I have seen some beautiful trellis's made from copper, but they are just too pricey for my budget. Has anyone made a copper trellis that does not involve soldering pipes together? Trying to find an economical way to make a small but sturdy trellis. Any info appreciated!
I saw one where the joins were connected by coper wire wound round the joins and anchored on the back with a blob of epoxy. If you are using, say, copper from the hardware store you will need to varnish it or something to keep it from discoloring- I had assumed that my attempt at copper in the garden would turn a lovely green. Maybe it will in a few years, but till then it's just an icky brown!
Keeping the copper shiny I have copper jewelry, and the easiest and fastest, not to mention, cheapest way to clean it is with a mixture of vinegar (white distilled) and a couple of dashes of salt in the vinegar mixture. Dip cotton (preferably over rags as it holds the liquid best), and wipe. Viola! It is back to its original luster. Unfortunately copper needs to be done often to keep it looking great. Thanks for the tips on the copper wiring idea!
Thanks for the copper cleaning idea! An old building near me has a copper roof that was cleaned with some fairly wicked chemicals several years back, scared me right off but vinegar & salt I can handle, lol!
Don't be afraid to solder! Propane torches are inexpensive and easy to use. You can buy a basic "plumbers kit" for under $40.00 and it will last you for many years. A good solder joint can be made in a few easy steps. First, make sure the copper is clean by sanding off the dull stuff with sandpaper. If it isn't shiny, it won't solder. Second, coat both pieces of copper with flux. Torches come in kits with propane, solder, and flux. The flux will prepare the surface to accept the solder. Third, put the pieces together in the shape that you need. Fourth, light the torch (read the directions that come with the torch). Hold the torch in your non-dominant hand and the solder in your dominant hand. Fifth, put the flame on the joint right where the two pieces of metal join. You should put the flame close enough that the metal is half way down the flame. The flux will start to bubble and run. Give it about 20 seconds and remove the flame. Immediately touch the solder to the part where the two pieces of copper join. If the solder doesn't melt, apply heat for another 20 seconds and try again. At some point, the solder will melt and start to flow. It should flow quickly in and around the joint. If it doesn't flow all of the way around, apply a little more heat and a little more solder. You don't have to be too picky since the joint doesn't have to be air and water tight. After a few practice joints you'll find out that it's really easy. The main thing to remember is that you shouldn't overheat the joint. If the joint is too hot the solder will run off and won't stick. Also, if you're concerned about lead, you can buy lead free solder. Be sure to use the flux made for the lead free solder. If you want a nice patina, clean the copper with sandpaper or another type of cleaner and rub it down with lemon juice. Preferably with a lemon and not with the bottled juice. It'll turn green fairly quickly. You can also mix vinegar and salt water in a sprayer and spray the copper once in a while, but not if it's close to plants. Another method is to use plant food in a sprayer. The least elegant method is to pee on it every morning (my wife just read this and disavows any connection to the last suggestion).
This weeks newsletter from DIY weekend projects they showed how to make a real simple Copper Trellis here is there website hopeful it can help if not, give you some ideas you can use.http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/shows_ddsl/
Lowes used to sell copper pipe and joints that were pre-soldered. You just put the pipe and elbow or whatever together and heat with a propane torch and presto, you have a soldered joint. Our local Ace Hardware sells them too I think.
You could try a product called JB Weld (Home Depot and Lowes). It should hold your pipes together and it drys as hard as metal.
