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ZUKIWORLD Discussion Forum => Suzuki 4x4 Forum => Topic started by: CBTracker on April 13, 2005, 12:44:23 AM

Title: Pipe Bending
Post by: CBTracker on April 13, 2005, 12:44:23 AM

I have a butt load (yes, more than a cheek load but less than an ass load) of round pipe, 1.25inch. I"m not sure on the thickness of the wall, perhaps 1mm. anyway. I can't bend it with a conduit bender and I don't have an Oxy torch. I"ve tried making a bender with a couple pulleys but the pipe wall always colapsed. Anyone have any idears? ???
I"m dying to use it!!!

Title: Re: Pipe Bending
Post by: cocobeachtracker on April 13, 2005, 01:23:37 AM

The old school way of bending pipe is to use heat and sand.  Buy some dry sand, not from the beach or your back yard. Weld a piece of steel over one end of the pipe.  Fill the pipe with the dry sand completely and weld the other end.  To bend the pipe, heat it red hot and start bending.  You can freehand it using the heat to determine where to bend, or you can make wood blocks in the shape you want it to be or to make multiple copies.  Words of caution, use dry sand.  Sand with moisture can turn to steam and expand.  When bending over wood forms they will catch on fire and smoke, so do this outside and have a hose ready to put out the fire.  This technique can result in very smooth consistant bends, sometimes a lot better than can be achieved with a pipe bender.  Can you do it without heat?  If you are really strong!

Title: Re: Pipe Bending
Post by: chet on April 13, 2005, 03:15:07 AM

1mm wall? thats pretty thin. That is your problem. what are you using it for?

Title: Re: Pipe Bending
Post by: the_maplebar on April 13, 2005, 03:22:50 AM

Quote

Can you do it without heat?  If you are really strong!

:o  I love it

Title: Re: Pipe Bending
Post by: CBTracker on April 13, 2005, 09:10:35 AM

I wanna use the pipe for a roof rack and possibly parts of a front bumper or rockerpanel protection. It's alittle thicker than 1mm, probably closer to 1/16th of an inch if not slightly larger(I'm pretty bad at estimating he he). all I have for heat is a propane torch which isn't hot enough to do anything....

Title: Re: Pipe Bending
Post by: chet on April 13, 2005, 09:13:10 AM

even that is quite thin 1" sch. 40 pipe is .133" thick. For a roof rack it would probably be fine for a bumper it would be purely ornamental.

Short of a torch I don't see a way of bending it without buying a proper tubing bender (www.jd2.com