Pipe Bending 101

B NEGATIVE

New member
I have been asked a few times now how i bent my pipe for my SR 2 build,so i decided to do a little walk thru.

The tools you will need are these:

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A Cup of Tea...mine was a milky number to get the juices flowing.
A set of benders...these are for half-hard pipe,not annealed pipe as annealed is thin walled and should be bent by hand.
A Cutter for the chosen OD of your tube
A Ruler
Some tape.

I recommend Rothenberger benders,these are high quality and are worth the extra.
Otherwise,you may have to 'mod' the benders..like this:
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The top guide was poorly aligned and needed a bit of work before use.
Poorly aligned guides can distort the tube and put creases down the length of the bend.

So..take a bit of tape to make a base mark.
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Place the base mark on the 0 point of the bender.

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Line up the guide with the 0 mark.

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Make the bend using constant pressure,dont snatch at it,use nice firm and even pressure.

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Once you have made your bend,measure the distance from the 0 mark and the outer wall of the bend.

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This is the radius measurement,in this case 28mm,remember this as it will allow you to make accurate 90-90 bends to go 180 like this.

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To cut the tube to length,use the cutter,rotating the the direction indicated on the tool.
Try to keep everything straight when cutting,the cutter can spiral if its not held 90 to the pipe.

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This a basic guide,for any specific info,please comment below.
 
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Amazing guide mate!
I've got one question though. How can you maintain those pipes. I mean refill them and flush the radiator when swapping components? I think this will be really hard
 
I don't have anywhere near the expertise, or equipment, to even think about trying this when I do, in a few years or so, test my hand at watercooling. Your work looks absolutely awesome, but I know mine would never be up to par!
Still, a great guide - useful for those who are in the position to act on it.
Now, if only I could rep you!
 
love this guide, but its not something i will be trying on my rig anytime soon lol (not brave enough)
 
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the tube bender can be found at a plumbing or electrical supply dealer.

id kinda like to see if acrylic tube can be malled like ally/copper tube. kinda like nitrious
oxide lines on a dragster of street rod. i know there is a material that can do it, just still looking.

airdeano
 
the tube bender can be found at a plumbing or electrical supply dealer.

id kinda like to see if acrylic tube can be malled like ally/copper tube. kinda like nitrious
oxide lines on a dragster of street rod. i know there is a material that can do it, just still looking.

airdeano


Im looking to do a glass tube build...when i get my glass bending skills.
 
i would think think an o-ring instead of the crush sleeve would be a sealing device for the glass/plexi
tubing. the bitspower crystal-links short runs pieces are small steps to a larger view of water-cooling
life-blood tubes. and glass would not stain, no plastersizing to speak of, and not everyone
will have it.. great idea B- +1

airdeano
 
i would think think an o-ring instead of the crush sleeve would be a sealing device for the glass/plexi
tubing. the bitspower crystal-links short runs pieces are small steps to a larger view of water-cooling
life-blood tubes. and glass would not stain, no plastersizing to speak of, and not everyone
will have it.. great idea B- +1

airdeano
You could only use o-rings,you are correct..
DarthBeavis did a acrylic tube build...it didnt go well,the piping all cracked and flooded the case apparently.

I have a idea for a scratch build next year,probably integrate the glass idea then.
 
How to bend acrylic tube.

Take a piece of silicone fuel line for RC cars matching the ID of the tube you wish to bend,about 70mm long

You then set it in the position you want it to be in (you can see the black mark for where the bent centre should be) and then you heat up an area 2-3 times the diameter.

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Heat it by rolling the tube and making sure you have even heat, (wear a heatproof glove on one hand at least!) when it all goes soft, and starts to bend under it's own weight, put it in the position you want it, and wait till it cools.

you should have a nice bend if you got it right.

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then, slowly pull out the silicon tube, and you should have a nice clean bend.

Silicon tube is used in model aircraft as fuel tube and exhaust couplers,it can handle the heat just fine.
 
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i could see a braided helix tubing through-out the rig.. smaller acrylic tubing
twisted around the major tube..
this will open up a plethora of ideas..

airdeano
 
oh my that would be an amazing thing to behold....

Which acrylic tubing are you using then?
 
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