Putting a slight bend in 1" SS Tubing

[Ryban]

I'm fabricating a structure that will attach to our dodger to mount solar (see https://www.geminiproducts.net/how-t...-7-easy-steps/).

I need to put a small bend in the center of two 5-6' long stainless 1" OD tubes. I'm not certain what angle will be needed, but probably on the order of 10-20 degrees with any suitable radius.

Options I'm considering:

• Manual mandrel bender -- kind of expensive for just making 2 bends.
• Joining two pieces with 7/8" tubing pre-bent -- there's a 7/8" hydraulic bender that's only $70. Won't have to ship long sections.
• Make a wooden form and use a lot of leverage.
• Shop it out to a local fab shop.

[FPNC]

If your handy, you can borrow a 1" conduit hicky from an electrician and work a gentle bend into the pipe.

[Ryban]

Originally Posted by FPNC

If your handy, you can borrow a 1" conduit hicky from an electrician and work a gentle bend into the pipe.

If only I knew people. But it's a good affordable option for a tool, too, and would probably work for such a small bend.

[jamhass]

If trying it DYI, try filling it with sand. Helps avoid kinking.

[pcmm]

If you have a winch on your mast you can just roll a curve into the tubing. Just need a couple of guys to put a bit of downward pressure on the ends of the tube and roll it along the winch drum. Doesn't take a crazy amount of force just constant pressure and a few repeats. Helped a friend make solid life lines for the tops of his stanchions this way.

[Ryban]

Originally Posted by pcmm

If you have a winch on your mast you can just roll a curve into the tubing. Just need a couple of guys to put a bit of downward pressure on the ends of the tube and roll it along the winch drum. Doesn't take a crazy amount of force just constant pressure and a few repeats. Helped a friend make solid life lines for the tops of his stanchions this way.

Dead simple, I like it.

[kayakerChuck]

1" SS will break most conduit benders.

A wooden form is easy- plywood, dimensional, whatever. Just make sure it has a nice radius with no hard points. In a pinch, I've used the crotch of a tree. It's good to support the end you are "pulling on". I use a 5' piece of iron pipe for support.

A local canvas shop might do this for $20 and a six pack if approached with a smile and a sense of humor. It took me much longer to type this that it would take me to bend the pieces.

[Ryban]

Haha -- yeah, it's a simple job, I just have no experience bending SS tubing and wanted to get the consensus.

I did call a local shop and felt silly explaining how simple of a job it was.

[massnspace]

Harbor Freight, if you have one near, sells hydraulic pipe benders. Cheap. And works well with stainless, I have used one….

Buy one, use it, and either return it immediately or sell it on Craigslist to recoup some of the cost.

[coopec43]

Originally Posted by Ryban

Haha -- yeah, it's a simple job, I just have no experience bending SS tubing and wanted to get the consensus.

I did call a local shop and felt silly explaining how simple of a job it was.

I take it you want a "bend" and not a "curve"? And I assume it is a "one off" and doesn't have to be matched? If that is the case I'd use a hydraulic pipe bender but I happen to have one. As you would know doubt be aware the bigger the radius the better to avoid flattening the tube


Maybe invest in a set of these?

[MicHughV]

what I've done in a similar situation is this.

using a black marker pen I marked off the pipe where I wanted the bend in 2" increments.

Then I took a 2x6x 8' and attached a 1" wood dowel more or less in the center and another wood dowel about 3' away. On the same 2x6, I sketched the bend I want to achieve. I fastened the 2x6 to a workbench.

Then I would slide the s/s pipe in there and around the center dowel at each pen mark, using the far dowel as a fulcrum and give it ever so slight a nudge at each pen mark before moving to next pen mark,

I did this several times over and over again and pretty soon I had my bend just where I wanted.

It requires patience and a gentle hand, don't try to force it.

[hpeer]

I went to Harbor Freight and bought a hydraulic press bender. They will have a 1” shoe.

The question is over how long a radius do you need the bend? The longer the easier to do nicely without kinks.

What I did was to mark the center of the bend, put the pie in and bring the press onto contact. Then add 1 or 2 pumps on the pump handle. Move some interval, say 1” either side and repeat. You now have 3 slight bends. How many degrees is this? Then you can repeat this process over the desired length of the bend, keep the number of handle pumps consistent. If you still need more bend go back and add more bends in between the first set.

It will not produce a dead smooth bend but will likely not be visible, you may feel it if you run your hand over it. I had a 160° bend with a 16” radius, yours will he much less bending. I can feel the crinkle but not see it once installed.

Just go slow. The bender was cheap.

[Tedd]

Wooden form and leverage works well with mild steel tubing but I haven't tried it with SS tubing. Easy to do, though.


I used a round router bit to make a nice, round groove in the form. That might be overkill; a V-groove form might work just as well.

[NorthCoastJoe]

If you know your desired angle. Bend a piece or coat hanger to the angle you want and go to a muffler shop. They can bend it and maybe cost you $20. We used to make whitewater rafting frames from EMT. We had all the bends done at a muffler shop, then welding ourselves. The last frame I built they charged me $15 for 6 bends.

[Spot]

Saw this a while ago:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUiJ4puf074