smart51
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| posted on 11/6/10 at 11:10 AM |
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DIY way to bend aluminium tube
I want to make some coolant pipes for my 3 wheeler project out of aluminium. The coolant hoses are 5/8" diameter so I'll make the pipes
out of 16mm aluminium. Without buying special tools for a 1 off job, how do I put a couple of bends in a long length of pipe without kinking it?
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fha772
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| posted on 11/6/10 at 11:17 AM |
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B&Q 15mm bending spring £3:38
Bendy Linky
http://www.ppcmag.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=6743&start=105
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skinned knuckles
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| posted on 11/6/10 at 11:18 AM |
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not tried it myself, but aparently packing the tube really tightly with sand allows you to bend it without kinking it.
A man isn't complete until he's married, then he's finished
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liam.mccaffrey
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| posted on 11/6/10 at 11:25 AM |
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low melting temp alloy, I have some but how long is the pipe
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smart51
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| posted on 11/6/10 at 11:35 AM |
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I know where I can borrow some nice dry play sand. Is it best to warm the tube with a plumber's torch first?
Liam,
I picked up the first lot of steel for the chassis this week so there's some way to go before I need the cooling pipes. The final dimensions to
be worked out once the chassis has got some weld in it but probably in the region of 2.4m each. Not something that would post easily.
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skinned knuckles
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| posted on 11/6/10 at 11:42 AM |
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just asked a mate about the sand thingy and his instructions are as follows:-
stand the tube vertically (after plugging the bottom open and)
fill with water
using a funel, fill the tube with sand until the sand replaces all the water (tapping as you go to avoid air bubbles
leave for a few mins and tap again quite vigerousely (top up sand if needed)
seal the open end with duck tape
bend the pipe at the desired place using your hands and knee/edge of workbench
simples
A man isn't complete until he's married, then he's finished
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Bluemoon
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| posted on 11/6/10 at 12:16 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by skinned knuckles
just asked a mate about the sand thingy and his instructions are as follows:-
stand the tube vertically (after plugging the bottom open and)
fill with water
using a funel, fill the tube with sand until the sand replaces all the water (tapping as you go to avoid air bubbles
leave for a few mins and tap again quite vigerousely (top up sand if needed)
seal the open end with duck tape
bend the pipe at the desired place using your hands and knee/edge of workbench
simples
^^ but don't apply heat if the sand was wet...
Dan
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blakep82
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| posted on 11/6/10 at 12:28 PM |
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thought i read somewhere to use kiln dried sand, and don't wet it?
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mattyc
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| posted on 11/6/10 at 12:56 PM |
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if you going to use sand and heat make sure its bone dry, also use a bar of soap to coat the pipe, as you heat the pipe it will turn black showing the
right tempture to start bending.
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MikeR
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| posted on 11/6/10 at 02:11 PM |
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you could also get a large bit of wood, drill a hole the size of the tube, then open up on side on the direction you want to bed.
Put tube in and bend, move a fraction and bend. The wood supports the tube so it can't deform - although you can't do tight bends.
(not tried myself - got from here from people who have).
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02GF74
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| posted on 11/6/10 at 06:55 PM |
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make sure you practise bending first.
remember sod's law will mean the practise bends end up perfect but the real thing will kink 
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Angel Acevedo
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| posted on 13/6/10 at 01:18 PM |
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Mixed technique
Using information gathered from this place, I would use a mixed technique, first, anneal the tube using the soot/soap/sharpie mark, then fill up with
sand as stated a couple of posts above and bend using the hole in wood.
HTH
AA
[Edited on 6/13/2010 by Angel Acevedo]
Beware of what you wish.. for it may come true....
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