5" copper chimney pipe, does anyone have or want 10 feet of this?

[ej21]

Got the Shipmate stove, now in need of about 10 feet worth of 5" copper pipe. Pete at Port Townsend Foundry has a source for this copper pipe, but they will only sell it with a 20 ft minimum length, which is twice what we need... And it's very expensive: $2200 + shipping...

So, I'm looking either for someone who happens to have 10 feet of 5" copper pipe they want to sell, or for someone who also needs 10 feet of it and who wants to split the order with us.

The details are:
DWV series pipe, 4.981" inside diameter, 0.072 wall thickness, 4.43 lb/ft.

Give me a call if you can help out!
Call Esther at (818) 307 0655 (I'm in California) Thanks!

[ej21]

OOPS, wrong phone number given, this is my correct phone number: (818) 307 0655.
Then I discovered I can edit the first post, so just did that ;-)

[tomlarkin]

You might contact Alaskan Copper. I don't see it in their catalog, but they may have some sitting in one of their many warehouses. http://www.alaskancopper.com/index.php

[JoshuaIII]

Why not taking stainless pipe, it turn platina after a few usage... It's about 10% of the price for copper!

[Stephen]

$2200! wow.
I got my Shipmate a steel stovepipe from homedepot. I used heavy guage duct and then spray painted it with black high temp paint. Duct= $8 for 6 feet & Paint = $5
You can get the high temp. paint in different colors now too - they even have copper:
http://www.rustoleum.com/cbgimages/products/SPHhuCopSpL.jpg
http://www.rustoleum.com/CBGProduct.asp?pid=108
If you had to have copper how about buying a sheet and folding a joint into it?

[Canoeyawl]

Copper makes a poor stove pipe.
It is too efficient at heat transfer, the entire pipe will conduct heat right up to the deck fitting and it has a relitively low melting point. It's not really safe.
There is a reason that stove pipes are steel or stainless steel.

edit to add; Copper can be toxic - too much copper in your system is a bad thing. It can leach out from a solid and be a problem, because heated copper is uncommon it is difficult to learn how it might react as a gas. I suspect it would absorb much more readily into the bloodstream.

[Bob Cleek]

Right on! Use steel or stainless stove pipe, which is made for the purpose.

[JoshuaIII]

Copper makes a poor stove pipe.
It is too efficient at heat transfer, the entire pipe will conduct heat right up to the deck fitting and it has a relitively low melting point. It's not really safe.
There is a reason that stove pipes are steel or stainless steel.

edit to add; Copper can be toxic - too much copper in your system is a bad thing. It can leach out from a solid and be a problem, because heated copper is uncommon it is difficult to learn how it might react as a gas. I suspect it would absorb much more readily into the bloodstream.

Agreed for the first part, not for the second one... All the big fancy 5 stars restaurant cook in copper pots and pan with a big propane fire right under it. Too much of it yes, but having a pipe with heat inside won't provide enough as Cooking right on it pass all health care test for eating...

[BarnacleGrim]

Except cooking vessels are lined with tin or stainless.

I've never heard of copper chimney pipe, only stainless or corten steel.

[PeterSibley]

Got the Shipmate stove, now in need of about 10 feet worth of 5" copper pipe. Pete at Port Townsend Foundry has a source for this copper pipe, but they will only sell it with a 20 ft minimum length, which is twice what we need... And it's very expensive: $2200 + shipping...

So, I'm looking either for someone who happens to have 10 feet of 5" copper pipe they want to sell, or for someone who also needs 10 feet of it and who wants to split the order with us.

The details are:
DWV series pipe, 4.981" inside diameter, 0.072 wall thickness, 4.43 lb/ft.

Give me a call if you can help out!
Call Esther at (818) 307 0655 (I'm in California) Thanks!

Contact the local plumbing contractor who does installations on commercial buildings .5'' is used to carry firefighting water and sometimes waste ...here at least .I will be a lot cheaper .

Or do what Stephen did and use stainless .

[PeterSibley]

Except cooking vessels are lined with tin or stainless.

I've never heard of copper chimney pipe, only stainless or corten steel.

My parents had it on a coke burning Essee heater in NZ when I was a boy .It's very pretty and the colour changes are fun .

There might be some problems with repeated heating and cooling ?

[PaulC]

I am not familiar with copper piping in these diameters. In steel, 5" O.D. is an uncommon size where 6" is very common. Ask to see if that occurs with copper too. If so, going up a diameter may look real attractive. If the flow increases too much ask if you should be able to correct it with the damper.

[Bob Cleek]

Sure... if you alternately heat and slowly cool a piece of copper, I do believe that will harden the metal and make it brittle... or so they say.

[Jay Greer]

While I like the look of copper, I really endorse the use of stainless for stove pipe. And, if you want to avoid injury from a hot pipe, think about double walled pipe that is made especially for boat stoves. Two companies can help you here, Navigator Stove Works on Orcus Island in Washington.
http://www.marinestove.com/
and Shipmate Stoves in Bedminster Pa
http://www.shipmatestove.com/
If indeed your heart is still set on copper pipe, they may also be able to help with a double walled version.
Jay

[Canoeyawl]

A copper outer shield would give you the correct look and could be simply rolled from sheet metal as a stove pipe. My local hardware store used to be able to roll and crimp stove pipe, in fact we had a 4" copper vent pipe made up for our kitchen stove, it was lovely.

Copper stove pipe is not safe - a 2000°f copper melt point vs a simple charcoal flame temp of 2100°f should settle this.

[ej21]

Thanks for all the replies everyone! I did call Alaskan copper but they can not supply it.
Do still want copper; the steam pipe quality copper pipe, such as mentioned by Claud Worth in 'Yacht Cruising'.

Both guys from Navigator stove works and Shipmate stove have been so slow to respond in the past that I've currently given up on them.
Pt Townsend Foundry has been great and quick to communicate, and they seem to really know what they are doing.
Anyway, I'm still looking, so if there's anyone out there who also needs 10 feet of high quality 5" copper pipe, or knows where to get it cheaper than the quote I've already had, I'd love to hear from you!

Esther (818) 307 0655

[Jay Greer]

I myself am often slow to respond to Emails. Have you tried direct contact by phone?
Jay

[ej21]

Hi Jay, yes, in the past year or so have spoken to both by phone more than once. They were both nice and friendly, but did not deliver what they said they would. So I choose to look elsewhere.

[Jay Greer]

Sorry to hear that I have great faith in their products.
Jay

[Monkey Butler]

I just checked with a supplier we deal with here on the east coast. He didn't have DWV in his computer system but was pretty sure he could get it.

He was able to give me a price on 5" Type L in 10 foot lengths at $75.57/Ft.

He said DWV would be significantly less.

[JuniperHeartPine]

As has been said, 5" is an odd size. But I would recommend finding a supplier of gutter and downspout in copper. I used to work in sheet metal fabrication, and we would order 10' sections for downspout...although I think that was 4" diameter. The problem with having it locally fabricated would be finding someone with rollers at 10 ft. long. Most shops only have 4 ft. or smaller rollers. However, if the copper was run through a pipe lock/Lockformer machine, then carefully bent in a 10 ft. brake a small increment at a time, you would have your pipe at a cheaper cost. FYI, I believe the pipe we ordered was about $250 bucks per 10 ft.

But you still may have problems with copper in that application, and the sheet metal shop may have issue with making it because stove pipe usually has to be certified for that use.

The stainless inner pipe with the outer copper sleeve sounds like a great idea, but you should consult with professionals regarding safety, like a chimney sweep or a manufacturer.

I hope this helps,

JHP

[JoshuaIII]

Ej21, out of pure curiosity is there a reason why you insist so much on Copper?
Just for the look?

[andrewe]

I built a stainless woodstove, after a few burns it looked very copperish. Like the patina refered to above. No idea why you would want copper. Esp at THAT price.

[ej21]

Monkey Butler - I'm interested in getting in touch with your supplier, any contact info would be welcome! My phone is 818 307 0655.

JHP - The pipe will not be one section of 10 feet, but about 10 feet total, with 2 elbows in it below deck, and a piece above deck too. So a 4 ft roller would be fine.

Joshua/Andrew - the reason is to rebuild the entire boat the way it would have been early last century, as true to that as possible.

Thanks everyone for responding and trying to help out, that's much appreciated!
Esther

[Jay Greer]

The Lunnenberg Foundry made up some copper stove pipe and smoke head fittings for me a few years back.
Jay

[ej21]

Thanks Jay, I've already been in touch with the Lunenberg Foundry. No luck there on this one. They no longer have the tools for it.

[seo]

Here in Maine where the paper mills are all going out of business, it's possible to buy seamless 316 stainless schedule 80 pipe for less than two dollars a pound. Makes a good stovepipe, exhaust pipe, or whatever. Stainless this thick is easy to weld.
I agree entirely with Jay's comments in #14 about double wall. But it's possible to roll yer own, as it were. The absolute simplest is aluminum drier duct, an inch bigger in diameter than the smoke pipe, with sheet metal screws driven through the alu to make stand offs, and a few artfully nipped holes to allow heat to escape. Starting from there, only your wallet and imagination can impede you.

[Doswell]

I think a copper pipe would look great but am very concerned about the safety of such an application. The heat build up at the elbows would be considerable. If I was doing this, I would buy an actual double walled stainless stove pipe system complete with elbows. If I wanted a copper look, I would find a good sheet metal shop to make me a light gauge copper jacket to go over the actual stove pipe. This would be way cheaper that solid copper pipe and would also be cooler to the touch inside the cabin and a lot cooler at the point where the pipe penetrates the cabin roof.

Good luck

Doswell

[Monkey Butler]

Monkey Butler - I'm interested in getting in touch with your supplier, any contact info would be welcome! My phone is 818 307 0655.

Esther


Call me at the office, 617-491-5500 x165 after 9:00AM EDT

Steve P.

[Barnguy]

Not to seem like a pseudo commerical posting... Typically I would hover quietly off to the side while reading posts like these, but I have to chime in.

Both Navigator Stoves and us at The Shipmate Stove Co. are serious about what we do and the last thing we (Taking the liberty to speak for Andrew as well) would want to do is something that is not correct.

There's a reason that both Andrew at Navigator and us at Shipmate haven't jumped at the job of making a custom copper chimney pipe for your Bristol Channel Cutter Project......you can see from the informed and correct postings on this thread that there are heat/brittleness issues with copper chimey pipe below deck. Both Shipmate and Navigator offer Copper and Stainless smokehoods but we at Shipemate shy away from offering copper chimney pipe for the reasons listed by the previous posters. Additionally, if there is any mention of burning coal we strongly urge people to go with the stainless smoke hood because of the potential corrosive interaction between the coal off gases and the copper....not to mention the significantly hotter flue temps associated with the burning of coal which could possibly distort even the thickest of copper chimney pipe.

The Bristol Channel Cutters are personal favorite of mine and if anyone doubts the quality of our stoves or our dedication to providing the highest level of service to the classic wooden boat community, drop a quick line to Stephen Mohan of the Carlotta.

http://www.pilotcutter.ca/index.htm

I suspect that you'll get a much different and more favorable review of the Shipmate Stove Co.

Just Sayin...

Sean Tracy
Shipmate Stove Co.

[ej21]

Thanks to everyone who responded, especially Steve! Thanks to his info I've been able to get 20 ft of copper pipe to the specifications needed, at a much more reasonable price. If anyone ever wants to buy the other 10 feet from me... let me know :-)
Esther
(818) 307 0655