![micro tube bending micro tube bending](https://images.thdstatic.com/productImages/51916a8c-919a-4324-9d87-04bbc25dcd0f/svn/imperial-tube-benders-162-f-04-64_600.jpg)
I did intend to make something more akin to yours but with a smaller fence to allow closer bends.Looking at the instructions there are quite a lot of bends to make in an engine & one can get better seating on the joints if everything lines up first time rather than being a tad out & trying to force something into line. That is a lovely piece of kit & worth stopping the build just to make it. Photos of the cardboard computer I have for selecting CNC pipe bending machine tooling.
![micro tube bending micro tube bending](https://thermaltake.azureedge.net/pub/media/catalog/product/cache/6bf0ed99c663954fafc930039201ed07/db/imgs/pdt/angle/CL-W093-AL00BL-A_d490243682a048f29706d3f64f8a2d14.jpg)
This is mine and have always felt it worth the effort of making in that my pet aversion is seeing poorly-formed bends in wavy pipes on otherwise excellent models.
MICRO TUBE BENDING PDF
Unfortunately David seems to have moved the article to a DVD now (requiring payment) but I have the pdf and this image is from that, hopefully not infringing copyright:. There have been two designs over the years, the first being **LINK**īut the easier one to build, producing accurate, tight curves in small Cu pipes was published by "Artisan".
MICRO TUBE BENDING FREE
You could wose than look at David Carpenter's FREE ! website **LINK** your " It seems a good point to fabricate a mini tube bender" and " mag articles on the subject but I do not subscribe". This works for stainless steel but I don't know how applicable it is for copper tube, the bending tool selector does not say anything about material.
![micro tube bending micro tube bending](http://www.pave-wire.com/images/25t-tube-bender.png)
Reduce the bend radius to 3/4" and it says a one ball mandrel with wiper die. The result is the table says this bend needs a plug mandrel but no wiper die. With a bend radius of 3D (2.25" the factor 2 value is 3. This tells you if you need a wiper die, plug or ball mandrel and if a ball mandrel is required how many balls.įor example 3/4" 16swg tube has a factor 1 of 15 (they are coarse figures for the factors). On the reverse side you set the slide to the factor 1 position and look down against a window to see what is against factor 2. Then factor 2 which is the centre line bend radius to OD. You find factor 1 which is wall thickness to outside diameter figure. I have a cardboard computer (think slide rule made of cardboard) for this purpose. Also the tighter the centre line bend radius is to the OD the more likely internal support will be needed.
![micro tube bending micro tube bending](https://www.pride-cnc.com/uploads/202024964/micro-bending-capillary-stainless-pipe18303661714.jpg)
The larger the OD to wall thickness ratio the more likely you are to need support inside the tube. There are rules for the tooling needed for CNC draw benders that allow selection of necessary tooling. Sorry Sam, I misunderstood what you were trying to establish I don't know but perhaps others have an empirical formula they use. Many forumites must be bending pipes for their trains & traction engines & it seems odd that there isn't a rule such as - say- 3 times diameter as a guide line I just want to know if there was a rule of thumb for very small tubing.
MICRO TUBE BENDING HOW TO
But not below half inch.& I know how to make a small bore bender - Dubro make one for model plane fuel pipe which is very small diameter. I already have pipe springs & a pipe bender, which goes up to about 40mm diameter. The pipe itself is typically available in soft copper or Cunifer, depending on what colour you'd prefer on the engine. Or more often 3/16" which is even closer to 5mm. It may be possible to machine wheels for smaller diameter tube you can incorporate. Go to a motor spares place and look at brake pipe bending kits too. They also need to be a close fit on the tubing to start with and may nor be available in all sizes. They are tricky to use as you must over bend the pipe and then ease it back to the angle you want so that you can release the spring and judging that nicely is brought about by experience. The other alternatives are pipe springs that fit over the tubing which control the shape of the pipe as you bend it. At the very least they will give you ideas. Head off down to your local plumbers merchant and look at their tube benders for micro bore copper pipe for central heating systems, these cater for 8 and 10 mm pipe, are well made and easy to use and may save you a bit of time instead of making a dedicated tool. I believe there has been mag articles on the subject but I do not subscribe This would give me the size for the diameter of the primary wheels of the bender. It seems a good point to fabricate a mini tube bender & i wondered if there was a rule of thumb for the minimum radius, or a typical working radius, that one would use for bending copper pipe from say 5mm upwards on a model traction engine. I am about to start bending the first tubing for my traction engine.