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I'm planning to build a wort chiller out of copper, probably 1/2" or 3/8" with an integrated whirlpool arm and probably a two-diameter design that accounts for the pickup tube in my kettle.

I'm anticipating using 40' or 50' of copper tubing. I know home improvement stores sell copper coils (looking at ~$60 for 2x20ft 3/8"), but are there better local options?

Recyclers often have roll pieces of refrigeration tubing. Its soft and would fit the bill. Pay per pound.

I got 50' of 1/2" for $56 at Home Depot, Bayers Lake. It wasn't with other copper, it was still in plumbing, on a bottom shelf with fittings. 2nd shelf on the right as you walk down the main plumbing isle. It possibly is 1/2 OD, not sure. I also got a tube bender, it is a spring like device, you put it on the tube where bending and move it along, it was $4-$5.
I used a keg to wrap it around.
Have used it twice now, chills WAY faster than the 10' coil I had...

http://www.homedepot.ca/product/copper- ... oot/969918" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Dartmouth and Bayers Lake show stock.
I found this to be a decent deal after looking at some other hardware stores.

I bought 50ft of 3/8" for just under $60 at Rona last summer.
http://www.rona.ca/en/refrigeration-type-copper-pipe" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

50ft of 1/2" for the same price sounds like a steal considering its price tends to correlate with its commodity price.

Thanks folks.

The Recycling Depot idea is interesting, but not knowing where the copper might have come from or what it might have been in contact with makes me a little leery about putting it in my beer.

I thought someone might pipe up (sorry) suggesting a plumbing supply store over the big box hardware retailers but nobody has. So either there's no real savings to be had there or I'd have to be the one to call around to a dozen stores to find out. I'll pass

I'm leaning towards grabbing either 1x50' 1/2" ($57) or 2x20' 3/8" (2x$30) refrigeration tubing from Home Depot. The 1/2" is obviously a better deal, but I'm trying to balance efficiency in terms of water usage with cooling time. The 1/4" stainless coil I just sold cooled much more efficiently than the 20' 3/8" copper cooler I've got now, but it was slow to do it.

The efficiency should be the same if you throttle back the larger one after it drops down a bit - eg have it cranked on max til you hit 50°C then turn it down a fair bit.