Further to that, they guy I spoke to at Wolseley told me the refrigeration copper isn't food grade. Not sure if it makes a difference for this application though.

I ended up buying this in the end http://www.nybrewsupply.com/copper-wort ... -x-50.html

Did they ship USPS? What were your total shipping costs?

Sorry for the lag... Shipping was $51, and they shipped USPS. No duties this time

So we finally have the chiller assembled (will post a pic tomorrow). Soldered with lead-free solder using a few different couplings. Thinking about boiling it in a water+vinegar mix for an hour before use. Does that sound OK?