I just had to get a Curvo!

Jake Timmerman_3

Thanks to Hot Rod and Weezbos pics, I had to get a Curvo. Combined With the Mupro clamps and wall hanger brackets, it is a real joy to pipe with. I had to buy a conduit bending book to help in measuring the pipe. This system is a geothermal heatpump with radiant for a workshop.

Tom_35

Jake,

Looks like you caught on pretty dang quick as to how to use the tool---great looking work!

Where did you purchase the Curvo and will you be using it on refrigerant piping as well as hydronic piping?

Tom A

Paul Pollets

Nice work, Jake...

Gotta love the Mupro clamps, channel and Rems Curvo.

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hr

You're kicking my butt, Jake

mixing PropPress and Curvo technology. Now if they made those iso flanges in press you could go solder free! How many $$s worth of fittings did you save on this job?

Nice bend work , real nice! Is that type M copper?

For your T&P valve consider a 3/4" copper compression to male adapter. Makes for easy removal and replacement. Or do those ProPress fittings spin?

Did Leo show you the REMS press tool due out soon. 120 or cordless, quite a bit lighter and less expensive than the Ridgid tool.

I need to get a copy of that bending book you have.

hot rod

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Weezbo

Aint it the Thang! *~/:)

swoopy turns all ovea the place:) i love the work you just did .. it has inspired my buddy Fred and hes into making a super cool thing too:) Kathy Freds wifer is a bead making copper things maker so it make take a Joint effort for Fred ::) hes thinking real hard on he radiant panels Mark Eatherton posted one day ,that isent to his e-mail..Freds into putting a Moose head together :)whenever he gets the chance he will make a huge moose head to place like a trophy on the sheer wall of the guys living room hes been twisting the idea around in his mind a while now...We live pretty far away from the rest of the real world however Thanks to Hot Rod and the fine people here lots of important ideas roll thru here that really are bring it all together "keep swooping "its the Hydronic thing to do OH...Picture Number 2 is my Favorite ...time to start dreaming up new work to stay buzy with the curvo

Weezbo

have new browser bar nad it is sending me back in time...

jerry scharf_3

slick work, mupro question

Jake,

That's fantastic work. You are indeed a quick study with those sweep offsets away from the board. I bet Leo will love the pictures. Reminds me of the electrician who swept 5 4" rigid metal conduits from vertical to horizontal.

A question on the mupro clamps. I'm about to use them for the first time, and was wondering how you attached the 3/8" rod to the backboard behind the pipes for the vertical runs. I assume those don't have too much weight carrying capacity.

thanks,
jerry

Weezbo

MAD DOG .Did you get my e-mail ?

it is a bit of a confusing deal here i have a new browser search bar i just got rid of from a site i pay a game of chess or Go moku or Go on from time to time and it seems to have erased a group of my other recent ,somewhat overly creative posts ..and its taken some doing to get rid of it. funny thing is is that it has made me wonder if i am really at the site or plinking messages into a crystal clear pool of water of someone elses designe....please reply ...*~/:)

Mad Dog

No I didn't

where can I get me one of them puppies? Mad Dog

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Weezbo

i just sent another e-mail ....to you.

1 907 488 9620 is my home phone # .it may be a better idea than e mail.

Jake Timmerman_3

Sorry for the delay. To answer some questions, I use type L copper for the curvo; it does seem to work better. I saved 23 fittings on this little job and that comes to a total of about $105.00 with propress fittings. I also saved 46 potential leaks with the Curvo (two for each fitting). I use the Rems power-press E for my press fitting and have used it for a 12 a year now. I dont know why anyone would pay four times as much for a Ridgid unit when this simple unit does as good a job. The conduit bending book I have is ELECTRICIANS GUIDE TO CONDUIT BENDING, second edition, by Richard A. Cox. Coxco P.O. box 3822 Spokane, Washington 99220. Phone (509)466-0406. I like the idea of using a flare fitting on the t&p, Thanks Hot Rod. I try to keep a good stock of mupro supplies, can't say enough good things about Mupro and REMS. Also, I used the drive screw hanger bolts to secure the clamps to the plywood. I use 3/4" plywood which helps give the screw a good grip.

Tom_35

How much more labor is there---

Jake,

I realize that there is a significant savings in the Pro-Press fittings or fittings/soldering, but, how much more time does it take to measure everything out and make the proper bends?

I realize that there would be a learning curve and that given some time, things would go much quicker. When I first started, we used EMT conduit for everything, and now sealtight is the norm for short electrical hook-ups. We could re-learn the bending again, but most of the techs now days have not ever worked with EMT conduit, so using the Curvo would certainly take some time to master.

Tom A

Jake Timmerman_3

It does take some time to measure up the pipe for the curvo, but I am getting quicker. I think that it seems like it is taking longer to measure the pipe because instead of measuring one bend at a time (like using standard fittings) you are measuring 3 or 4 bends at once. When it comes time to bend, the bending is very quick. I know that this has to be the overall best way to put copper pipe on the wall. Like anything metal, why weld when you can bend.

singh

Where did you get the REMS press tool?
I looked but no one in my area stocks the tool.
Up to what size does it press?What about warranty with viega fittings?

Tony Conner_2

It's Actually Pretty Easy To Figure

I had these scans up last Friday, but they got lost in "The Crash". They're out of "IPT's Pipe Trades Handbook". ( www.iptbooks.com ) This is probably the best book for fitters I've ever seen, and it's only about $20.00.

The thing that throws most guys about tube bending is the "90" and the "R" on the placement link. The "90" is used if the measured length is to your left as you look at the bender. The "R" is for reverse bends, with the measured length sticking out to your right. I find it easier to remember "R" for RIGHT. There's only one mark for 45's, and it works either way. Remember to allow for the "gain" (and where it will show-up, depending on which way the tube is in the bender), and note that different bender manufacturers can have a slightly different bend radius and gain, for the same size tube bender.

hr

The long sweeps are friendlier

to flow also, theoretically this could be deducted from the pump head calcs.

We don't add the loops in radiant tube up as fittings for pressure drop, I suspect the same would be true for any Curvo piping.

Deduct the solder, flux, fitting, and actylene from the cost difference also. On this large Clean Burn install it made a big difference in time and parts. Figuring the bending math equates to about the same time you would spend sanding and cleaning the pipe and fittings for that many connections!

I'd say 2 or 3 large installs like this would pay for the tool. Same with a T-Drill.

Like any good power tool, take the time to learn it's "uniqueness" and it makes money, not costs money!

Ask Leo to get you the 1-1/4" wheel. This saves big dollars to delete 1-1/4 90 and 45's out of the job.

Great for making thermal drops for P/S piping. This is an Ultra with a 1-1/4" primary loop and 3/4" runs to an air handler above the "loop".

Lube the mandrel and follower up with WD40 and it bends type M fairly well. Good enough for T&P lines, etc.

hot rod

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Jake Timmerman_3

Singh, you may have to contact Mupro North America to see were there is a dealer in your neck of the woods. As far as the power-press E, I use the ridgid pressing tongs on the unit. I dont know what that does for the viega warranty. Though, I have never checked to see if standard NIBCO fitting have a warranty and if so, what solder and flux they want me to use. You will be happy with this tools simplicity and durability.

Hot Rod, On the Curvo, does it seem like you have to push the 1" pipe into it's wheel? Its a tight fit, which is good, but I was wondering if you have any tricks. Also, I use one of those angle finders to make sure that angles are perpendicular to each other since my curvo isnt always level on it's stand. As far as flow, its like comparing stock exhaust manifolds to high performance headers. Sharp turns vs. smooth turns. Better laminar flow.