Bending Square Tube

[dankycrawler]

Anyone have some pointers on bending square tubing to make a scale chassis? I bought the 1/2" x 1/2" square tube from home depot like most people use. I was going to heat the areas to bend with a map gas torch.. I tried this once before but had trouble with the tube twisting slightly when I bent it i want to keep the frame as straight as I can .. anyone have a tried and tested method of getting nice straight bends?

Also do most of you bend around a rounded object or in a vice with a hard straight edge? im trying to figure out how to make nice smooth bends that are easy to guage where the bend will begin and end in relation to where marked on the tube...

I gave up last time after failing to split it into two halves using a bandsaw .. this time though I have access to a really nice big metal bandsaw at a friends shop that will let me make a nice slow cut so hopefully i will finally get a nice scale chassis for my (now very dusty) crewcab..

[C*H*U*D]

Bending square tube is tough, but I think a better option for splitting the two halves can be found on your drill press. Toybuilder showed me this trick some time ago.......

Run a cutoff wheel in your drillpress, and slide the bent rail along the table. This way there is no chance for your cut line to wander, and you end up with two perfect pieces. Just a thought

[Sydwaiz]

To fix the twisting, simply squeeze the sides in a vise. This will also squeeze the bulges back in where you bent it. Worst case scenario, you may have to apply a little heat and tweak it a little in the vise. Nothing a hammer and a torch can't fix!

[5150bronco]

what i have learned thanks to war pig on here is to cut pizza shapes than bend and weld or braze.

[dankycrawler]

Wow these are all really good tips... I might give the cutoff wheel in the drillpress a try as well as cutting reliefs for the bends .. im not sure how to gauge the size of the relief cut in relation to the angle of the bend. I think ill try the drillpress with a piece of scrap tube from my previously failed attempt. If I cant make a nice cut with it i might try the industrial bandsaw at the shop.

Like I said I tried this before but messed up and it was pretty frustrating.. i just dont see another good option for a scale frame for my crewcab...

[5150bronco]

you could practice on making a jig than doing it.

where are you getting your square tube?

[OfnaJoe]

Originally Posted by C*H*U*D

Bending square tube is tough, but I think a better option for splitting the two halves can be found on your drill press. Toybuilder showed me this trick some time ago.......

Run a cutoff wheel in your drillpress, and slide the bent rail along the table. This way there is no chance for your cut line to wander, and you end up with two perfect pieces. Just a thought

THANKS, I might not have to buy a bandsaw now

[SUPERINVA]

Originally Posted by 5150bronco

what i have learned thanks to war pig on here is to cut pizza shapes than bend and weld or braze.

X2. Thats how its done on a real truck. if you need to make a bend in a piece of square tubing, such as a frame rail, you can pie cut and bend it together. In your case you can braze instead of welding it. Make many cuts and it will bend right around. Thats how it's done without all the fancy benders and crap and just about as strong. Good luck

[5150bronco]

Originally Posted by SUPERINVA

X2. Thats how its done on a real truck. if you need to make a bend in a piece of square tubing, such as a frame rail, you can pie cut and bend it together. In your case you can braze instead of welding it. Make many cuts and it will bend right around. Thats how it's done without all the fancy benders and crap and just about as strong. Good luck

Nice! now i just have to find square tube........

the only tube i have found is brass and not sure about using brass???

can you braze steel to brass?

[MSH]

Brass is heavier and much softer then steel.

i wouldn't use it for frame parts.

but it can be brazed onto steel i think.

might melt much quicker.

[5150bronco]

Originally Posted by MSH

Brass is heavier and much softer then steel.

i wouldn't use it for frame parts.

but it can be brazed onto steel i think.

might melt much quicker.

Darn, cause that is the only square tube I have found so far.

[MSH]

local metal store?

you could use it if you find no alternative.

but it will be weaker and heavier.

[5150bronco]

Originally Posted by MSH

local metal store?

you could use it if you find no alternative.

but it will be weaker and heavier.

no. I am still going to keep my eyes out and ask around. I was looking at mcmaster but I could not find something that would work.

any other places to look?

[dirtjumpingjosh]

i agree cutting the pie shape out is much easier to then just try to bend it cuz even if you squeeze the sides back in with the vice you will lose the angle you bent it at.

[5150bronco]

Originally Posted by dirtjumpingjosh

i agree cutting the pie shape out is much easier to then just try to bend it cuz even if you squeeze the sides back in with the vice you will lose the angle you bent it at.

like guy said. that is the best way for real frames. another member here said just heat it up than bend it also. so who know. either way should work and be fun to figure out.

[toybuilder]

Originally Posted by OfnaJoe

THANKS, I might not have to buy a bandsaw now

Originally Posted by SUPERINVA

X2. Thats how its done on a real truck. if you need to make a bend in a piece of square tubing, such as a frame rail, you can pie cut and bend it together. In your case you can braze instead of welding it. Make many cuts and it will bend right around. Thats how it's done without all the fancy benders and crap and just about as strong. Good luck

A cut-off wheel in the drill press works great to seperate the frame rails! I didn't cut any pie shaped pieces out of my chassis when I bent it. That sounds like a pain in the ass, although I'm sure it would allow you to make tighter bends without distorting the tubing. I just got the metal hot with the torch and used another piece of tubing as a lever to do the bending. I'm also pretty sure that "real" truck frames are mandrel bent and that there are no pie shaped pieces cut out of them.

Here is a post from an old thread showing how I made my c-channel chassis.

c channel chassis

[vw_thing]

Originally Posted by 5150bronco

no. I am still going to keep my eyes out and ask around. I was looking at mcmaster but I could not find something that would work.

any other places to look?

http://www.onlinemetals.com- I've used them once before, good selection and quick.
http://www.metalsdepot.com - Haven't ordered from them before, but it might be worth a look just to check prices.

Brass will braze to steel with no problems. Just remember it has a lower melting point (2786F vs ~1700F). Use as small of a rod as possible, preferably silver or low temperature (~1100F). Concentrate the flame on the steel.

Great idea on the cut-off wheel in a drill press, I'll have to try that one some time..

[5150bronco]

Originally Posted by toybuilder

A cut-off wheel in the drill press works great to seperate the frame rails! I didn't cut any pie shaped pieces out of my chassis when I bent it. That sounds like a pain in the ass, although I'm sure it would allow you to make tighter bends without distorting the tubing. I just got the metal hot with the torch and used another piece of tubing as a lever to do the bending. I'm also pretty sure that "real" truck frames are mandrel bent and that there are no pie shaped pieces cut out of them.

Here is a post from an old thread showing how I made my c-channel chassis.

c channel chassis

very cool. you have link to entire thread? what is the size of the tube?

[5150bronco]

Originally Posted by vw_thing

http://www.onlinemetals.com- I've used them once before, good selection and quick.
http://www.metalsdepot.com - Haven't ordered from them before, but it might be worth a look just to check prices.

Brass will braze to steel with no problems. Just remember it has a lower melting point (2786F vs ~1700F). Use as small of a rod as possible, preferably silver or low temperature (~1100F). Concentrate the flame on the steel.

Great idea on the cut-off wheel in a drill press, I'll have to try that one some time..

Have you bought metal from there for a frame? Does not seem to have small pieces.....thanks.

[Sydwaiz]

Huh? How small are you looking for? You can buy as little as 1ft.
http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant...45&top_cat=849
http://www.metalsdepot.com/products/...sqtube&LimAcc= &aident=