Repairing the Handle of a Refrigerant Can Tap.

My Handy can tap for r134a bottles had its plastic handle broken the last time I used it. I can't understand why the manufacturer didn't use a metal handle. Anyhow, I have to fix this handle issue and this is how I went about it.

Using a Spanner I removed the top holding nut then unscrewed the puncturing pin. This pin has a seal on it that I also removed.

I cut a short length of copper tubing to use as the replacement handle. Using my birdbeak pliers, I crushed the centre a bit to make it flat.

I filed the flat surface of the puncturing pin where the original handle went. Next I wet that surface with electronics grade solder. The same I did for the copper tubing. Now both are ready to be joined.

I put the seal back and shaft nut onto the puncturing pin shaft. Next I used a metal clamp to hold the copper tubing and pin shaft together while I soldered them permanently together.

Once I reassembled the can tap, I took a pic showing the new handle giving shame to the old cracked one.

Hopefully my repaired can tap should last me many years to come!