During construction or repair works often have to deal with the need to bend at a certain angle the pipe for the installation of systems of water supply, heating, etc. If not pre-purchased ready bent pipes, it can be done at home with the existing pipes, but this should be done properly, with all the requirements. Otherwise you can just smash expensive material.
Devices for bending pipes ↑
Bend pipe can be a variety of ways, even manually, but there is a high risk of breakage. Therefore, it is best to bend to use special equipment or improvised materials, which will significantly facilitate the bending.
Tube Bender ↑
To bend metal pipes using special tools – professional pipe benders, different by design:
- manual pipe and tube Bender is used for bending pipes with a small cross-sectional diameter. As a rule, on this device you can bend pipes from ferrous metals and stainless steel. Before you bend the aluminum pipe or stainless steel, you need one end to be inserted in the tube Bender, and with a lever, gradually bend the product to the desired angle.
- hydraulic pipe benders are devices designed to bend large diameter pipes. In this device, all applied for bending efforts kompensiruet due to the cylinders. How to bend a large diameter pipe using a hydraulic tube Bender? You must first determine the location of the bend, then secure one end of the pipe in the grooves and bending a lever to perform a translational motion.
- to bend pipes having different cross-sectional diameter are used the Electromechanical benders. They are characterized by high performance, accuracy, run bend pipe and lack of necessary physical strength of the operator. Such devices are expensive, so buy them for private use not worth it.
Plane-parallel plate ↑
In case the bend pipe is necessary, but you don’t have the tube Bender, for bending pipe can be used plate – has curved workpiece with a groove which is suitable for bending metal and plastic pipes with the diameter up to 45 mm Pipe that must be bent, inserted into a special clamp plate, clamp and bend it along the plate in the groove. This method of bending without bending, rather primitive, but, as practice shows, very reliable.
The figure shows a simple design of plane-parallel plates, where 1 is plate, 2 – plate, 3 – clamp, 4 – tube you want to bend. Such a device can do it yourself.
Steel spring ↑
For bending pipes of non-ferrous metals, soft and pliable, often damaged in bending, burst, used spring steel of medium hardness, the diameter of which should allow it to enter inside the pipe. The spring is introduced to the site of the future fold, after which the pipe can be bent at the knee, or securing it in a vise. Steel spring allows the pipe wall is not easy to bend, no deformation and no bursting, because it assumes all the efforts of compression and tension metal.
Methods of bending pipes without bending of different materials ↑
Often it happens that to bend the tube must be immediate to be able to complete the laying of water, mounting of floor heating, or to finish creating the shaped product, and the handy tube Bender there and the nearest shop is very far away. What to do in this situation? And how to bend without the bending?
Tips on bending plastic pipes ↑
In the construction of private homes often use plastic tubes, usually bent. But bend them with a bending is not recommended! So they bend better hand – and easier and faster. But in one fell swoop to bend the pipe is not necessary. After all, there is a high risk of damage. Therefore, it is better to perform flexion, slowly, steady movements. It is necessary to take pipe in hand and in 5-6 approaches to bend it to the desired angle.
Bendable tube is made of polypropylene ↑
Bent plastic pipes, typically used in plumbing systems, heating, sewage bypassing some obstacles. But the polypropylene is sufficiently hard material that does not resist bending, when bent and springs back to its original position.
While cranking polypropylene pipe? Through the use of industrial dryer! Gradually warming at the bending place, you can bend it at any angle. Most importantly, is constantly warming and at the same time to bend her smooth movements. But remember that very hot pipe made of polypropylene is also impossible, because it will start to melt.
How to bend pipe profile ↑
Profile pipes are mainly used in the construction of greenhouses, gazebos and other outdoor structures. However, if a pipe with a circular cross section can be bent by hand or a professional bending, the profile so bend will not work – it is just in the place of the bend will collapse or crack. As a rule, in order for it to bend, using special machines – profilehere. But for the private use of such machines are very expensive and their purchase is not necessary. Therefore, for private use, you can buy hand benders that can bend the pipe as square section and round.
The only caveat that appears in the bending profile of the pipe on the manual tube Bender is the need to use the user sufficiently large physical strength. It is important to remember that on the manual tube Bender can bend exclusively steel, copper and plastic pipes with a small diameter cross-section.
But you can use more and «traditional methods». For example, to bend, you can use sand or water.
How to bend square tube with sand? This need inside her to fill the dry sand to it tightly filled all the internal space. Then the ends of the pipe must be clogged so that the sand does not spill. Then you need to create stops for the ends. You can, alternatively, hold them in a vise. Now with a rubber hammer or wooden mallet lightly tap on the pipe and bend it to the desired radius.
Applying the sand when bending the pipe, its metal walls are not deformed and do not break.
If you need to bend a square tube with a significant bend radius, it is desirable to use a blowtorch or gas burner to heat its walls. As a result, the heated metal will easily be capable of easy bending. A sign that you are ready to begin the bending of the pipe, is the appearance of scale on it.
It is also possible to bend the profile with water. This method would be most appropriate for the construction of water supply or heating system in winter. To do this, the pipe pumping the water in, before closing one of its ends of the tube, and expose it to the frost. After the water is completely frozen, you can begin bending. But the movements must also be done smoothly and progressively.
The perfect bend to achieve hard enough. Therefore it is better to use the services of professionals who will perform the work on special equipment with all the necessary conditions.
