What do i need??

[hatchleader]

looking at doing more practical stuff rather than just designing and am looking at doing some light brass/copper work to begin with as they seem like the easiest steam punky materials to get hands on, and sound fairly easy to use! to begin with the main stuff will be thin sheet copper folding and some copper pipe work.

So what do i need to make some air tight seals between copper piping and valves etc I'm thinking that Brazing will be best for beginning but in all honesty i have no idea what i'm doing and might have just proved the point!

So what do you need, best materials to use etc etc?

also i am after a burst valve, if there is such a thing. Simple open close valve that when it is opened auto closes after a certain amount of compressed air goes through (think repeater gas air rifle trigger or gas BB gun trigger), or am i/ do they have a small tank that fills up and then empties fully when the valve is opened then refills when it closes?

Thanks in advance folks 

[sidecar_jon]

"air tight seals between copper piping and valves etc ..."

Look in the plumbing section of a DIY shop, its all been designed to fit nicely together and work, be it compression fittings soldered or even glued. You don't braze copper you soft solder it. Any small gas torch will do that. With pre-soldered fittings you clean it with wire wool, put on a flux push together and heat till a bright ring of solder appears round the joint and its done. Otherwise compression fittings are very easy to use, slip 'em together and tighten 'em up (bit they don't need to be hugely tight) all joints and angles are available too!

[hatchleader]

"air tight seals between copper piping and valves etc ..."

Look in the plumbing section of a DIY shop, its all been designed to fit nicely together and work, be it compression fittings soldered or even glued. You don't braze copper you soft solder it. Any small gas torch will do that. With pre-soldered fittings you clean it with wire wool, put on a flux push together and heat till a bright ring of solder appears round the joint and its done. Otherwise compression fittings are very easy to use, slip 'em together and tighten 'em up (bit they don't need to be hugely tight) all joints and angles are available too!

Awsome, i take they all standard sizes then, just stick with one size for all fittings and pipes and they will go together?

[Eisenfaust]

You can stick to one size or they also have reducers/expanders that allow you to move from one size to another.  They are similar to the above mentioned valves and such. 

[hatchleader]

well its gonna be small piping, probably internal diameter of no more than 1/3 inch!

is piping easy to bend if i use a small blow torch to heat it? just be alot nicer lines if i can bend it rather than use angle joints!

[Danbury Shakes]

well its gonna be small piping, probably internal diameter of no more than 1/3 inch!

is piping easy to bend if i use a small blow torch to heat it? just be alot nicer lines if i can bend it rather than use angle joints!

Bending tube often ends up with the tube collapsing if you don't support it.

Plumbers often used special springs to provide the support.
http://www.tooled-up.com/MicroCategory.asp?MAN=Bending-Springs&CID=9&SCID=71&MCID=474

you can also buy special pipe bending tools
http://www.tooled-up.com/SubCategory.asp?CID=9&SCID=71

If you don't want to fork out too much money on somethng you aren't going to use then there are other ways.

One way is sealing one end with tape and then filling with sand, taping up the other end and then bending. 

You can also fill the tube with melted vaseline or wax and bend when set, just heat it up and pour it out.

When working with metal it becomes "Work Hardened".  Ths means he metal becomes harder which can be good for the finished article but when your building means it's harder to bend and it can split (metal fatigue, bend the head and handle of a spoon back an forth a few times and you see the results)

To soften a work hardened bit of copper, heat it with a torch (the same torch you use to solder) till it glows red.  This will make it soft and easy to bend. (do this before you put the vaseline in  )  Google anealing for more info.

[hatchleader]

thanks for that, really helpful! sand method sounds easiest so i'm gonna try that first, hopefully be getting some of the parts this weekend including piping so i will give it a shot! i'll let you know results!

[sidecar_jon]

"microbore" copper pipe is 5mm or so (small anyway) but usually sold in coils so it can be more investment than one wants to make (£20 or so) A length of ordinary pipe can be cut and flattened to make plate too...As for bending yes ive heard but not tried ice too, fill it with water and put it in the freezer!... have a wander round B&Q or Wikes...