Showerthought: More guys should pre-bend their copper before soldering

I keep seeing pictures online where people are fighting 90 degree fittings into place and the joints look like a mess. After a 40-unit apartment job in Nashville last month where I pre-bent every riser on a jig, I had zero leaks on the first pressure test. Has anyone else noticed that taking an extra 10 minutes to bend clean offsets saves a ton of callbacks?

3 comments

3 Comments

simonl861mo ago

Man, that's the thing though. Pre-bending on a jig isn't just about saving time on callbacks, it also means you're not fighting the pipe's natural springback when you're trying to line up a fitting. That springback is what causes those tiny gaps that turn into weepers later on. Once you get the hang of it, the setup time pays for itself before you even start sweating.

the_richard1mo ago

Hold on, wait. You pre-bent every single riser on a jig for a 40 unit building? That's wild. I've seen guys do it for a few tricky spots here and there, but for the whole building? That must have taken a solid day just for setup. And the first pressure test with zero leaks? I almost don't believe you. That's basically unheard of in my world. I usually find at least one weepy joint that makes me want to throw my torch across the room.

james921mo ago

Why would you waste all that time setting up jigs when a little springback is easy to fix with a few extra fittings?