Large Scale Central

Bending brass tubing..

Modeling
#1

What is the best way to bend brass tubing without kinking it?. Thanks… Travis

#2

Depends on the size.
Not to be a smarty pants, but you can buy a tubing bender at plumbing supply.
The quick cheapy is to fill the tube with sand.

#3

Good danggone question…on my pump house I used straws with the accordion bends from the dollar store, but it doesn’t look exactly right from close up. I would spring for some metal tubing if I thought it wouldn’t kink on me.

#4

i have a set of different id springs got the set from i think K&D. seem to work ok

Richard

#5

Micromark has those bending springs in their catalog too.

#6

Thanks guys… Lou I never thought of filling it with sand, I will give that a try… Travis

#7

I’m working on a project that I’m gonna try to bend some 1/8" tubing. I bought a Du-Bro tubing bender at a local hobby shop but haven’t tried it yet or even opened it. It says on the package it will also work on 1/16" and 3/32" OD tubing. I also discovered that k&s sells soft brass and copper tubing. I think there regular brass would just kink.

Here’s a link to there products http://shop.dubro.com/k/search?q=Tubing+bender

#8

Fill it with water, block the ends with ‘Blu tac’ and freeze.

Andrew

#9

Also, put a piece of wire that fits inside.

2 options really:

  1. Keep the tube from spreading sideways. That’s how the springs work.

  2. Keep the tube from collapsing. That’s what sand, ice, wire or whatever you put inside does.

#10

Tom, you got to get the stuff put inside out again!

Andrew

#11

I always had trouble getting the tubes out of those springs, plus they affect the surface with little dents.

I’d have to agree with Garratt, wire can be tricky if the tube shrinks slightly as it is stretched around a corner … been there.

In jewelry we used shellac which would torch melt or dissolve in denatured alcohol…

John

#12

Garratt Steam said:

Tom, you got to get the stuff put inside out again!

Andrew

If it’s a big tube, a LOT of bad words.

#13

But, if the tube isn’t functional, I mean if you aren’t actually pumping anything trough it, then why do you have to get whatever out of it? If you don’t need an actual tube, then why not use solid wire?

#14

David, Im making a light fixture. Need brass tubing for wires to pass thru. If I didnt need it for that leaving it filled would be a great idea… I bought a package of brass tubing and some other stuff at Hobby Lobby, regular price is 19.00 dollars or so for a mixture of lengths and sizes. with the coupon from their online site . 40 % off it makes it pretty cheap for small stuff. It also has square tubing and u channel stuff in it too. The coupon is good for one week at a time but they have them available all the time… When I know I’m gonna be near a Hobby Lobby I print one out and take it with me… I have picked up some stuff there pretty cheap… Travis

#15

Travis, then its easy. Put a piece of insulated wire in the tube, a piece that fits kinda snug. Then carefully and slowly bend the tube around whatever you are using to get the proper bend. When you wire up the light, the tube is used as one conductor, and the wire you put inside the tube, before bending, is used as the other conductor.

#16

Bingo, best idea yet, I think!

#17

Travis

We use to bend 1/8" brass tubing for model airplanes all the time.

Heat the brass tubing until it is red hot. Let cool - don’t stick it in water.

It will be very soft when it cools. You will have to see if you can bend the

radius you want without it kinking. It seems to me that we could harden it

again by heating it red hot again and quenching it in water or oil. I don’t

remember for sure. I do have some soft brass tubing around, but I don’t

think it is quite as soft as the hard brass is after heating and cooling.

Tom