Pressing letters and copper stampings

[Rossn]

For those of you using propress - viega says to not press onto the tubing where the factory has the stamped line of letters. That means a lot of extra cuts and waste. Do you press on the stamped letters, and have you ever had an issue? Do you do a lot of press fittings?

 

[Jeff H Young]

I had an issue with the copper having a line like a seam along it we had a big crew of guys like 10 doing copper on a high rise we had quite a few leaks on 1 1/2" company foreman was screaming at us but it was defect in pipe could smooth it off with a file. no problem with stampings that I ever had

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Breplum]

Never run into any stamped embossing that I recall. Continuously big fan of Viega press.

 

[Rossn]

Ok, thanks guys. I ended up getting some very old 1-1/4 from Lowes for my project, because it was about 40% cheaper than the supply house. It was about 1/3 full of stamping!

Have either of you had a joint that wobbled? I have a 1-1/4 x 1-1/4 x 1/2 Tee, with a street 90 1/2" plugged into it, and then a valve, and it wobbles a bit. I called viega, and they said it does happen, and should be fine - but I'm being doubly cautious since I'm new to this. I pressed it a second time and it is the same.

 

[Tuttles Revenge]

ProPress generally deforms the pipe and fitting so much that I've never had any movement. We've done up to 4" copper systems and I've never heard of that.

Also never heard of avoiding stamped lettering.. if its there, its very very minutely stamped

 

[Rossn]

Yeah, the Viega manual says "Copper tubing must be free of surface imperfections, including metal stamped print lines, before a ProPress fitting is installed."

I am a bit concerned about the joint that can be moved - all the others are rock solid. Unfortunately, I would have to sacrifice a drain valve to pull it out, but that may be my my best interest. And not sure I have a fitting, and was planning on having the water in the house back tonight.

 

[Jeff H Young]

kinda hard to recomend ignoring manufacture instructions and to press with an oring on the stampings . mark with a sharpie get full penetration

 

[Tuttles Revenge]

From the manual:
"Deburr inside and outside of the tube to the proper insertion depths. ▶ Use a wire brush, Scotchbrite pad, sand cloth, or sandpaper to remove loose dirt and rust particles from the pressing area."

Would sanding off the lettering qualify as deburring? The lettering that I saw in our shop was barely visible.

 

[Rossn]

I had to scrap a little (not much) copper, but was able to avoid the stamping - just took some extra time. Yep, every joint marked with a sharpie!

 

[Fitter30]

Id be concern with the joint that wobbles might be leak free now but!

 

[Rossn]

I actually had 2. When I did another Tee with a street elbow, it did the same thing. My boiler plumber said he has had it a number of times, and never had one come back. Viega also says it is OK. It has me uncomfortable, too, but 2 people saying it is good, I decided leave it (would have had to have cut out $60 of fittings/valves and didn't have replacements ready to go).

 

[Jeff H Young]

From the manual:
"Deburr inside and outside of the tube to the proper insertion depths. ▶ Use a wire brush, Scotchbrite pad, sand cloth, or sandpaper to remove loose dirt and rust particles from the pressing area."

Would sanding off the lettering qualify as deburring? The lettering that I saw in our shop was barely visible.

good point on sanding it might knock down the highpoints of deformity caused by stamping, if your good with a file it might help too . but I don't like playing with correcting defects, but I have . the o -ring will seal but doesn't take up voids as well.
I generally like scotch brite if its not that dirty or scarred