tube bender

[BillFarworth]

Goodmorning to all!

Looking to bend in a radius of 30 to 45 some stainless steel tubes 304 or 316L 22mm and 26.
Does this bender could work for me?

http://www.toolstop.co.uk/rothenberger-8.0280-multibender-15mm-22mm-p6292

 

[pedrobedro]

No it's for plumbers using copper pipe and you will not get a 26mm die for it.

 

[BillFarworth]

Any cheap suggestion pedrobedro to do something like that?

 

[Shox Dr]

Cheap and bending Stainless do not go in the same sentence. What are you trying to do and what is the wall thickness of the tube

 

[astro_al]

30 mm is a very tight radius for a 20-odd mm tube. Does it have to be tube?

Al

 

[BillFarworth]

I do know Mate this is always the problem with this stuff!
1.6 mm thickness.need to make some small stuff for my boat , so if I could escape "cheap" will be

 

[astro_al]

Is something passing through the centre, or can you use solid bar?

Al

 

[BillFarworth]

Yeap it has to be a tube but i could go more or less than the 20-odd.
What radius will work well Al from your experience and what I could do with bender?

 

[astro_al]

If it was solid, I could give advice. Tube into such a tight radius, I have no idea. I'm fairly sure you won't find a bender to do it. Definitely not a cheap one. Unless you don't mind significant deformation of the tube.

I would be trying to find an off the shelf tube component, like a 90 degree arc in whatever size you want and then weld some together. Look for stainless pipe components.

That is seriously tight. I'm not even sure a mandrel bender would do that so tight. What is the exact radius, and to which point - tube centreline, inside edge, outside edge etc?

Al.

 

[BillFarworth]

I thought about the pre-made bends but not sure how it will look like as in the point that the weld will come you will see the burning.
If there is a way to avoid that it could be solution.
What radius i could found in the pre-mades?

 

[PhillipM]

Just clean the tube up and refinish it after welding?

 

[BillFarworth]

Yeap this is a good option!
What radius I could found in the pre-mades

 

[hotrodder]

Hygienic bends most commonly have a CLR (centre line radius) of 1.5D (1.5 x diameter) but are also available in 1D, 2D and 3D. Drawings for some sizes here... http://www.hygienicsteels.co.uk/Bends%2C+Tees+and+Reducers-s-73-p-Bends-d.html and more specs here... http://www.aalco.co.uk/_downloads/literature/aalco-stainless-steel-tube-hygienics.pdf

If you search the forum TIG Paul has posted some work detailing the way welds are blended out and regrained when doing handrails and the like
Not the way forward for what you want to do but sandbending is another technique to minimise wrinkling/flattening when working with thin wall tube. Again a search of the forum will get you threads on the subject along with discussion of other stuff to pack the tube with. Most of the alternatives to sand are for use with 'proper' bending kit to support the ID of thin wall tube. Sandbending is even more labour intensive and more for 'freehand' stuff/flowing bends etc

 

[BillFarworth]

Check it Mate really excellent stuff from Tig Paul there .
i like the chuck that he has add in his angle grinder, expand it further as a tool.
I have a slight issue with my footpedal project

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=34285&page=4

If anyone able to help will be great for me !

Thanks Boys!

 

[KemppiFrog]

Premade bends for that rad. I used 25x1.5mm for boat stuff, smallest I could bend (home made bender) was around 100mm rad. And that was hard. After welding, flap disk it and pickle if needed. The guys who sell bimini parts can probably help on the curves.

Fat and slow fingers, missed the last couple of posts

 

[BillFarworth]

Homemade bender? Any photos of that Kemppifrog ?

 

[KemppiFrog]

Sorry Bill, it was a few years ago. Made up the former from bent flat with 5mm 'cheeks'. Gave it the half-round with hard filler. The usual hook to hold the tube and a radius block with nylon lining. Longish lever on the block. Bolted down to the big bench and leaned hard on the tube while pulling the lever. Not bad, with little distortion on the curve.
It looked like the benders in other threads, just not as pretty
I only needed a few bends for a pulpit and didn't know anybody near with the proper kit.

Right now making a 'Machine Mart' style bender. It will be strong enough to do something similar. The problem is always the former, expensive to buy or tough to machine on my little lathe.
I will post up in the home made tools section when a bit further ahead.
KF

 

[BillFarworth]

Ok KemppiFrog I will wait for that Mate! It may inspire me to do one myself.I will love to!

 

[johnakay]

as it happens I have a new 25mm former ok its a little smaller but you could dress it bigger with an angle grinder.offers?

 

[BillFarworth]

any photos?