PIPE INSULATION

(Page 2 of 2)

May/June 1981
 
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THE TOOL

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The heart of our easy insulation-maker consists of a 160-watt soldering gun fitted with a special tip. We took the hard spring steel core from a broken choke cable, trimmed off a four-inch length, bent the wire into a semicircle with a 3/4" diameter (a size appropriate for 1/2" copper tubing), and then replaced the solderer's standard tip with this special-duty unit.

The 1100°F temperatures produced in the wire readily shape polystyrene by melting the material. (In fact, soldering guns are often used for slicing plastics such as synthetic ropes . . . see "Rope Know-How" on page 40.) A person with a steady hand could carve the 3/8"-deep grooves in flat polystyrene by hand, but we decided to simplify the procedure by building a jig that holds the gun securely and guides 2"-wide pieces of insulation past its hot tip.

The stool-like affair that you see in the accompanying photo secures the heater in a position suitable for producing a 3/8"-deep channel. (By only temporarily wedging the tool in place with a wooden block, you'll have the option of removing it, easily, when the gun is to be used for other jobs.) The rubber band, which you see wrapped around the handle, holds the solderer's trigger down for long cuts.

To form the bends necessary to accommodate elbows, tees, and the irregular turns commonly formed when working with soft copper pipe, a little hand work will be needed. We found it relatively easy, though—after experimenting on a few pieces—to make smooth, consistent grooves for the short distances required for such angles and curves.

Once a batch of grooved polystyrene has been prepared, two sections are sandwiched around the pipes that are to be insulated. Tape could be used to secure them, but we've found that the adhesive designed for use with polystyrene is actually easier to apply. The Rvalue that will result from the approximately 3/8"-thick insulative layer provided by MOM's tube wrappers is between 3 and 4. Furthermore, it's easy to apply additional layers of ungrooved material atop the molded pieces to increase the thermal resistance. And, by employing such a technique, you can achieve an R-value equal to the best pipe insulation on the market . . . for about 1/6 the cost!

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  • Tootie 1/19/2008 8:47:20 AM

    Good idea Jeff And a whole lot easier to install. But I have a good
    one too. I use those styrofoam noodles that people use in the
    swimming pools. They come in different colors,and the hole in the
    middle is just about the right size. Or you could use outdoor pipe
    insulation. Of course good old duct tape is good for securing.

  • yeager75 11/7/2007 9:32:10 PM

    Greetings, I Have a hot water radiator heating system. Pipes in the
    basement are 2". I have an easier and cheaper way to insulate the
    pipes. I had rolls of R-13 fiberglass insulation left over from
    some other projects. The width of the roll is great to wrap the
    pipe lengthwise. To secure the insulation I used duct tape wrapping
    in a spiral fashion all the way around the pipe. Total cost less
    then $15 , the R-13 costs about 10 and a couple bucks for a roll or
    two for the tape. With the extra insulation I even wrapped the
    furnace with extra layers of fiberglass, watchfull not to cover any
    sensitive or excessivly hot areas on the furnace. I used steel wire
    to fasten the insulation, do not use anything combustable near a
    furnace. Jeff

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