GruvLock Copper Fitting out of round - Machined back to spec?

mchisomjr

Hello. Novice here. A Question for experts regarding an 8" GruvLok Copper Tee GxGxG.

One end has slightly deflected making it out of round...just enough to notice. What is the best way to bring it back to spec? Is it worth doing?

ratio

I wouldn't chance it. Any issues & you'd be liable, at least if the mfgr found out about it.

GroundUp

Send it back to the wholesale house and take a new one

mchisomjr

This is old stock.....cant send it back. This is more of a "what if" for my info. I'm sure the boss is sending everything to scrap.

I was more wondering what your all thoughts were if it could be done and how......I'm sure a really good machine shop could do it with equipment but that would be really expensive.....and then there is the liability.

I was wondering if there was more of a FIELD approach to something like this. I'm sure it has been run into before. Looks like something heavy was on top of the branch of the Tee and slightly made it oblong....just barely.

hot_rod

Is it copper or brass? Copper you may be able to massage back to shape, depending on how much it is out of round.

If it is brass I doubt you could do much. Defiantly don’t want to remove any wall thickness by machining, Even a few thousands would decrease the strength and a serious failure could occur.

Ever watch a body guy or dent works person deal with tweaked metal😉

mattmia2

hot_rod said:

I
Ever watch a body guy or dent works person deal with tweaked metal😉

so you can just put some lead on it and file it down?

hot_rod

mattmia2 said:

hot_rod said:

I
Ever watch a body guy or dent works person deal with tweaked metal😉

so you can just put some lead on it and file it down?

Low lead!

If it is copper, and just a small ding from dropping it... someone that is experienced with a ball peen might save it.
If it is egg shape??
Once metal stretches, it is not so easy to get it "back to where it once belonged".

Or find someone with a 6" swage tool

Polish it for a door stop.

ratio

I watched a metal stud guy hit a soffit with his lift once. He went out to his truck & came back with a hand steel & hammered it back into shape. He said he used to be a body man. I had to look twice to see where it has been tweaked at!

hot_rod

ratio said:

I watched a metal stud guy hit a soffit with his lift once. He went out to his truck & came back with a hand steel & hammered it back into shape. He said he used to be a body man. I had to look twice to see where it has been tweaked at!

Same with the hail damage guys and gals. Amazing how they massage all those dings out.

After hail storms we see those trucks set up in shopping center parking lots. Drive into the tent, an hour later the car looks brand new.

I've seen semi rigs that have a shaded lounge on one side for you to sit and wait for the repair.

mattmia2

You can shrink metal by heating it red hot with a torch...

Intplm.

Is it worth doing you ask? That depends on how "out of round" it is.
If only slightly as you say. Don't bother with it. When it is used, or ready for install, the gruvlock clamp will most likely put the tee back in the round.

ChrisJ

I don't know.
I think comparing automotive body repair etc to something that has to fit together mechanically isn't a good idea.

Piping, unions etc need to fit together near perfectly.
A car body needs to look good but it's actual dimensions are moot. Even the paint is usually faded / blended together so even that is irrelevant as long as it all looks good and seems to be the same color.

Not putting body work down......that's an art I'll never be able to do, even badly. I've tried..........it was bad...

But it's not the same as things that need to fit together to form a seal etc.

hot_rod

ChrisJ said:

I don't know.
I think comparing automotive body repair etc to something that has to fit together mechanically isn't a good idea.

Piping, unions etc need to fit together near perfectly.
A car body needs to look good but it's actual dimensions are moot. Even the paint is usually faded / blended together so even that is irrelevant as long as it all looks good and seems to be the same color.

Not putting body work down......that's an art I'll never be able to do, even badly. I've tried..........it was bad...

But it's not the same as things that need to fit together to form a seal etc.

The example was mainly how metals can be massaged back to original shape or form. Not intended as a direct comparison. But I suspect you knew that

My experience with Vic type couplings is they allow a bit more "wiggle" room compared to other connections, a flange and gasket for example. That is why you see them commonly used in exposed fire protection piping , etc, they allow some movement, and assembly out of tolerance.

If it is egg shaped to the point of the collar not fitting or the gasket not sealing, why bother tempting fate?

Pumpguy

If a copper fitting, keep in mind that most likely the part has become work hardened due to the forming process.

Heating the area to a red heat will aneal the deformed area.

Most advise heat and quench for anealing copper, but its the heating that does the anealing. Weather you quench in water or just let cool in air doesn't matter.