I am looking for a DIY bending alumminum tubes, is that I would like to make a poling platform for my boat and I think that $1500to $2000 is too much, I kow were to get the aluminum tubes and who can solder them, also if there is any adapter that I can get or make to take it out when using the boat for spearing or trolling, if it work I would make a casting platform.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Pucho
Are you using alumium pipe, or tube? The diameters are different. For example, 1" pipe is actually about 1.3" in diameter, while 1" tubing is actually 1" in diameter.
Pipe benders are pretty cheap. A bender like this one might work for some sizes of tube. For example, the 1" pipe bending shoes would probably work for 1-1/4" tube.
Well I have to check what they have if pipe or tube, the diameter would be like 1.5", does they bend easily or have to heat them?
Thanks Jeff
Pucho
Why would you need a pipe bender for a casting platform? I would think a chop saw with a metal cutting blade would do. if you wanted to get a little fancier a miter saw would do for angles. bad proportions but you should get the idea.
Steve
I've only done a little tube bending, and that was mostly smaller stuff for handrails and a little cabin framing on our boat.
If the pipe / tubing is not particularly thin walled, (say greater than 1/8") and
If it is a typical pipe / tube alloy like 6061 or 6063, and
If the bend radius is a good 3 or 4 times the diameter
then I think that you will get much better results by not heating it. It will be hard to heat a section of tubing evenly, so it would tend to stretch more in some places than in others, and will be much more likely to flatten out instead of staying round through the bend.
My idea is to bend 2 tubes in U form and solder pieces of tubes on side and top, cut the small tubes with this http://www.harborfreight.com/c…item.taf?itemnumber=42324, I can cut in angle but triying the cut downs to a minimum.
Pucho
Jeff,
The pipe bender you showed is similar or identical to mine. I haven't used it much but I had problems with the pipe flattening when I tried it. I think you are supposed to fill with sand to keep it from flattening but I haven't used it much so I can't say for sure.
By the way, I cut out the pieces for your hybrid stock today- 2 glue-ups ahead of you so I will probably glue it up Wed/ Thurs.
Great! I am hoping to get started on the core for the carbon fiber tube this week. I also have my trigger mech, and a rough cut blank of delrin started for the handle.
I knew you had a similar bender, but didn't know that you had had difficulty with it. What size pipe / tube were you bending, and did it flatten in the middle (at the jack), or on each side where the rollers go? Come to think of it, I used your old conduit bender for most of the boat stuff, but none of that flattened that I can remember.
I have witnessed the sand approach a few times, but the shop guys only did that for special applications. Typically thin tubes and tight radius bends. Very labor intensive.
As I recall, it bent at the jack and was 1-1/2 or 1-1/4" pipe. I may have been trying to use too small a radius but I only used it the one time. I gave the conduit bender away that we used on the boat- wished I would have kept it now. Guess I'll have to figure out how to use the one I have the next time I need to bend some pipe- which will be about when I get back to working on the boat.
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