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metarinka · 04-06-2006, 01:22 AM

to my knowledge, copper isn't normally manufactured in square tube stock. I just checked my usual supplier and they didn't have any. Brass and aluminum are alternatives and if you were REALLy fancy you could get those copper plated.

don't quote me on this but I think it is more for manufacturing reasons. Normally square tube isn't drawn (unless it's aluminum or brass) it is sort of bent up and forced through a reciever and then electron beam welded. Off the top of my head I remember hearing you can't resistance weld or electron beam weld copper as it's reistance is too low and its thermal radiation is too great.

I'm not sure why they don't draw square tube as they do draw round copper pipe and tube. but there is probably a manufacturing or engineering reason (maybe there is no market)

alternatively if it is not long lengths or great quantities of pipe, you could use a round-square pipe...uh It's late I can't remember what they are called. Basically you have one that matches the exact I.D of the pipe and then it's profile slowly changes from round to square. Results should be satisfactory especially if you used annealed pipe first.

04-06-2006, 01:22 AM	#5
metarinka Cooling Neophyte Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 34	Re: Square copper tube/pipe to my knowledge, copper isn't normally manufactured in square tube stock. I just checked my usual supplier and they didn't have any. Brass and aluminum are alternatives and if you were REALLy fancy you could get those copper plated. don't quote me on this but I think it is more for manufacturing reasons. Normally square tube isn't drawn (unless it's aluminum or brass) it is sort of bent up and forced through a reciever and then electron beam welded. Off the top of my head I remember hearing you can't resistance weld or electron beam weld copper as it's reistance is too low and its thermal radiation is too great. I'm not sure why they don't draw square tube as they do draw round copper pipe and tube. but there is probably a manufacturing or engineering reason (maybe there is no market) alternatively if it is not long lengths or great quantities of pipe, you could use a round-square pipe...uh It's late I can't remember what they are called. Basically you have one that matches the exact I.D of the pipe and then it's profile slowly changes from round to square. Results should be satisfactory especially if you used annealed pipe first.