Thanks Thanks:  0
Likes Likes:  0
Needs Pictures Needs Pictures:  0
Picture(s) thanks Picture(s) thanks:  0
Results 1 to 5 of 5
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Laidley, SE Qld
    Posts
    368

    Default Swaging 1.5" stainless steel tube

    I need to increase the ID of the end of a piece of 1.5" x .0625" wall (1.375" ID) stainless steel tube to 1.65". The tube is 900 long, the swaged section is 40 long. I was going to make the appropriate tooling, heat the tube red hot and pull the tool into the tube.

    I reckon that should work. Any thoughts or comments before I start?

  2. # ADS
    Google Adsense Advertisement
    Join Date
    Always
    Location
    Advertising world
    Posts
    Many





     
  3. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Adelaide
    Age
    68
    Posts
    834

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by bob ward View Post
    I need to increase the ID of the end of a piece of 1.5" x .0625" wall (1.375" ID) stainless steel tube to 1.65". The tube is 900 long, the swaged section is 40 long. I was going to make the appropriate tooling, heat the tube red hot and pull the tool into the tube.

    I reckon that should work. Any thoughts or comments before I start?
    The problem with heating the tube to red hot for any length of time is that you run the risk of removing the chromium content in the area if the temperature is too hot for too long and the area then loses it's corrosion resistance. You would then need to pickle and passivate the area to restore the corrosion protection. It's the reason why we minimise the heat input when TIG welding stainless.

    What grade is the stainless? For 3xx grade steels the temperature at which intergranular corrosion begins is around 900F or 500C and red heat is above that.

  4. #3
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Kimberley, West Australia
    Posts
    139

    Default Tube expander

    Hello Bob,
    Do you have any spare length to experiment with? Worth asking your local exhaust shop to try their tube expander on a piece and see how it performs. They routinely fit SS tube to car systems and may have the answer waiting for you. Combustor.
    Old iron in the Outback, Kimberley WA.

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Lebrina
    Posts
    1,099

    Default

    Definitely do no heat the tube. I reckon you will cause more problems than you solve.
    It is a fair increase in size that you are looking at, but using annealed tube it may be possible. I have expanded SS tube cold using a machined slug and a press and even made rectangle to round transition pieces the same way.
    What are you actually building? There may be an alternative method.

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Laidley, SE Qld
    Posts
    368

    Default

    Thanks guys. I did what I should have done first up, ie talk to the stainless steel exhaust guys who expand tube every day. They reckon that the stretch I want to do may or may not work, the tube may split, it may not.

    So off to plan B whatever that is.

Similar Threads

  1. Replies: 19
    Last Post: 19th September 2013, 10:04 AM
  2. A little bit of galvanised steel tube
    By springwater in forum METALWORK FORUM
    Replies: 11
    Last Post: 15th March 2011, 08:36 PM
  3. DOM steel tube in Perth
    By hitachi230 in forum METALWORK FORUM
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 23rd February 2008, 09:22 AM
  4. Steel Tube clamps
    By MrFixIt in forum WOODWORK PICS
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 26th April 2004, 06:30 PM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •