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[tizdaz]

Hi guys,


what is best method for bending tubing (5mm & under) its for making the Towing Bows for my TID so the bends are near enough 90 degree!


Cheers :)

[Fred Ellis]

I have filled mine with water then left it in the freezer, that way you have a solid core that you can bend and should not have any kinks,

[grendel]

for larger radii a brake line bender gets down to that size.

[john44]

What tube are ou bending? If it’s brass I heat mine up cherry red to soften the brass, let it cool without dipping in water,
when cool I use tube bending spring coils to get the required shape.then reheat the tube cherry red and plaice in a water bath to re harden the brass tube


John

[Baldrick]

I have filled mine with water then left it in the freezer, that way you have a solid core that you can bend and should not have any kinks,

When Chatham dockyard was still a working naval yard I remember seeing the fitters bending 6" copper tube in the workshop , tube was lead loaded (filled) and bending table was 4" steel plate and they used a powered winch .   Same principle, just bigger.

[GG]

Here's how I achieved some "kink free" bends when trying to fit a discrete bow thruster into a model of a US Navy Seaplane Tender.


Close fitting steel rods were inserted into each end of the brass tube but leaving a gap where the bend was to needed.  Then heating the tube where the bend was needed with a small but powerful enough gas torch until it was just starting to glow red.  Using the two steel rods, the tube was bent then left to cool with no further heat treatment.


I found that working quickly and using steel rods several inches long, the bending could be done with bare hands.  Others may need to put some insulation around the rods.
Glynn Guest