Technical Stuff

When using copper fittings that are designed for soldering (i.e., those made to ASME B16.22 or MSS SP-73), the file below will explain why only partial insertion of the tube into the fitting is needed if the joint is to be brazed. Other articles below explain why full insertion is actually not a good idea when brazing solder-joint fittings:

• Why it is OK to use the Brazing Dimpler -- for Brazed Joints

The link below will take you to the web site of the Fabricator and Manufacturer's Association (FMA) which publishes The Fabricator. At this link, you will see the above article in a somewhat shorter form as it was published in the May, 2003 issue of The Fabricator

Brazing copper tubing

• It's simpler than it seems

"Conventional Wisdom”—When Brazing Copper Tube Is Wrong" published in PMEngineer (January, 2005) featuring the Brazing Dimpler and explaining how it:

• improves brazed joint quality,
• reduces the cost of making brazed joints
• improves long-term performance of the joints
• makes the joint stronger than with full insertion
• simlifies cutting and assembly
• while making it easier for the Brazer to make a top-quality joint!

Why is excessive overlap bad? See the video clip below:

For more insights on the quality of copper brazed joints and the effects of excessive overlap, see the following article showing research on brazing by the Copper Development Association and the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Institue:

• ARI article

How about use for Medical Gas Piping?

YES! The Dimpler is permitted under NFPA-99 as of the 2012 edition!

5.1.10.4.6 Assembling and Heating Brazed Joints.

5.1.10.4.6.1 Tube ends shall be inserted into the socket, either fully or to a mechanically limited depth that is not less than the minimum cup depth (overlap) specified by ANSI/ASME B16.50, Wrought Copper and Copper Alloy Braze-Joint Pressure Fittings.