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If there happen to be any metallurgy wizards here I have a question:
Obviously, soldering copper pipe with a torch will anneal the metal. Is there a way to re harden the metal after it's been worked into a shape such as a coil? I know about work hardening but I don't see how you'd do it with a coil or other equally involved and fixed shape. Any DIY methods that would work?

Soldering temps 600-700 F will not anneal copper. It needs 1200-1300 F to really be soft. But as far as work hardening soft copper it will harden itself with time. You can drive around with a soft coil in the truck and in a month it don't want to unroll easy.

Pretty much what AC said , time and movement. Ive never had to worry about hardening anything Ive ever made from copper, it just seems to happen over time. You can sit there tapping it gently all over with a small hammer or other hard object if you want.

Saltbush Bill wrote:....You can sit there tapping it gently all over with a small hammer or other hard object if you want.

Could I attach a...my wife’s...uh-humm...vibrating thing-a-ma-jiggy?

still_stirrin wrote:

Saltbush Bill wrote:....You can sit there tapping it gently all over with a small hammer or other hard object if you want.

Could I attach a...my wife’s...uh-humm...vibrating thing-a-ma-jiggy?

I believe they call it the Hitachi magic wand given how powerfully it vibrates I'd not be surprised if it works.
I know using a torch to heat copper can make it much easier to manipulate but if it's not softening the metal then no worries. Thanks for the insight.

You have to heat copper to at minimum a dull red colour to anneal it . If you are Brazing with a MAPP or Oxy torch this will do it . If you are just using soft solder , it won't anneal it .

Bending it into a coil will have it pretty hard . Polishing the coil will finish the job

still_stirrin wrote: Could I attach a...my wife’s...uh-humm...vibrating thing-a-ma-jiggy?

You must be referring to Bob... (battery operated buddy)

You could glass bead it but that would only be a surface hardening. I have heard ultra sonic vibrations have also been used to harden copper. It would be interesting to see if it works like aluminum. You use the same principal to anneal aluminum but to re harden aluminum you must reheat to a controlled temperature and do a controlled cool down over a few hours time.

Twisted Brick wrote:

still_stirrin wrote: Could I attach a...my wife’s...uh-humm...vibrating thing-a-ma-jiggy?

You must be referring to Bob... (battery operated buddy)

That is funny. In my language the BOB is the one in a company that is NOT going to drink and drive the other ones safely home.
I had to look it up, but it is NOT an acronym, so NOT Bewust Onbeschonken Bestuurder (Conciously Sober Driver).
It started in Belgium and is now a European plan of advertising every year for some time.

OK fellas ... enough of the smut talk ..... keep it clean please .
Nine posts ..four not worth keeping .