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Pipe Bending

Home › Forums › Beginners questions › Pipe Bending

Viewing 8 posts - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)
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  • 6 March 2010 at 20:40 #4992
    Alan Worland 1
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      @alanworland1
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      6 March 2010 at 20:40 #49474
      Alan Worland 1
      Participant
        @alanworland1

        I have a bit of central heating pipework to undertake shortly and I have a 15mm pipe bender, but I was wondering what might be the tightest radius bend I could pull in annealed copper pipe?
        My existing bender manages a 62mm radius bend (on pipe centre line) and I am considering making another, smaller former but thought I would put the question to the wisened forum users rather than waste my time!

        6 March 2010 at 21:33 #49476
        Weary
        Participant
          @weary
          You will not pull much tighter than that with half-hard 15mm copper. 
          The solution to getting around such a tight bend would be to fit an elbow at the appropriate point.  
          Maybe a street bend if you have one of a suitable radius, but then you would have to socket form or put a connector on one end of  your tube. 
          You can also get pre-formed return bends if you are trying to make a 180 degree return. 
          (You refer to annealed tube, I’m assuming that you are actually working with half-hard tube.  Fully annealed copper risks collapse in a pipe-bender, anneal the tube if you are using springs.)
           
          6 March 2010 at 23:19 #49477
          Flying Fifer
          Participant
            @flyingfifer
            You could fill the tube with cerrobend then it should bend BUT personally I`d go for a an elbow connection. It just in`t worth the extra B*****ation factor to try anything else.
             Regards Alan
            7 March 2010 at 11:07 #49484
            Circlip
            Participant
              @circlip
              Before making it “Look” better, consider the flow restriction properties of tight bends in C/H systems, same in airflow.
               
                Regards  Ian.
              7 March 2010 at 18:09 #49498
              Alan Worland 1
              Participant
                @alanworland1
                I wanted a bend which wasn’t as tight as an elbow – but tighter than I can make at present!
                The older type ‘swept’ bend would do nicely but I dont believe they are made any more?
                I am using standard half hard tube and annealing it, seems to bend fine.
                I was trying to bend the tube rather than put a joint in as this in itself restricts the flow – a 90 degree joint is equivalent to 600mm of pipe, although I will probably end up with an elbow.
                7 March 2010 at 18:41 #49500
                Weary
                Participant
                  @weary
                  Ah – you are possibly looking for a ‘slow bend’, like this: clicky linky
                  Your local plumber’s merchant should be able to supply ‘off the shelf’.
                  (There should be no need to anneal half-hard tube for use in a bending machine.)
                  7 March 2010 at 18:54 #49502
                  Alan Worland 1
                  Participant
                    @alanworland1
                    Ah, it’s called a slow bend!  Thanks – I wonder why its called slow, it should be faster than the tighter one?
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