Is there a tool to round out copper tubing?

[AlmondEyes]

Not sure if this thread belongs on this forum since I'm not talking about a particular tool.. please move it if it'd be better elsewhere.

Sometimes the new spools of copper tubing we get aren't round, but more oval. I'm not meaning to say it got bent or messed up on the truck from being banged around or anything - it's brand new. This makes using a tube cutter a real chore. Is there any kind of tool to reround the copper so you can cut it? If not, are you just supposed to cut off the oval sections and waste all of it? Or perhaps there's a better tube cutter I don't know about that can adjust itself somehow to be able to cut tubing that's not really round????

[aintitfun]

Yeh, its called a crescent wrench! lol

[AlmondEyes]

A crescent wrench and a few 4 lettered words, eh?

I'm wondering if my company just buys crap copper spools and that's why they're not round all the time. Wouldn't put it past them....

[iraqveteran]

Yeh, its called a crescent wrench! lol

:D You beat me to it........

[toy501]

I use my imperial swage/flare block.

[Dchappa21]

Yep, Use your flaring block

[karsthuntr]

use an open end wrench the size of the copper.

[t527ed]

I use my imperial swage/flare block.


same here.

[primecooler]

I use these
http://www.mastercool.com/pages/hydraulic_tube_expanding.html

These are a little pricey but add up the cost of fittings now and these pay for themselves quick. I showed the boss in 2 months time the money spent on fittings these make obsolete. This and a set of benders. Plus it is less connections. Now only 1 solder point on couplers, etc...

or size 12 standing on the copper....

[Texas-Tech]

The Ole adjustable works pretty well.

[steve3871m]

If it's just at an open end a pair of needle nose does the trick as well. Insert pliers in closed postion into open end and turn, the taper of the pliers does great.

[pacnw]

I'm wondering if my company just buys crap copper spools and that's why they're not round all the time. Wouldn't put it past them....


No, or yes!!

Just about every spool we get is the same way, too!!! This equals about 6 a day.

[bdivell]

an adjustable or the hammer type multi size swedge tool

[AlmondEyes]

I use these
http://www.mastercool.com/pages/hydraulic_tube_expanding.html

These are a little pricey but add up the cost of fittings now and these pay for themselves quick. I showed the boss in 2 months time the money spent on fittings these make obsolete. This and a set of benders. Plus it is less connections. Now only 1 solder point on couplers, etc...

or size 12 standing on the copper....

Pretty neat; I love it when the old line fits right into the new condensing unit so you only have one spot to braize each on the high and low sides. I don't see a pricing place on this website to know how much their items are. They seem to be about an hour and a half from me and I assume the prices will be in the catalog.

But that wasn't my question... I was referring to the spool of new tubing not being round (but more oval) so that when I need to use the tube cutters, it's a real pain to get the length I need.

[AlmondEyes]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Fi9KbKw3Gos

Two questions with this tool... first, would it cut copper that's not round. Second, is it me or does this look like it's spinning the tube itself (as opposed to the inside of the cutter spinning to create the cut?). If it's spinning the copper tubing, this wouldn't work since I don't work with straight tubing, but either tubing that's attached to a house or tubing that's spooled up.

[bustawrench1]

Like the others said.............round it out gently with a crescent wrench, just enought that the tubing cutter will spin easily, the cutter will round it the rest of the way as you spin it.

And if you're going to spend money on a cutter, forget that gizmo.........go buy a nice Ridgid..........you'll have it for decades, that other thing will be broke in a week.

[xgfreon]

I grabbed one of these today...Menards has em on sale for $10.00 figured it might come in handy so what the heck.
http://www.pace-asp.com/productdetail.asp?pid=7415

[DPSwitch]

I can usually go slow with the cutter and it will make it as round as I want.

[DPSwitch]

honestly If I got a roll so bad it wouldn't go into a fitting, or round out with the cutter...... it's going back.

[aintitfun]

[QUOTE=

And if you're going to spend money on a cutter, forget that gizmo.........go buy a nice Ridgid..........you'll have it for decades, that other thing will be broke in a week.[/QUOTE]

Ridgid gets my vote as well, I have been using mine for I dont know how long and havent even had to change the blade. The cheap ones I have gotten in the past, the blades always chipped out on.

[jtrouse]

Hey! If the crescent dosen't get it quick enough, give it a good smack with a 20oz Estwing!! :D:D

[Twilly]

I use these
http://www.mastercool.com/pages/hydraulic_tube_expanding.html

These are a little pricey but add up the cost of fittings now and these pay for themselves quick. I showed the boss in 2 months time the money spent on fittings these make obsolete. This and a set of benders. Plus it is less connections. Now only 1 solder point on couplers, etc...

or size 12 standing on the copper....


You smart like Twilli, Twilli loves his

[Space Racer]

Sounds to me like you bought re-rolled copper.
Does it kink easily?

There are four manufacturers of line sets: Cerro, Mueller, Whosits,
and whats the other one.

Then there are the re-rollers. They buy cheaper rolled copper, unroll it,
repackage it, and sell it to unsuspecting dealers.

It's crappy copper. It's thin. When it is unrolled and rerolled, it gets
stiff and it gets oval-shaped. It kinks.

The re-rollers make a nice profit at your expense.

[Space Racer]

The other two are Howell and Cambridge-Lee.