how to bend 3mm hollow steel tubing

[farmermarshall]

hi guys have this tubing but would like to bend it without kinking it for a chrome style exhaust any pipe benders i,m came across are from 6mm upwards i tried putting a smaller round piece of aluminium inside it but went i put a bend in it i could'nt get the inner one out again..... anyone that can enlighten me 

[51MON]

yer dont put the small one inside ha  :D

no sorry don,t know 

[Deeredriver]

could ya fill it with water mate

or if that dont work try n freeze it  then bend and melt the water out

[farmermarshall]

could ya fill it with water mate

or if that dont work try n freeze it  then bend and melt the water out

now that might be a thought i,ll try that but fearful when the ice breaks the bar will break or kink but good try 

[Kiwi6920]

Ks Metals make some spring type pipebenders, they work ok, bit hard to get off when you bend past 90deg

http://www.ksmetals.com/accessories.html

No pic... Just part # and description

[new holland driver]

or yopu could do what you did the frist time but cut it all the way round each side of the corner just the outer one then cut a line up the midle of the outer one and it should split of or was the crome on the out side

[MJB1]

try finding a small spring stephen with some wire attatched to pull the spring back out , the spring should unravel itself free leaving the pipe without a kink.

otherwise try some high tensile fencing wire & leave about 3mm from the top , that way you should get the bend , but at least show the hole for the top of the pipe , exhaust pipe i take it ?

[Deeredriver]

what ever your bending has to have some sort of suport on the inside  or else it will kink i know  there are springs that plumbers and electricians use inside pipes /conduate

3m is kinda small what size are the springs in a  biro pen will they fit inside

[jdc]

I got a set of these which are OK up to a point, but don't know about aluminium 

http://www.hobby.uk.com/products/07973-set-tube-benders.html

[Tractorman810]

yeah small internal springs or even fill it with a fine sand, thats the way to do bigger pipes if you aint got a bender, you just need to keep the innder walls from colapsing

[farmermarshall]

hi thanks very much for all your help guys i'll see how i get on and then let you see    cheers

[Lord Ferguson]

Water will work Stephen... frozen water that is mate 

[farmermarshall]

cheers Marky ....... well after dropping 2 pipes into the AI flask i gave up was going for a fast freeze  i give up rammed a piece of solid pipe down the hollow pipe stuck in vice and bend it not perfect but hope to perfect it the next time here goes

[51MON]

  that looks good

[Lord Ferguson]

that looks good Stephen... nowt wrong with that mate

[farmermarshall]

  that looks good

that looks good Stephen... nowt wrong with that mate

cheers guys even has the burnt effect at the top where i cut with the dremel its ok back in the cabinet again now thanks again 

[MDFord]

Looks a lot Better than the original Stephen

Heres some I made using steel welding rod.

[Tractorman810]

very nice mate, certainly got promise

[farmermarshall]

Looks a lot Better than the original Stephen

Heres some I made using steel welding rod.

holy smoke they lok awesome man we will have to have a wee chat very soon 

[JC]

Looks ok to me Stephen, if I was to suggest anything it would be the springs that jdc mentioned or to put a rod part way down the exhaust so it was on the bend but out of sight.... looking at that one though I think you would see it. Aluminium tube might be better for the job... a bit softer and easier to work.

[farmermarshall]

Looks ok to me Stephen, if I was to suggest anything it would be the springs that jdc mentioned or to put a rod part way down the exhaust so it was on the bend but out of sight.... looking at that one though I think you would see it. Aluminium tube might be better for the job... a bit softer and easier to work.

tryed pushing the rod down the inside there tonight for a quick and easy option but yes i,ll try the Aluminium rod i,ll master this yet but MDford has done a fair nice job and i,ll try the spring thing too  thanks Jas

[BERRY]

looks good stephen...

not many farmers have the time or ptience to ait for something to freeze :D

[MJB1]

why not try plastic tubing stephen ? for that i drilled into my workbench 5 - 6 mm, then inserted the pipe & with just a gentle heat from a lighter from beneath it will bend upwards of it's own accord

[Deere-est]

Mark made four exhausts like that I can vouch for them looking even better in the hand. They are lovely and one would assume different size welding rods would work for different uses

[Lord Ferguson]

They are brilliant... I am sure I asked this before... but how do you get the hole in the end Mark  - welding rod is solid  \

[MJB1]

They are brilliant... I am sure I asked this before... but how do you get the hole in the end Mark  - welding rod is solid  \

glad it's not just me going daft