Tube bender advice

[justdan]

Reet just got my greasy mitts on a 16tonne pipe/bar bender ! ( plan is to fab up a custom exhaust ) been told to fill the pipe with sand to stop it creasing ! Would I just weld a cap on each end ?????

[Dannyboy]

I dont see as you need to put sand in it if your not bending ultra tight radius's? It should bend fine aslong as you make sure the seem doesnt run on the inside/outside of the bend as it will split then ! if you do want to put sand in it? then make a sausage type affair like whats in the bottom of a traffic cone , you'd be better just warming the pipe before bending.

[RatCav]

Just remember to bend it slowly and evenly (i.e. not stagger the pull) With some stuff it may help to pull it stages, though that can create a less even bend.

[Mr Mud]

You can also get special "flat springs" to put inside the pipe to stop it collapsing

[yaki]

If you are going to pack it with sand just use gaffa tape to seal the ends.

Is it a crush type bender or proper mandrel jobbie

[Dannyboy]

Its guna get quite heavy if your hoping to make it in just a couple of pieces tho(with sand in i mean), dont really want loadsa joints all the way down it as it will affect the flow.....

[justdan]

Hydraulic jack pushes the pipe against rollers type 1 lol !!!!!!! Got it for £30 so am quite pleased lol
The plan is to make twin pipe , not doing the full system as its already a custom pipe ( of a 2.2 Astra , took some fettling to get it on mind ) so planning pipe out either side coming out just behind back wheels !

[gregster]

The type of bender you have will only really work well with thick wall tubing, it will just squash exhaust mate. Best bet is just by the bends or cut up another exhaust to liberate them ( old exhausts can be wombled from exhaust fitters).
I have tried, packing them doesnt really yield much success either. The only way I have managed small bends successfully with mine in exhaust is using the bender in conjunction with the oxy propane cutting gear and heating it while bending.
You want a mandrell bender (about £1000+) to do exhaust mate.