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This Instructable shows how to use white bread and standard pipe sweating techniques to repair a leaking copper pipe. There are a ton of excellent instructions online and here at Instructables for pipe sweating, this isn't meant to replace those, but rather to show a trick I learned over a decade ago for sweating a pipe that is actively leaking. Normally you hope that by cutting off your mains and draining your lines you can eliminate any water leaking from the pipe you're trying to sweat. Sometimes you can get any extra out by using a shop vac. But sometimes you're screwed and a persistent drip will make it nearly impossible to do a proper solder because boiling water coming through a seam doesn't allow for the solder to set where it should. This is a cheap work around. There are commercial products that produce a similar result, usually wax plugs or other things that melt away as you sweat. That might work, but I have to imagine some wax is left behind because by the time you turn the water back on the wax won't be liquid anymore, but I digress.
I apologize if my pictures are a little dark or blurry. I had to do this in the dark while it was raining on my back, but we don't usually get to pick when these things happen, so I'm just glad I remembered to take photos at all.
Tools and Materials:
Pipe Cutter
Couplers (correct diameter)
Extra length of pipe (correct diameter)
Flux
Torch
Non Lead Solder
Hunka Bread
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Signing UpStep 1The Situation
If you saw my last Instructable on making Motorcycle Saddle Bags out of 40MM Ammo Cans there was a step in which we sprayed down the cans with paint stripper and then rinse them with the hose. Well, if you've ever watched somebody walk off with a garden hose that hasn't been secured to anything other than the faucet itself, you know what's about to happen especially if that faucet is sticking way out. Some copper is about to get mangled. Secure your hoses between you and the faucet. Then maybe you won't ever need this bread trick.
In this case I noticed a pretty good twist in the pipe right against the wall and a small crack that was leaking water, and this is right above my main. There are other Instructables on patching pipes, making the cuts, and sweating so I'll move fast through those parts. I'm not trying to compete with those and they are excellent, I'm just showing a trick for doing it when leaky. So I punched out a bit of wall and cut out the bad section with a pipe cutter. Use a pipe cutter, as much fun as power tools are, they and copper piping do not go well together... you will not get straight cuts and straight cuts are crucial to prevent leaks. Most copper pipe cutters cost less than 10 bucks. I bought one today for 8.50 after realizing what a disaster my grinders metal cut off wheel was making. Use standard sweating techniques to put a new pipe section in and the couplers needed, right up until the last bit which never quite quit leaking. I tried for about 5 minutes to sweat this piece on before realizing it would be impossible and remembered this trick my old boss taught when I was a kid working a summer job.
In this case I noticed a pretty good twist in the pipe right against the wall and a small crack that was leaking water, and this is right above my main. There are other Instructables on patching pipes, making the cuts, and sweating so I'll move fast through those parts. I'm not trying to compete with those and they are excellent, I'm just showing a trick for doing it when leaky. So I punched out a bit of wall and cut out the bad section with a pipe cutter. Use a pipe cutter, as much fun as power tools are, they and copper piping do not go well together... you will not get straight cuts and straight cuts are crucial to prevent leaks. Most copper pipe cutters cost less than 10 bucks. I bought one today for 8.50 after realizing what a disaster my grinders metal cut off wheel was making. Use standard sweating techniques to put a new pipe section in and the couplers needed, right up until the last bit which never quite quit leaking. I tried for about 5 minutes to sweat this piece on before realizing it would be impossible and remembered this trick my old boss taught when I was a kid working a summer job.
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Just watch your fingers when shoving the bread down the pipe; I've cut my fingers twice - now I like to use a blunt-nosed object like the fat end of a punch, or a wood dowel.
Wonderbread or white bread is the best; if bread is dry or has nuts/berries/twigs, it will be harder to ball up and shove down the pipes. And it will take longer to break down; you'll be digging junk out of aerators for days!
Only problem was I plugged up the shower head with bread when I turned the water back on. Should have taken it off before I flushed the pipes.
Years ago I used ground paprika to fix a leak in the car's radiator. It is an old road trick. It works!
sorry about getting the commets off track badpanda. Great instructable.
As for radiators. I have used Egg, Pepper and once when I got really desperate curry powder. The egg one is simple, separate the white and drop it in to the radiator. fire up the engine and it will clog the hole. Same deal with the powders as they mix with the water and are ejected out the hole eventually clogging it.
Something people forget to do that makes this fail however is to put a match stick under the pressure part of the radiator cap so your radiator will not build up pressure to blow the seal out. It is a temporary fix.
The match stick knowledge on the radiator fix is something I definitely would not have known but makes total sense. Thanks!