bending tube without bender

[naughtyboy]

been asked to knock up some handrails for old dear down rd.
her son as given me some 48x2mm rd tube, need to put some 90degree bends in it.
whats best way pls?

needs to end up 42" to left hand bend 123" to right hand bend then 36"to downward facing bend.

need to get it right first time as not a lot of spare tube its what he scrounged from somewhere.
cheers.

 

[piman]

Hello **********,

difficult to do a neat job without a bender.

Options are to mitre and weld, heat and bend or to buy bends and weld them on?

Alec

 

[Shox Dr]

I'd go with either a single mitre (2x45=90*) or Four 4x22.5*=90) if they are likely to walk into it.

 

[astro_al]

They don't want much, do they!

I would make it absolutely clear to them that their materials are likely to kink at the bend, they may not care of course. If they whine about it, I'd walk away.

Mitred joints are fugly, but if you go that way, I'd do 2 45 joints per corner to smooth it out a bit, so 4x 22.5 degree cuts.

Otherwise, cut a wooden former, clamp it to the bench and just pull the tube round to 90.

Al

 

[gordon stephenson]

Double mitre to each corner sounds about how I would tackle the job, I have done some multiple mitres to get a smooth bend but it's a right pain in the butt,
This stove flue pipe was multiple mitres to get a 90* bend.

 

[chevy2]

Buy the preformed 90degree bends from somwhere like fh brundle they're peanuts to buy and even have a vee on the end ready for welding.

 

[outofthefire]

Dead easy block up one end and fill it with bone dry silver sand when you think its full tap it on the floor and the sand will settle fill it up and repeat till you cant get any more in, block the other end up and bend it round something solid. If you've got a long enough lever it will bend cold if not a bit of heat will help.

 

[Welderpaul]

No chance you will bend it without the right machine. No chance at all, whatever you fill it with.

Cut it and put a weld bend in. Much better job and about 2 quid a piece.

 

[Hitch]

If he wants it done cheap, which it sounds like he does, cut and mitre it. Sand off the weld, job done.

 

[KemppiFrog]

No chance you will bend it without the right machine. No chance at all, whatever you fill it with.

Cut it and put a weld bend in. Much better job and about 2 quid a piece.

+1

And don't take on those sort of jobs if you want to make a profit...Bending 2" round bits of wood... Unlikely..
KF
Edit: for a 'friendly' job, the advice above about a couple of angle cuts is best. Or the buying of bends. But sounds as if the client is expecting rock bottom price for family.

 

[naughtyboy]

he is happy with mitred joints now ive explained it to him.
will say in his defense he is slow to point he lives in warden controlled accomodation.
always brings me bits of steel offcuts from work, he once carried 3 2ftsqare pcs of 6mm plate the 2miles home cos he couldnt get on bus with them.