# Tubing bender (updated)



## gbritnell (Mar 2, 2012)

Gentlemen,
As I mentioned in my build thread of the 5 cylinder radial engine I had made some improvements to the small tubing bender that I had drawn. I have changed the drawings and am posting the PDF here for one and all. I have also converted it to Metric with the appropriate screw sizes, I hope. It is also attached.
George 

View attachment TUBING BENDER CHG A.pdf


View attachment TUBING BENDER rev1 METRIC.pdf


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## ozzie46 (Mar 2, 2012)

Thanks for the updates George and you are doing amazing stuff on the radial. Thm: Thm: Thm:

 Ron


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## gmac (Mar 2, 2012)

Thanks George!!!

Cheers Garry


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## slick95 (Mar 2, 2012)

George,

Thanks a ton...this is on my short list to build... :bow: :bow: :bow:

Jeff


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## V 45 (Mar 9, 2012)

Is the link gone...cannot open it !!
 Thanx


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## gbritnell (Mar 9, 2012)

Hi V45,
It just opened fine for me.
gbritnell


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## kvom (Mar 9, 2012)

I made one from your plans two years ago, and I will be bending some tube for my loco build before too long. Can you specify what the improvements are?


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## gbritnell (Mar 9, 2012)

Hi kvom,
The post that the die or the desired radius former slides on has a shoulder boss added to it so when the nut is tightened up it will keep it from sliding when bending heavier tubing. With the addition of the boss it required an elongated recess to keep it flush with the top surface of the base. The other thing that was changed is using a rectangular shoe instead of a round roller that does the bending. I found that by using the round roller on heavier tubes it would put a small ridge in the tubing where it came to a stop. With the rectangular shoe (with the appropriate radius) it gives more support against the tubing and makes a nicer (smoother) transition at the end of the bend. As can be seen in my thread on the 5 cylinder radial engine the bend in the .219 stainless tubing came out nice and smooth with the changes. 
gbritnell


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## m_kilde (Apr 1, 2012)

Hi George

Thanks for the updated plans and also thanks a lot for the photos very inspiring.


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## ausdier (Jun 1, 2012)

Modeled this in metric but changed everything to whole numbers in metric.
If enough people are interested I will post complete workshop drawings for it.


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## gmac (Jun 1, 2012)

..... yes please ;D. Nice work, visual aids are always great!!

Cheers Garry


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## rabdouglas (Jun 1, 2012)

your model looks great I would mind a look at the drawings for your bender too

cheers rab


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## sunworksco (Jun 1, 2012)

I bend lots of small diameter stainless tubing in my business and use this simple Rigid tubing bender.

http://www.ridgid.com/Tools/456-Tri-Bender


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## gbritnell (Jun 5, 2012)

I'm sure most quality tubing benders will bend tubing but the problem is you have to use the radius that's part of the tool. If you want something a smaller radius you have to be able to interchange the radius die to get it. I have also found that when bending small diameter stainless tubing it helps to use Cerro alloy to help support the metal wall otherwise you get a small flat on the bend. 
gbritnell


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## ausdier (Jun 6, 2012)

As promised.
Here is the pipe bender, just redrawn in metric without too many decimimal places.
I hope this helps people. 
If you want any specific dies drawn for this or the original (in imperial), let me know (e-mail in my profile)
Also just a quick general offer of some CAD help if needed ( need something drawn ).  

View attachment PARTS SHEET.pdf


View attachment PARTS LIST.pdf


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## stragenmitsuko (Jan 21, 2016)

Thank you very much for sharing this great little project . 

Pat 
Belgium


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## barnesrickw (Jan 21, 2016)

I really wish the pictures came through for me.  I was just looking for plans for one last night.


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## michael-au (Jan 23, 2016)

Thank you George for posting this, I will need to make one

Michael


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## stragenmitsuko (Jan 28, 2016)

Not sure I understand the function of the rear stop block . 
The front one is obvious , it prevents the lever pivoting around its screw . 
Butthe rear one doesn't seem to engage anything . 

Or am I missing something ? 

Anyway , builds 's almost done , I'll upload some pictures when finished . 

Pat


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## stragenmitsuko (Jan 29, 2016)

Well , it's pretty obvious that the rear stop has to be at thesame distance from the pivoting point  as the front stop , but on the right rear side . 
That puts both stops symetrical around the lever screw and creates some kind of scissoring effect . 
On ausdier's plans that would put the bore at 25mm from the rear end instead of 5mm . 

Putting the second stop there makes the  lever/leverlink combination work the way I think it should . But then the right rear stop interferes at some point with the vice . 
Depending on the size of the dies this will be a problem or not . 
I'l look into that once I get some dies done . 


A few minor errors I found in Ausdier's plans : 
Vice moveable jaw mount : 20mm has to be 21mm .
                      found out he hard way  
Base : 12.7 mm has to be 13 or 19mm has to be 18.7
           Otherswise the vice doesn't sit against the reces milled in the base 
Base : dimensions of the long hole  with is missing . 5 and 10 mm 
Lever : Dimension for the front M3 hole hole : 45mm from the right side . 
            Dimension of the rear M3.hole : 25mm from the right side 
Stop : length is missing : 30mm . 

I really enjoyed maching the parts using this plan . 
The 3D view makes life so much easier .
@Ausdier , what software package did you use to draw them ? 



Here's a couple of pictures of what I've got sofar . 
Needs some finishing touches here and there , but you get the general idea . 
Next I'm gonna have to make me some dies , but that will take a while .
I'll need to make a tangential toolholder for the lathe first  . 

Btw , the block and lever screws were turned using a 
vertical shear tool for the finish . 
For those who don't know what it is ( I didn't ) do a youtube search for a video uploaded by mrpete222. The tool is really amazing and it's just a HSS toolbit ground in a special way . 


Pat 


 . 
.


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