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Tube Bending
Minicooper - 19/8/05 at 04:47 PM

Anyone know of a fairly local company in Hampshire that will do a few bends for me

Cheers
David

MikeR - 19/8/05 at 05:11 PM

Also, how difficult is it to get hold off thin wall pipe?

Just thinking outloud this morning (ok, reading the V8 thread and drooling over Freds engine) and wondering how easy it would be to make the same exhaust manifold as he's got from pipe using a mates pipe bender.

Note i keep saying pipe here deliberately, i don't mean tube.

GaryM - 19/8/05 at 05:28 PM

Autocross in Wokingham 08701 678910.

Triton - 19/8/05 at 07:34 PM

Easy to get the pipe..any steelstock holder should have or can get it, but then how thin would you want an exhaust?....the thinner you go on tube the more of a tart it is to weld it unless you tig weld it.

MikeR - 19/8/05 at 09:17 PM

hummm, good point - but i suppose 1.2mm is weldable with my trusty mig and some .6 wire.

Triton - 19/8/05 at 09:45 PM

The joins have to be spotty dog mind you...tube to tube joints with a gap will leave you with nice blobby restrictions inside

ned - 19/8/05 at 09:53 PM

David,

I know of a small fabrication company (a certain manufacturer has some components made there) near woking that would have or could source what you're after.

u2u/mail me if you want any details

MikeR - 20/8/05 at 07:51 AM

I don't actually need anything at the moment - just dreaming.

Saw freds engine / box / exhaust combo on the V8 thread. Seemed to somehow find a wav of a V8 being started then rev'd and it reminded me just how much i want my own road legal single seater.......

Minicooper - 21/8/05 at 07:24 AM

Thanks for the help everyone

Cheers
David

Fred W B - 21/8/05 at 08:53 AM

MikeR - I made the pipes, see here

http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=25989

Cheers

Fred WB

[Edited on 21/8/05 by Fred W B]

NS Dev - 22/8/05 at 12:22 PM

quote:
Originally posted by MikeR
Also, how difficult is it to get hold off thin wall pipe?

Just thinking outloud this morning (ok, reading the V8 thread and drooling over Freds engine) and wondering how easy it would be to make the same exhaust manifold as he's got from pipe using a mates pipe bender.

Note i keep saying pipe here deliberately, i don't mean tube.


My bender won't deal with thin wall stuff Mike

Dunno if that's what you meant but I'd love to be able to bend exhaust tube, but the hydraulic push bender just kinks the stuff. Need a sweep type bender to do it.

I am going to do my manifolds from (a lot of) bought stainless bends. I can get these at a similar price to mild steel (£3.75 per 90 deg 1.5" bend, £5 per 2" bnd)

MikeR - 22/8/05 at 12:37 PM

damn, was thinking if i got pipe instead of tube it might stand a chance.

(wasn't just thinking of you - David Irvine has the same bender).

NS Dev - 22/8/05 at 12:45 PM

ahhhh, you mean he has the machine mart one??

I have a couple of tube dies as well as pipe ones, but it still kinks anything below 2mm wall........DOH!

ok for roll cage tubing though!

RPS - 22/8/05 at 07:57 PM

I remember seeing a thread on here some time ago about filling the tube with sand before bending. I think you needed kiln died sand to do it, but the results looked pretty good. It is the method I intend to try when I get to that stage.

Anyone know where you get kiln dried sand from?

RPS

MikeR - 22/8/05 at 08:38 PM

its the same sand they use when doing block paving i believe. It has to be so dry to go between the gaps of the bricks so ....... B&Q. just make sure it REALLY is dry otherwise when you heat the capped tube to red hot you get a lot of steam pressure and ....... bang!

Rorty - 23/8/05 at 06:00 AM

Have a look at the sand-bending link (2nd from bottom) here.