12-15-2006, 03:26 PM | #1 |
Quarry Creeper Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Rats nest Grafton ND
Posts: 381
| Bending brake tubing
Ok I have bent this stuff before but only on a larger scale as I have been a mechanic for 20 years but I for the life of me can not seem to get the nice tight bends withut kinking. I check the sticky but only seen posts pertaining to aluminum tubing. So some pointers would be great. I thought about just ignoring the kinks and filling them with braze etc and smoothing them out but this might add unneeded weight. |
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12-15-2006, 03:28 PM | #2 |
I wanna be Dave Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Albuquerque
Posts: 2,206
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There are tube benders at places like checkers/pep boys, etc. You can also just use wooden dowels to wrap the angles you want. Sometimes the angles are just too tight and you will get kinks.
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12-15-2006, 03:46 PM | #3 | |
Quarry Creeper Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Rats nest Grafton ND
Posts: 381
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Got it, and yes I have a tube bender. It just does not allow me to bend the tighter radiuses that I am hoping to get. | |
12-15-2006, 03:57 PM | #4 |
Pebble Pounder Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Highlands Scotland
Posts: 102
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Hi Rat1 You might want to try something like this I have used them in larger sizes but was unaware you could get them this narrow. Tube bending springs http://www.chronos.ltd.uk/acatalog/i...ml&CatalogBody |
12-15-2006, 04:49 PM | #5 |
Newbie Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Northern
Posts: 33
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I have used those springs before and they seem to work pretty good but if you are going for really tight bends you may still have kinking troubles and sometimes getting the spring off can be a pain in the ***.
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12-15-2006, 09:05 PM | #6 |
Pebble Pounder Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Olympia WA
Posts: 179
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At work I use differant size sockets to do bends. 17mm is my favorite. If you look under the clod section. I have a post about my tuber, another newb tube, that is completely done out of brake tubing. My buddy used to sockets and some nuts and a wratchet to make his own DOM bender. pretty cool tool radias's just over the size of a quarter.
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12-15-2006, 09:36 PM | #7 |
Rock Crawler Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Lititz
Posts: 787
| sand mandrel
To make tight bends, crimp one end of the tube closed, fill it with sand, tap it on the floor to pack it in, then crimp the other end. After making your bends just cut off the ends and dump out the sand .
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12-16-2006, 03:38 PM | #8 | |
Rock Crawler Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: pasco,Wa
Posts: 639
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12-16-2006, 04:00 PM | #9 | |
RCC Addict Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: trying to find out what a TVuPer is.....
Posts: 1,851
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matt cincy | |
12-16-2006, 04:02 PM | #10 |
I wanna be Dave Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Eastern WA
Posts: 2,489
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I think the sand deal would work nicely!
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12-16-2006, 05:03 PM | #11 |
Quarry Creeper Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: ST LOUIS.MO
Posts: 441
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MAC tools makes a real nice bender.
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12-16-2006, 05:05 PM | #12 |
Rock Stacker Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Santa Clarita, CA
Posts: 83
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I picked up one from the local NAPA and it'll do 2" radius on 3/16 steel brake line with no problem.
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12-17-2006, 06:10 PM | #13 | |
Pebble Pounder Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Pleasant Grove
Posts: 103
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12-17-2006, 06:37 PM | #14 |
I wanna be Dave Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: The bunker
Posts: 3,767
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i tried the sand method today. it worked great! a little time consuming ,but a kinkless bend is worth it.
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