joining 1/16 copper tubing

[Thad Van Gilder]

The high pressure line on my refrigeration system on my ketch are 1/16 copper tubing. I gotta join them together. do you you know how to do that? are there 1/16 compresion or flare connections available somewhere?

-Thad

[George Roberts]

high pressure - brazing. Maybe only silver solder.

[paladin]

Is the 1/16 tubing the outside diameter or inside diameter?.....if you need to join two pieces, I'd cut a sleeve about 2 inches long and slide one of the pipes inside about half way and solder it in place with rosin core silver solder, then slide the other half in the other end and solder it also. If the pieces are all hot, the solder will wick between the tubes and fill the void leaving a rigid repair

[Captain Blight]

Do you need to use a mandrel of some kind to keep solder out of the inside of the piping itself?

[Thad Van Gilder]

that's a good idea. I think ill try that

-Thad

[AstoriaDave]

The mandrel is overkill.

Sleeving and careful soldering will work fine. Practice on some scrap first and you'll see.

In tubing that small, do not use a torch -- use a soldering iron or gun. If the sleeve and the tubing contact surfaces are clean, should be an easy job. As soon as the solder wicks into the joint, remove the iron ASAP. You can get by with a minimum of solder that way.