I want to put a small (10°) bend in my 32mm B&Q aerial pole to use as a top water pipe.

Any advise on getting a small bend in without kinking it?

Steve

find an grass enbankment and whack it of the edge - won't kink

how long is the pole? needs to be a couple of meters long for that to work...

a tyre will work aswell


[Edited on 19/11/08 by Mr Whippy]

Thanks, my tyres didn't work very well tho, thats why i crashed.

So you reckon the inertia from a sudden stop will bend it without flattening. Might try it over the back of wor lasses neck.

Ali needs to be heated a bit for bending, not too much or it'll crack.

Fill it with sand.... Heat slightly.... and bend over something hard...

hair drier .

fill with water, cap off and freeze

Alternatively, find a local tube benders place and ask him to do it for £5 in hand - it'll be the best result.

as you have twiggged, the big issue with bending thin wall tube is the crushing of the tube that makes it smaller at the point of the bend.

you are after a small angle - 10 deg so doubt the change in diameter is a big concern - could you not stagger the bend over the tube or does it need to be bent in one place?

the proper way would be a mandrel - a cylinder that is inside the tube to support the wall and is moved inside the tube as the bend is made.

I was thinking that if you cut wood or metal discs and insert into the tube where the bend is made, that will give some support? maybe hold them together with a bolt going through holes in the discs loose enough for them to part as the bend is made?

the may be a problem of getting the disc out afterwards.

also been thinking using wax to support the wall as you bend it? not sure if it will be strong enough though.

dunno if any of these will work - the wooden disc method wood be one to try and then the wood can be burnt out.