Tube/pipe bending

[jevi]

Haven't posted much in a long while, but I've finally sourced a set of mk4 golf brakes and hangers (I will be altering the mounting plates to take the dog leg into account) and have been lent (on long term loan) a clarkes 12tonne hydraulic bender.

My question is how do you measure the angles you need on your steel tube/pipe accurately.

Using the smallest former (marked 20 - I assume this is the I/D of the pipe that this former is for) I tried a section of small tube approx 20mm O/D with a 1.5 - 2mm wall which did bend but deformed so no good.

For my second attempt I cut a section of 26.9mm O/D, 3mm wall ERW tube and using the same former but this time lined with several layers of thin plastic I managed to bend what I thought was a 90 deg bend.  However after beating the former several times to remove it from the tube I checked it with a square and it was miles out.

I had thought about scribing/marking the inner face of one side the bender because I can't get in with an angle finder or square to lay it against the tube as I bend it.  What is the best way of measuring the bend angle ?

[tbone]

Yep, your quite right, the number on the former refers to the ID of your pipe, this is why you had to beat the former to get the larger diameter pipe out! It would have squashed it to the shape of the former.
1.5 / 2mm wall is really to thin to be bent in a hydraulic bender like yours, its usually done with a hand pipe bending tool, thats probably why that failed.
If you heat the pipe before bending it will help iron out some of the wrinkles that will inevitably appear, if you cant, then its not the end of the world.

To measure the bend, lay your angle finder on the outside edge of it and pump the handle till the angles match. Remember to allow a couple more pumps of the handle to allow for the pipe springing back and mark the pipe wen you first mount it in the former, then if you need to, you can put it back in at exactly the same place as before and tweak the bend.

[tbone]

Another pic nicked from my build thread

[RODeo]

Ah ! I remember those pics Tbone! mustve read your build thread ,and others on here,dozens of times to familiarise myself with the chassis build!..thanks By the way!
  sorry for hi jack of thread!
     Rod

[DIZZY]

I had the same problem,but found that if i put gaffa tape over one end,filled the pipe/tube with sand,i used building sand,bounced the tube on a concrete floor to compact the sand,it would bend with no problems 

[jevi]

Thanks for the info.  I only have a limited quantity of tube available at the mo' so I don't want to waste it

[DIZZY]

yes  i was the same,couldnt afford to scrap long lengths for the main tubes only just had enough

[RODeo]

I got all my frame apart from the larger diam top tube from 2 stock lengths of tube.Just keep ALLoff cuts to use in shorter pieces and for cockups!

[tbone]

And there`s no reason why you can`t join a couple of short bits to make a longer one