Getting Bent (tubing)
08-15-2003, 10:18 PM
#1
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Getting Bent (tubing)
What is the best way/method that you have used to bend tubing, brass, aluminum, or otherwise?
I have recentely seen an ad here for a Du-Bro tubing bender as pictured below and own a set of 'spring' type(for lack of a better term) tubing benders.
The spring type have worked fine for some things but I certainly can't make a cooling coil for my electric motors with it.
Anyway, let me know if you've come across something or way that works good. Thanks.
I have recentely seen an ad here for a Du-Bro tubing bender as pictured below and own a set of 'spring' type(for lack of a better term) tubing benders.
The spring type have worked fine for some things but I certainly can't make a cooling coil for my electric motors with it.
Anyway, let me know if you've come across something or way that works good. Thanks.
08-20-2003, 01:45 AM
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Bending small tubes
Now I can share some info.
My main hobby is building small scale live steam traction engines, and this requires bending some small brass and copper tubing.
5/32" / 1/8" & 3/32"
No matter what material you use it should be anneled.
Heat it cherry red with a tourch, and quench it in water to anneal, or soften it.
Even after anneling you will need to be carefull not to kink it in a tight bend.
some ways i've found to help this are:
1. use the right size weed trimmer line to slide it through the tube. It will keep the tube round while bending. But not real good for tight bends. Difficult to pull line out.
2 Tight short bends can be made by doing the same with solder.
after bending, just heat the tube and melt out the solder, if you can't pull it out.
Other methods I've heard but haven't tried
Cap one end , fill with water, cap other end, and freeze. Make the bend, and thaw out the water.
Another was similar but with silicon sand.
Mcmaster Carr sells some small tube benders, but they are a little pricy. I have consructed my own, for different radi.
I hope this helps
My main hobby is building small scale live steam traction engines, and this requires bending some small brass and copper tubing.
5/32" / 1/8" & 3/32"
No matter what material you use it should be anneled.
Heat it cherry red with a tourch, and quench it in water to anneal, or soften it.
Even after anneling you will need to be carefull not to kink it in a tight bend.
some ways i've found to help this are:
1. use the right size weed trimmer line to slide it through the tube. It will keep the tube round while bending. But not real good for tight bends. Difficult to pull line out.
2 Tight short bends can be made by doing the same with solder.
after bending, just heat the tube and melt out the solder, if you can't pull it out.
Other methods I've heard but haven't tried
Cap one end , fill with water, cap other end, and freeze. Make the bend, and thaw out the water.
Another was similar but with silicon sand.
Mcmaster Carr sells some small tube benders, but they are a little pricy. I have consructed my own, for different radi.
I hope this helps
08-24-2003, 03:44 PM
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Getting Bent (tubing)
Weed wacker wire also works well. I first use the anneal method then slide in a weed wacker wire and make the bend. After annealing the tubing gets real soft.
Steven Vaccaro
www.OffshoreElectrics.com
Steven Vaccaro
www.OffshoreElectrics.com
