Soft copper tubing question

[thegriffiths]

I have 4 or 5 partial rolls of soft copper tubing and lots of small pieces (Various diameters) that my grandfather kept in the back of his garage. I am cleaning everything out now and I dont think I am going to be using it for anything.

Is there any reason to keep it that maybe I am not thinking of? We dont have any gas lines.

Also should I just take it to a recycle place or should I sell it some other way?


Thanks much.

thegriffiths

[MELOC]

there may be a need for a small repair someday. i would keep it. who knows, maybe you will find you need it for a project or something.

[uncle Will in In.]

Does the house have copper plumbing? If so definately keep it. It is very pricey now. Don't take an offer until you know what it would cost new. Check in Hdwe or plumbing or building centers to find it's value.

[huisjen]

The price of copper has gone up 400% in the last two years. Bear that in mind before you get rid of it.

[thegriffiths]

We have nothing of copper in the house...I think this is just various rolls my grandfather picked up over the years. I think there is at least about 50lbs total here, maybe more.

I had heard that the recycle places are giving lots for copper...so much that people are stealing copper pipe and wiring from old mines and houses around here.

Anyway, I just didnt want to regret recycling it if I could make more cash with it some other way.

[Windy in Kansas]

Have you considered using fitting to join the rolls together and then putting them into an insulated box with one glass side tilted toward the sun? A light coating of flat black paint will cause them to gather heat quickly. A small pump would circulate water through them safely if the water is stored in a tank without total closure. If done properly it could preheat water for your water heater.

Mud dauber wasps sometimes build nests in the pipe so be sure to flush them thoroughly before use.

[texican]

If I was you, I wouldn't keep it.... I'd send it to me!

Seriously, do you have a storage issue? If not, I'd keep it forever. If you ever needed it, you'd have it... otherwise you might have to make a trip to the hardware store to buy a piece, and have to take out a second mortgage to pay for it.

Copper is a great investment... went up, what, 2 or 3 hundred percent in the last couple of years... better than gold.

[kwagner21]

if you do decide to get rid of it, take it to a scrap place- not a recycle place. At least around here the recycle places just recycle. They don't give you anything for it. A scrap place you pay you for the copper and with the value of copper these days, you don't want to just through it out. That said, I agree with everyone else, that if you can keep it for future use you should. I would hate to see you have to buy some in a few months.

[canfossi]

If you don't think you'll need in the future then take it to the scrap yard and get some money for it. Chris

[MELOC]

if i had 50 lbs. of copper tubing i would definately be building a solar hot water heater just to play around.

[hunter63]

Soft copper does harden over time, makes it tough to do flares fittings.
You can heat it up some to soften it up if you have a problem.
I would take it to a scrap yard and cash it in, unless you think you may have a use for it, as the fore mentioned solar coil.
A lot of it depends on storage space.

[Shrek]

Make a solar heat collection system or emergency water distillery or make decorative planters and sculptures .

[huisjen]

Or you could distill other things.

[thegriffiths]

Well I decided to just sell it at the recycling center. I am really trying not to collect so many things that are just sitting for no reason, clutter is disheartening.

I only had about 35 lbs after weighing and it sold for 2.20 a pound. So thats a little cash to put into fencing around here.

Thanks for the input everyone.