# Copper???



## Mo53sz (Dec 5, 2012)

G'day fellow diyers!
I've recently acquired (thank you eBay) a nice three tier enclosure for the right price. It's bare but we all know what that means!! The pleasure of setting up three maybe four (thinking about splitting one down the middle) new enclosures. Stoked!

So now I come up a million new ideas but then the hard part is figuring how to turn imagination into reality. 

So my question is, I'm a refrigeration mechanic so I have easy access to a fair amount of copper pipe. Does anyone know if using copper pipe to make branches and faux trees will cause any problems to my snakes? 

Maybe I can coat the copper in expanding foam and mould it to look a little more natural then grout and pondtite? 

Any suggestions would be apappreciated 

Cheers

Moses


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## maddog-1979 (Dec 5, 2012)

sell the copper and buy beer, then go and grab some fallen branches


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## Mo53sz (Dec 5, 2012)

That's certainly an option! However my beer fridge is stocked and my enclosure empty.
i just figured some copper could be bent into whatever size or shape I want, will come free from work and won't have any little nasties living in it that I have to evict first.


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## thomasssss (Dec 5, 2012)

maddog-1979 said:


> sell the copper and buy beer, then go and grab some fallen branches


fallen branches being the key word here , dont want to be trying to climb trees pi$$ed , although i personally prefer fresh cut branches so id wait and make it the hangover mission


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## KRONYK94 (Dec 5, 2012)

maddog-1979 said:


> sell the copper and buy beer, then go and grab some fallen branches


now that is a member with brains good thinking!

honestly bud if your going to mold it in foam and seal it i dont see any problem with it in my opinion i think its a good idea and may be able to get something out of it nobody else has though of just make sure no sharp copper is showing and id say it would be all cool!

pics when your finished dude love to see how the pipes turn out!


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## daveandem2011 (Dec 5, 2012)

Mo53sz said:


> That's certainly an option! However my beer fridge is stocked and my enclosure empty.
> i just figured some copper could be bent into whatever size or shape I want, will come free from work and won't have any little nasties living in it that I have to evict first.



Use the copper that comes in the black foam covering as the staring point for the branches then find something to cover it in will make great branches.

cheers Dave


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## cools2036 (Dec 5, 2012)

If the copper is sealed then no drama, though bare copper will develop a corrosion later of green copper oxide from moisture, oils from the snake and crap and could be harmfully if the snake comes in contact.

Another use is to use a flat coil, bend out a few sections then cost with foam to make reinforced rock walls ledges etc


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## Mo53sz (Dec 5, 2012)

Ill mostly flog it out of the scrap copper bin that way It won't cost the earth. Not that I really have anyone to answer to...
figured I could get some real twisted designs going. Make something the way all branches look after a longie or four :shock: 

Sweeet glad to get some encouragement. Ill have to get motivated and do it now. Muwahahahah


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## Jacknife (Dec 5, 2012)

Instead of copper, use a length or hose with a coat hanger through it.
Waste of good, and not cheap copper if you ask me...


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## Marzzy (Dec 6, 2012)

Recycle the copper running out of the stuff I don't want plastic water pipes in my house!!!


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## K3nny (Dec 6, 2012)

unless you fashion out a "steampunk" or copper piping enclosure of vertical copper pipes and wheels?
If you've got it, flaunt is is all i say. And yes, probably best to coat them first to prevent any nasties forming?

note: depending on your enclosure, i just realized this may result in one HEAVY set of enclosures if its not stable etc


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## Shaggz (Dec 6, 2012)

I wonder if you could use the copper throughout the enclosures as a heater core using recirculated hot water through a small water heater and recirc pump. could even get all carried away and use a natural gas water heater therefore saving the use of electricity. man i might be onto something here lol I bags copyright for my idea


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## Mo53sz (Dec 6, 2012)

Badsville said:


> Instead of copper, use a length or hose with a coat hanger through it.
> Waste of good, and not cheap copper if you ask me...


 That's a great idea too and I may just jump on that bandwagon 
I just don't think that will cut it for a 7 foot Darwin or a bredli.

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Badsville said:


> Instead of copper, use a length or hose with a coat hanger through it.
> Waste of good, and not cheap copper if you ask me...


 That's a great idea too and I may just jump on that bandwagon 
I just don't think that will cut it for a 7 foot Darwin or a bredli.

- - - Updated - - -



Shaggz said:


> I wonder if you could use the copper throughout the enclosures as a heater core using recirculated hot water through a small water heater and recirc pump. could even get all carried away and use a natural gas water heater therefore saving the use of electricity. man i might be onto something here lol I bags copyright for my idea



The posh use it for underfloor heating so why not for our pets. You could set the thermostat to 30 - 32 or whatever temp you are after. You would probably find you could do three or four tanks for the price of one if done properly!


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## eipper (Dec 6, 2012)

I am seriously considering a small hot water system and recirculating pump for winter and for summer having a cheap solar array ( black poly on the roof) and a thermostat and timer linked in to operate a re circ pump. 

By lagging the pipe except where the heating is required should make for quite a simple energy conservative system.

cheers
scott


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## Mo53sz (Dec 6, 2012)

eipper said:


> I am seriously considering a small hot water system and recirculating pump for winter and for summer having a cheap solar array ( black poly on the roof) and a thermostat and timer linked in to operate a re circ pump.
> 
> By lagging the pipe except where the heating is required should make for quite a simple energy conservative system.
> 
> ...



Backed up by your standard heater cable setup you've got a winner. 
You can get cheap low voltage water solenoids from bunnings for about $15. One on each inlet connected by a thermostat to regulate temperature. You could even have a sensor in the water line that shuts down the pump if the waters below 30


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## Bluetongue1 (Dec 6, 2012)

*Mos53sz*,
Given we have copper water pipes in houses and the inside of which is continually moist, I strongly doubt there is any chance of metal poisoning from your suggested use. Annealed and using a pipe bender to stop it from crimping you should have plenty of flexibility with shaping. You could even solder in the odd Y-joiner or T-piece to provide branching. Once it firms up it would certainly hold its shape under stress. The down side is that it would be a lot of work and I think you will find there are much easier methods to achieve the same end result.

Blue


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## Mo53sz (Dec 6, 2012)

I was thinking that but I know that copper jewlery tends to mark the skin. Also I know that we are not allowed to make copper car exhaust due to some toxicity. I guess my main concern was if uncoated the copper might get too hot under a basking lamp and cause a burn. Hence the foam coating. 
Either way I will give it a go and let you know how it turns out!


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## cools2036 (Dec 6, 2012)

It's the salt that oxidizes copper, hence why only the exposed parts of our household pipes show the groom oxidization which is because the air carries particles of salt.
Our skin also excretes a lot of salt so jewelry and copper that's handled regularly oxidizes.
I'm assuming reptile skin and fecal matter also causes this effect.
Cheers


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