Plumbing the shower
Take a look at the “Plumbing checklist” to gather the needed pieces. Start by using a pipe cutter to prepare the various lengths of 3/4"-diameter copper pipe. The longest pipe gets bent into a half-circle that holds the shower head. If you try to do it freehand, the pipe will kink, so you'll need a plywood jig. (See “Bending the rules,“ for more on this technique.)
Next, starting at the garden hose adapter, solder together all components of the shower riser. For help, see “Soldering success.“ As you work, line up the hose bib, shut-off valve and shower head arch so they'll be parallel to the upright when complete. Once the soldered connections have cooled, thread the shower heads and valves onto the fittings.
To assemble, clamp the shower riser to the upright. Cut some pipe straps from a sheet of copper flashing and sand the edges smooth. Wrap the straps around the riser and the upright. Overlap the straps at the back of the upright and secure them with three small copper nails (called roves) in each. Finally, tack the fronts of the straps to the copper pipe with a bit of solder.
I chose to leave my shower unfinished. Cedar weathers to a pleasing silver grey; the copper will darken to a dark brown or green.
When you take your first rinse, remember to be kind to your lake and leave the soap at home.
Soldering success
Soldering pipes on this project is easier than it looks, as long as you create sufficient heat and are meticulously clean. Start by polishing the inside and outside surfaces of each joint with sandpaper until they shine; polish the solder, too. Brush a thin coat of paste flux onto both halves of each joint to clean them further.
Before you put on your safety glasses and spark the propane torch, if you can, orient the joint so the edge faces up, to help the solder flow. Hold the lit torch in one hand, and the roll of solder in the other. Heat your joint until the flux begins to bubble and smolder. Touch the solder to some area of the joint that's not directly in the flame. The heat of the pipe (not the flame) should melt the solder. If no melting occurs, keep heating the pipe. Add more solder until a thin ring of silver appears around the entire perimeter of the joint.
Steve Maxwell suggests that before soldering the shut-off valves, unscrew the entire valve stem and remove it. This keeps the washer and valve stem from overheating while you work. Replace these parts when the metal has cooled.
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