I have come across a need to bend some 50 mm gal pipe.
My ol mum is almost 83 and getting a tad unsteady on her pins these days!
The Occupational Therapist lady came the other day to assess the house for suitability for mum as she ages and suffers things like arthritis and unsteadiness of her feet etc with deteriorating balance issues.
Anyway I've put a stainless steel grab rail from Bunnings into the shower for her... that was easy enough.
BUT
The OT lady said I have to put in some hand rails on the rear brick steps outside that lead up to the lawn and clothesline so mum doesn't fall and break a hip or something, (which apparently can be pretty much fatal for the elderly/infirm).
So I got out some 2 x 1 pine and tek screwed together a template of what I will need in the way of heigh and length and angles for these two metal hand railings.
Then i went off to a gumtree address and bought some 50mm gal pipe lengths.
Came home and got out the pipe bender, welder and drop saw.
I test bent a piece of the 50mm dia gal pipe to the shallowest bend angle just to see how I would go.
:doh:
It bent flat and kinked.
ROUGHLY this is what i was trying to accomplish.
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a70...ps15478dd7.jpg
So i have researched / read a little and seen suggestions of filling the pipe with sand, or water and welding end caps on... before trying to bend it... but I have a feeling it ain't going to work. The 50mm Gal pipe I stupidly bought seems a bit light in the wall to take a bend without flattening and kinking and I only have one of those cheap hydraulic bottle 12 tonne car jack type home pipe benders...
I think the pipe might be light weight fencing pipe or something and not heavy walled old 2 inch water pipe type gal pipe, which is why i don;t think it will bend probably.
I also don't have anything like oxy acetylene equipment to heat it up to bend it (I have a little primus gas torch brazing thing).
Any suggestions what i should do?
I asked at a local engineering shop, and gave them a cardboard template of what I wanted and the guy says "sure thing I'll do it as a cashy for you - I'll give you a ring with a quote" I offered to pay cash up front even -what that was over a month ago...and I've heard squat from him, so it looks like it's back to me to make these 2 rails.
Any suggestions where i went wrong with bending these pipes?
I did make some side steps for the old ute once years ago, that I bent with this pipe bender, and welded up, and they seemed to come out fine...
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a70...low/Steps4.jpg
I must a just got lucky that time or something....
Thanks in advance for any helpful suggestions.
As a steelworker - I make a fine carpenter!. :no: :D