I have been following the metal’ and copper in particular, as it is
a very necessary part of our modern existence.
One of the things I envision, is a shortage of copper tubing. I have been buying
a little extra every time I go to the home store. Some of it I plan use for
making a still-- for making alcohol, other sizes are for my propane tanks
and
last but not least, I still have copper [water] pipes in my house that are going
on 30 years old, so I have been buying some to replace that.
What is strange, is that copper tubing has almost doubled in prince in the
last two years, and they say it’s because of China buying most of the
worlds production for electronics and other stuff. Not sure, but I have been
getting a good replacement stock of the tubing.
BTW there are several different grades of tubing and you need to be buying
the K grade as it is thicker walled, and approved for propane. The M grade
is not approved for propane, as it has thinner walls. The K grade bends easily
without kinking, and the M grade will not bend [properly] at all. Most of the
solder-on fittings are for the M grade and the compression type and flare fittings
are
for K tubing. - Mel