Thread: Help needed - Bending?

What ever you use will require it to be done on a Mandrel.

You may think the quote was ridiculous, look up the price of mandrel tube benders and you may change you mind,even a cheapy will set you back $6,000

Hey Aussie Bloke,

As said above, If you go and get the gear to do a one off job, the cost is ridiculious. For someone in a Workshop who has the gear that can do the job that you need to get done, say a couple of bends ( Now) and they have the gear and the experience, and probably paying some one to do it for you, the minimum charge in most shops over here is about $120.00 minimum. You can buy some short radius mandrel bends at most suppliers, reasonable price and you weld them in, or some one else does (see above), unless you have to do a heap of these things (bends and welding etc.) you just have to pay the Piper, so to speak.
Unless you can find someone who needs to get something done that you are set up to do, then a contra deal can possibly be sorted.

Just my thoughts

HazzaB

Wouldn't the bend radius dicide whether a mandrel bender was needed or not?

Stuart

Maybe an electrical conduit bender may be a way ,basically a long handle with a half moon crescent on the end with a hook that clips around the tube.
http://www.engineeringsupplies.com.au/download/9.pdf

scroll down to around page 4

Kev.

You really need to supply a bit more detail on the job. Is it decorative or is it just to carry some fluid in an industrial situation?
If its decorative then the bends are going to have to be a lot more accurate and uniform. If its just an industrial use then you will probable get away with using a std Hyd pipe bender and pack each pipe with dry sand while bending. You can also get a special alloy called by various names like bendalloy which melts at around 70deg C which can be used in place of sand. You can melt it using boiling water.
Wood's metal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If its decorative you might do okay with the above setup but the bender dies would have to very clean and smooth and a very good fit on the pipe. Depending on how many bends you have to make it might be worth while to make a bender just for that job. Have a look at a brake pipe bender or similar and scale it up. I'd think you would still have to pack the pipe to stop crimping. You'd just have to have a few practice runs.
I'm not an expert but I'm wondering how successful trying to bend the alloy with the 3mm wall thickness will be. I suppose it depends on the actual alloy itself.

On the bendalloy, when I was an apprentice, one of the workshops on the site I was at used to re-metal white metal bearings and do a fair bit of pipe bending. One of the "test the new bloke" tricks was to make a teaspoon out of bendalloy and hand it to the unsuspecting new bloke at morning tea break. Of course within seconds of starting to stir his tea, he'd end up with a spoon handle and nothing else.
No, I didn't get caught with that as I didn't drink tea. Was funny to watch though.

regards
bollie7

The blokes probably needed to purchase a die to do the job, hence the high price. My local outfit didnt have the die I needed so I built my own bender and die to match the tube I am working with (32mm x 3.2mm).

Re your job - dont think the aluminium will be a problem, so long as you are able to use a 100 - 125mm radius at least. However that steel is very thin walled and may cause grief. Could you convince the customer to go up to 2.5mm wall on that steel? That should bend fine.

Its funny you posted this just now, I was going to put up photos of my bender last night but didnt get a chance. I'll do it tonight or tomorrow.

Don't get me wrong folks, I know the pro shops have to cover their costs / equipment, I run a small (micro) business myself, but at the end of the day I've priced the materials and these blokes want 1000%-1500% mark up ... give me a break.

Basically, the bends don't have to look pretty because they will be hidden, it's pretty much just a rectangular frame, I'm flexible on the bend radius, basically what ever is easier / more foolproof.

I've had a look at a few benders on the net, does anyone have any experience with JD SQUARED or SPEEDWERX benders?

I have never seen one in operation myself but I have spoken to a few people on various motorbike forums who own them and they reckon they are pretty good. Ive seen a few in action on youtube too, and they certainly seem to bend steel very easily.

Originally Posted by aussiebloke82

Don't get me wrong folks, I know the pro shops have to cover their costs / equipment, I run a small (micro) business myself, but at the end of the day I've priced the materials and these blokes want 1000%-1500% mark up ... give me a break.

Basically, the bends don't have to look pretty because they will be hidden, it's pretty much just a rectangular frame, I'm flexible on the bend radius, basically what ever is easier / more foolproof.

I've had a look at a few benders on the net, does anyone have any experience with JD SQUARED or SPEEDWERX benders?

So, is it round tube you are bending, or square?

25mm or 1inch being probably the most popular size to bend, most people will have the dies to bend this size.

I have used this bender on 25x1.6 stainless before. It does the job but you need a fair bit of force to get the job done. https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/Pr...stockCode=T050

Geez, 1000%-1500% mark up? I suppose without knowing the actual size of the frame you need making I'd say this is a bit extreme.

The JD models are very good with their repeatable accuracy and the ratcheting system makes them a lot easier to use on larger sized tubing.

If it is going to be hidden, why does it need to be bent into shape then? Why not cut and weld the pieces into your shape?

Originally Posted by 19brendan81

I have never seen one in operation myself but I have spoken to a few people on various motorbike forums who own them and they reckon they are pretty good. Ive seen a few in action on youtube too, and they certainly seem to bend steel very easily.

Last year or so, there was an article in the UK magazine, "Model Engineers' Workshop", on bending tubes, with some drawings on how to make manual benders. I recognised the author's name - Ken Sprayson was a well-known expert tube bender and welder at Reynolds Tubes. He was consultant on designs like the famous Norton Featherbed frame.

Jordan

Originally Posted by method m

So, is it round tube you are bending, or square?

25mm or 1inch being probably the most popular size to bend, most people will have the dies to bend this size.

I have used this bender on 25x1.6 stainless before. It does the job but you need a fair bit of force to get the job done. https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/Pr...stockCode=T050

Geez, 1000%-1500% mark up? I suppose without knowing the actual size of the frame you need making I'd say this is a bit extreme.

The JD models are very good with their repeatable accuracy and the ratcheting system makes them a lot easier to use on larger sized tubing.

If it is going to be hidden, why does it need to be bent into shape then? Why not cut and weld the pieces into your shape?

Thanks for your replies folks, I really appreciate it.

It's round tube I'm wanting to bend.

The frame size is 750mm x 500mm, I want to avoid cutting and welding each corner because as a welder I make a great printer. I totally suck at welding. At high school they called me the slag magnet ... or maybe that was just my choice in women.

I know there will still be the join to take care of, I've got a slip in joiner that will suffice, plan to slip it in and rivet it.

I'm could even use 20mm tube, as long as it bends fine.

Well unfortunately you are not in Melbourne. I would do the bends for a couple of beers for you.

Have you tried an exhaust shop?