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Materials:
- 60/40 leaded solder and matching flux (from a stained glass
shop)
- Flexible copper refrigerator tubing - from 3/16" to 3/4"
- Rigid copper pipe - selection of 1/2" and 3/4"
- Copper plumbing fittings to fit 1/2" and 3/4" pipe
- Copper wire
- Copper plumber's tape
- Copper pipe-strapping
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Tools
- Pipe cutter
- Plumber's soldering torch
- Pliers
- Vise-grips
- Vise
- Fireproof Kevlar soldering cloth
- Eye protection
- Gloves
- String
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Steps:
Flexible three-quarter inch copper tubing |
Bend the flexible three-quarter inch tubing to fit the drawing
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Drawing Room
Draw a trellis design on paper. Note the rough dimensions and
sizes of tubing you intend to use. I suggest sturdy 3/4"
tubing for the outside frame and 1/2" everywhere else.
You'll need fittings ('T''s and 'unions') at every joint. When
you've figured out the design details, transfer the drawing
full-scale to a plywood tabletop (or sketch it out on the driveway
with chalk). |
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Cut it to fit with a pipe cutter |
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Pipe Dreams
Begin cutting copper tubing to match your drawing, starting
with flexible 3/4" tubing for the top arch. (Double arches
are pure hell so unless you have the patience of granite, avoid
them.)
Accurately measure lengths of coiled tubing with a flexible
dressmaker's measuring tape, or string. (Lay the string out
on your full scale drawing, then mark the correct length on
the string. Then lay the string hand over hand alongside the
coiled tubing until you reach your mark, then cut the copper
tubing at the mark.
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Use a smaller pipe to gently straighten the ends so that the
fittings slip on |
Use a rubber mallet to take the waves out |
Cut all the pieces to fit the drawing |
Fit to be Tried
Try putting fittings in place. They'll bind if there's any curve
left in the ends of the flexible tubing. Straighten the ends
by inserting a smaller pipe into the larger one, levering the
end straight. Be very careful not to distort the circular pipe
opening, because once you geek it up, you can never get it round
again to take a fitting. If you have trouble, file the tubing
down using a bastard file.
TIP: If the flexible tubing isn't lying flat on the
tabletop, tap along its length with a rubber mallet. Just
don't crush the ends!
When you have everything fitting together happily, get ready
to flux and solder.
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Steel wool will quickly clean the tubing, removing manufacturer's
info |
Use screws to help hold the pieces in position for soldering
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Use flux and leaded solder from a stained glass shop |
Solder to Lean On
Soldering is easier than you could possibly expect. Simply brush
the flux on the inside of the fittings and the outsides of the
pipe at each joint. Then push the pieces tightly together. Spark
up your torch and aim the blue tip of the inner flame steadily
at the fitting. |
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Brush the solder on the outside of the tubing |
Brush the flux on the inside of the fittings |
Push the pieces firmly together |
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You can tell when the joint is hot enough to accept solder
by touching a length of solder to the metal on the far side
of the joint. If the joint is hot enough, solder will melt
instantly and flow between the metal surfaces wherever flux
has been applied.
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Place a plumber's fire proof mat under the joint to be soldered
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Use a plumber's torch to heat the joint
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When it's hot enough, the solder melts and flows into the joint
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Cool the joint with a spray of water
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Completed frame |
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| To avoid setting fire to the table (or driveway), use a fireproof
plumber's cloth under the joint being soldered. Also, wear eye
protection and keep a spray bottle of water nearby to cool the
hot metal quickly. |
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C- shape detail |
S- shape detail
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Placement of S |
Placement of C |
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Twisted Imagination
Using smaller gauges (3/16" to ¼") of flexible
tubing, make the decorative 'C' and 'S' shapes to form the lacy
design inside the frame. |
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Use sash cord to help determine the length of tubing to cut
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Mark the length on the sash cord |
Transfer the length to the tubing |
Pinch the end of the tubing in a vise and then form the shape
with your fingers |
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Form the shapes first with a piece of sash cord. Then use
the rope mock-up to determine the length of pipe to cut. Clamp
one end of the cut tubing in a bench vise, working curves
into the copper with your fingers.
TIP: Bending copper repeatedly can make it brittle.
Loosen it up again by heating it with your torch and letting
it cool off.
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Place all the shapes |
Make fasteners out of plumbers strapping |
Or plumber's tape
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| Lay the decorative curls inside the frame and secure them
to each other by wrapping the contacting points with rounds
of copper wire. Secure the wired units to the outer frame with
copper plumber's tape or copper strapping. |
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To solder - Clamp the pieces together |
Flux from the outside |
Heat the metal thoroughly before applying the solder |
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Flux and clamp the overlapping ends of the copper strapping
with Vise-Grip pliers, then solder.
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Slide the trellis over half inch re-bar set in ground
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| To create a free-standing trellis, pound two three-foot pieces
of re-bar halfway into the ground and slip the bottom openings
of the trellis frame over them. Stand back and admire. If you
want it to turn green quickly, spray on a coat of household
ammonia followed by pickling vinegar. If you don't want it to
tarnish at all, clear-coat the entire trellis with spray-on
clear acrylic. |
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Detail - top of the small trellis |
Detail - centre of the small trellis |
Detail - bottom of the small trellis |
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Large trellis |
Detail - top of large trellis |
Detail - centre of large trellis |
Detail - bottom of large trellis |
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Artisans'
work featured on this episode:
(click pics for Artist info and larger
images)
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