How to Build a Copper Garden Sprinkler
Copper garden sprinklers add a functional design element to your backyard or garden. You can make your own copper garden sprinkler with soft copper tubing and a few other supplies from the local garden and home store. Decorate the copper sprinkler with colorful copper wire and strips of copper foil to create twirling abstract art that will water your lawn and your plants.
Things You'll Need
- Measuring tape
- Soft copper tubing
- Copper pipe
- Pipe cutter
- Drill
- 1/8-inch drill bit
- Brass swivel fitting
- Copper T connector
- Propane torch
- Flux
- Solder
- Protective eyewear
- Heavy gloves
- Straight copper connector
- Sprinkler base
- Copper foil
- Sharp household shears
- 20-gauge copper wire
- Awl
- Garden hose
Instructions
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1
Cut a 36-inch section of soft copper tubing. Cut a 4-foot long section of copper pipe. The soft tubing is to make the decorative section of your garden sprinkler; the copper pipe works as a stand for the sprinkler and as the conduit for the water from the sprinkler base. Adjust the length of the copper pipe if you prefer that your garden sprinkler twirl closer to the ground. Adjust the length of the copper tubing to adjust the circumference of your garden sprinkler.
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2
Drill 1/8-inch holes along the length of the copper tubing. Space the holes every 1/2 to 1 inch apart. Make sure to drill the holes through both walls of the tubing.
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3
Apply flux to the base of the copper T connector and to the brass swivel fitting. Connect the two pieces and solder them together with a propane torch.
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4
Bend the soft copper tubing into a circle. Place each end of the copper tubing into the sides of the copper T connector. Coat the area with flux and solder the connections in place.
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5
Solder the brass swivel fitting to one end of the copper pipe.
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6
Solder the other end of the copper pipe to a straight copper fitting that fits over the sprinkler head on the sprinkler base. Solder the fitting onto the sprinkler head.
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7
Trace wavy designs onto the copper foil that are 3- to 4-inches long and 1- to 2-inches wide. You can design any shape that you like, as long as it fits inside the circumference of the copper sprinkler circle. Puncture one hole on each end of the wavy designs.
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8
Cut two 6-inch sections of 24-gauge craft wire. Insert one piece of wire halfway through each of the holes. Bend the wire in half. Wrap the ends of the wire around the copper sprinkler circle. Repeat this step for each of your copper foil designs. Place them randomly inside the circle to create abstract copper art.
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9
Attach a garden hose to the sprinkler base and turn on the water.
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Tips & Warnings
Make sure that you wear protective eyewear and heavy gloves when you solder copper.
