# 1/8th inch copper tubing and fittings



## black85vette (Feb 14, 2009)

Having trouble finding tubing and fittings around here. Home Depot and Lowes only stock 1/4 inch. Even Ace Hardware only has 1/4 inch. Any suggestions?


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## ksouers (Feb 14, 2009)

Possibly a hobby shop or crafts store.

I don't think I've seen copper, but have seen brass, aluminum and stainless steel. That doesn't mean they don't have it, I haven't been looking for copper so didn't "see" it.


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## steamer (Feb 14, 2009)

Ask and ye shall receive!
 ;D

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXR823&P=0

Dave


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## Tom T (Feb 14, 2009)

Look at ace again I bought some tubing 3/32 and 1/16 in one foot lengths there. Tom


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## GailInNM (Feb 14, 2009)

I used to get 1/8 copper tube at my local hobby shop. They had 1 foot lengths of it in their K&S brass tubing section. My LHS changed hands a while back as they don't keep it stocked very well anymore so I ordered some. I have bought from two places.

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/WTI0095P?FVSEARCH=copper+tubing&search=Go
http://www.mcmaster.com

You have to drill down through the mcmaster search to get to it "copper tubing" select OD ect as I can't link directly to the page for some reason.
Mcmaster has 1 and 6 foot lengths. Tower only has 1 foot lengths.

I have found only a limited selection of fittings, but I never looked too hard as I mostly make my own.

Gail in NM,USA


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## Noitoen (Feb 14, 2009)

You could try the local refrigeration repair shop. They use a little coil of copper pipe to connect the pressure switch on industrial refrigerators. Usually the come with a nut on each end to connect to the system.

Helder


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## gilessim (Feb 14, 2009)

model shops are where you might find some, I bought some 2mm stuff a while ago, they had 2,3,4mm in both brass and copper.

Giles


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## black85vette (Feb 14, 2009)

Thanks GailInNM. McMaster is just what I needed. 3 and 6 foot lengths and all the brass flare and compression fittings to go with it!!


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## stevehuckss396 (Feb 14, 2009)

Go to the auto parts store and ask for a line set for an oil pressure guage. I believe that will be 1/8 inch and you wont have to wait for the mailman.


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## itowbig (Feb 14, 2009)

ill second the auto parts house. but you ask for copper line for the oil gauge


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## Stan (Feb 14, 2009)

My local NAPA has 1/8" copper tubing in bulk roll and cut off what you need and the fittings are in the big cabinet drawers with all the other brass fittings. My local store has that out as a self serve since most people know what they want but don't know the proper name to ask for.


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## GailInNM (Feb 14, 2009)

Some of the oil pressure line has a thick wall and leaves a very small ID if being used as a steam line. Just be sure that it is suitable for your application. I use the 0.014 wall thickness for steam dryer line on Gauge 1 model locomotives feeding 1/2 inch bore cylinders.  Be sure to anneal it often if you are making small radius bends as it all work hardens rapidly when being bent.
Gail in NM,USA


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## PTsideshow (Feb 14, 2009)

I have 1/4" copper it was real common in, in the wall air lines with soldered fittings for building temperature control, It is also used as potable water lines. Along with the sweat solder fittings. It comes in K and L type/pressure hard line style pipe. The 1/8 is tubing coiled but they still have solder type fittings for it. Again it is used in air and potable water.
I will have to find the 1/4" fitting I have the pipe was in 60" sticks. the 1/4" was of a non bendable normally. The 1/8" was normal tubing.

It was sold by refrigeration and pneumatic building control supply shops.

But if you want to look and see what is available, Check out McMasters-Carr
They have all the pipe and fittings. In copper, aluminum, brass and iron in 1/8" and up.
http://www.mcmaster.com/index.asp

Sorry to say they are no longer sending to Canada.
glen :big:


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## shred (Feb 14, 2009)

I get the small quantities of 1/8" and 3/32" copper tubing at Hobby Lobby-- waay in the back past the froofy picture frames and decorative glotch they have a tiny model section and a small, but often re-stocked K&S rack. There's pretty much a permanent 20%-off-one-item printable coupon on their web site.

1/4" and sometimes smaller can often be found in the ice-maker section of some big-box hardware stores.

Unfortunately the local auto parts places are rapidly becoming useless here (see my Die-Filer rant for the story there) unless you want LED bling or a chrome Folgers can for your exhaust.


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## black85vette (Feb 14, 2009)

Good idea Stan. I have not tried NAPA and we have one near here. Went to O'Reily, Pep Boys and Auto Zone. Even checked some of the younger guys at work that run Nitros on their cars but they said they use braided stainless steel.


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## tmuir (Feb 15, 2009)

I've found the K&S pipe is all thin walled and tends to kink even after annealing when bending.
I get my 1/8 pipe from model engineering supply shops now and buy one or two meters at a time which keeps me going for some time and being it has thicker walls it bends without kinking as long as your careful.


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## Loose nut (Feb 15, 2009)

Check out Small Parts, they specialize in this sort of thing and their tubing link is on the home page. They go down in size to hypo tubing.


http://www.smallparts.com/?gclid=CJHOqrvk3pgCFRENDQod4nZiZw


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## black85vette (Feb 16, 2009)

TNX Loose Nut. I book marked the Small Parts web site. Will have to go exploring there some evening and see what else they have. Sure lots of neat stuff!

I did get over to McMaster today and ordered 3' of tubing and a variety of fittings. Also found that they had cap head 3-48 screws in a 1" length. Had been looking for them as well.


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## Loose nut (Feb 17, 2009)

If S Parts still have the paper catalogs try and get one they are worth it.


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## IronHorse (Feb 17, 2009)

Once I was looking for some 1/8 tube and I remembered that I keep the old thermocouple from my gas water heater. Cut off the ends, pull out the wire and and you have 18" of 1/8 copper tube.

I also found a spool on EBay.


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## black85vette (Feb 18, 2009)

Really impressed with mcmaster.com.  I placed my order on Monday. It shipped the same day and when I checked the tracking on UPS it made it here last night!


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## deverett (Feb 19, 2009)

Very un-environmentally friendly, I know, but the back of a fridge yields a lot of useful copper pipe about 1/8", as well as a compressor suitable for airbrush work and the like.

Dave
The Emerald Isle


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## Tom(ID) (May 20, 2009)

My Ace Hardware has 1/8" copper in the plumbing dept. They also have SOME thinwall brass tube. I have been looking in the hobby shops for more brass.


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