Coiling Copper Tubing

[Emian]

I want to coil 50' 1/2" refrigeration tubing for a 10g chiller. Any suggestions on what to use as a form to bend the tubing around? I just can't seem to find anything 10" or so in diameter. It needs to be something with a hole in it or hollow so that I can bend the exit upright piece first then coil around it.

Ian

 

[Rick500]

Corny keg is perfect, but then you'd have to do the vertical pieces last if you're going to put them inside the coils.

 

[Emian]

Yes, good idea- it's a little smaller than 10", but that's probably OK. I could bend the vertical piece first and leave inside the keg, while I coil around it.

Thanks
Ian

 

[bad coffee]

I just gently bent the tubing by hand for my chiller. If it's unused copper, it should be soft enough.

B

 

[Whut]

+1 on using a Corney.

 

[Filament]

Fill the keg with water first, makes it a lot easier.

 

[NJTomatoguy]

BobbyM gives a very detailed and excellent video on how to do this, and bends the copper around the corny at around 2:50 in the video. Check it out. It's great to have members that take the time and effort to make videos for the rest of us.


[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8EolKTDZUQ&feature=PlayList&p=DD904B9BABCE723C&index=0&playnext=1]YouTube - Immersion Chiller (IC) Build[/ame]

 

[StoutFan]

I have used Co2 cylinders to bend tubing also, they worked for me very well.

 

[BrewBeemer]

I would use short 2x4 block with a hole drilled into it to stick the tubing in to hold it and start your wrapping around the welding or gas bottles.
There is a wide choice in diameters of bottles to pick from that should fit your needs and go for it.

 

[trabus]

I used a 1 gallon jug for mine, but I had to do some tricky bending to get the return to come back through the middle.

You might want to look at this design as well, it uses a paint can for the bending form and doesn't require you to have that long length of copper for the return in the middle.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/diy-interwoven-rib-cage-immersion-chiller-106415/