How to bend a water pipe at home. How metal pipes are bent: technological subtleties of work

When building small architectural forms, making canopies, awnings, or installing heating (water supply) systems, home craftsmen are faced with the need to bend a professional pipe.

In the mass production of metal structures, especially in specialized workshops, industrial pipe benders are used.

Such devices allow you to quickly and without defects bend a professional pipe from 20 to 40 mm in size. However, the purchase of pipe bending equipment for a one-time use is unprofitable, in some cases it is cheaper to go to a workshop and pay for the work on forming a profile. If this option does not suit you, consider how to bend a profile pipe at home.

Features of forming pipes with a square (rectangular) section

Unlike a round pipe, in which the tension of the material is relatively uniform, the profile has 90 ° angles. The inner part of the profile cannot bend without deformation of the side walls. As a result, folds are formed on the inner radius, and tears on the outside are possible.

Without going into the technology of how to bend a pipe without a pipe bender, many "homemade" craftsmen spoil the workpieces, or violate the strength structure of the material.

The basic rule is to avoid critical bends, or force (programmed) to deform the material.

In industrial pipe benders, for even distribution of the load, a stamp is formed on the inner side of the radius. For this, on rollers, or on a mandrel (depending on the design of the pipe bender), a special flange-side is provided.

All "extra" metal is folded inward without forming folds. As a result, the load is evenly distributed, and it is possible to bend a square pipe at a fairly small radius.

Correctly bend profiled pipes at no additional cost

There are many ways to bend a profile pipe at home without using an industrial pipe bender.

Sector welding

This method is available with a welding machine. You will also need a grinder, but you can get by with a hacksaw for metal. The essence of the method consists in making evenly distributed sector cuts along the inner side.

The amount of material is reduced, and you do not have to worry about the formation of folds and breaks in the metal. After cutting the sectors, the profile easily takes on a given shape, and the resulting cuts are welded in any available way.

The method is laborious, but you can bend the pipe to any radius, including with a variable value. If you are an experienced welder, the tightness and strength characteristics of the workpiece will not deteriorate.

The only drawback is that the finished product does not look very aesthetically pleasing. The technique is not suitable for a decorative visor over the porch, but you can bend a profile pipe for a greenhouse built with your own hands. Again, a welding machine is required.

Hot forming as a way to bend a pipe without a pipe bender

In this case, a gas torch or blowtorch is required. When heated, the metal becomes soft and pliable in tension or compression. The likelihood of wrinkling and tearing is practically zero.

How the method works:
The technology is based on local heating of the bend using a torch.

You don't often have to deal with the need to bend shaped pipes in everyday life. This task is most often faced by the owners of summer cottages or private houses - people who are accustomed to doing everything with their own hands.

Regardless of the shape of the pipe profile, the essence of the bending process is to give the product a partial or complete bending. This can be achieved only by applying a certain external influence - exclusively pressure or a combination of heating and pressure.

From the point of view of physics, in the process of bending, two opposite forces act simultaneously on a profile pipe:

Tensile force. It appears from the outside of the bend.
Compression force. Directed to the inside of the bent section.

The opposite direction of these forces is precisely responsible for some of the difficulties that often arise in the process of bending pipes:

Different sections of the pipe in the bending zone can change their shape unevenly, which will inevitably lead to a violation of their alignment.
The pipe wall on the outside of the bend may lose strength or even burst under strong tension.
On the inside of the bend, on the other hand, folds often form during compression.

To avoid these troubles, and not to get a crumpled metal surface instead of an evenly bent pipe, it is imperative to take into account the type of material and the numerous geometric parameters of the product: wall thickness, section diameter, bending radius. Knowing these characteristics will allow you to choose the optimal folding method.

Note! Experts say that it is better not to bend profile pipes with a wall thickness of less than 2 mm. The strength at the folds will be quite low, even with perfect adherence to the technology. For such pipes, it is better to prefer welded joints.

The principle of using a pipe bender

It is far from always possible to bend a profile pipe (especially for large-diameter products) with your own hands. For these purposes, there are special devices - pipe benders. The standard pipe bender is equipped with a drive wheel, which, moving along one of the edges, gently bends the pipe section in the required direction.

This question is of interest to everyone who, by the nature of their work or at home, is faced with plumbing work and used various kinds of pipes. If you do not belong to professionals in this field, then you do not have special tools and special equipment for this work. Next, we will give you recommendations on how, without special tools, such as a pipe bender, to make a pipe bent at home without the involvement of outside help.

Plastic pipes have good performance and environmental friendliness, therefore they have great popularity and high purchasing power. But plastic pipes are not the most suitable option for products of this type, especially if there is a need to use them for industrial purposes. The performance of this type of pipes directly depends on the temperature of the liquid located there. In direct sunlight, plastic also loses its quality and becomes short-lived.
Metal pipes are more durable. They have a wide range of applications: open wiring, when connecting radiators, water heaters and much more.
Polypropylene pipes are the most common type of plastic pipes. They have high strength and long service life.
Metal pipes are used in the installation of heating, gas, water supply, oil pipeline types. They have a different look and are made of different materials: cast iron, steel, copper, zinc.

But no matter what work you did with the use of pipes, there will always be a need for their high-quality and correct bend. As a rule, if this work is to be done at home, then this is done with the help of a special hand-held device - a pipe bender. It is able to bend pipes made of aluminum, copper, brass, steel (if the walls are not thick and have a small diameter). Following the advice of experts, in order to bend water and gas pipes, it is necessary to resort to a hydraulic press brake. Almost all the tools with which you can bend pipes are not cheap, so if you need to do this work once, then there is no need to purchase them. For this work, you can use the classic and less expensive methods. In this article, we will show you how to bend pipes without using a pipe bender.

To bend the pipe yourself, you will have to use:

calcined sand;
wooden plug;
burner;
metal frames with a correct inclined angle;
hammer;
construction hairdryer.

We independently carry out the bending of a polypropylene pipe

We take a pipe, heat it up with a construction hair dryer to a temperature of 150 degrees, but not more. We begin to gently bend the pipe, with the thick part of the pipe being located on the outside. After this process, we check the pipe for the absence of low-quality moments.
The pipe can be bent without the help of a building hair dryer and without warming it up at all. But it must be remembered that in this way the pipe bend should not exceed 8 degrees.

We bend the plastic pipe

To complete this work, you must adhere to the following steps.

We take a fiberboard and make a frame out of it in order to give it the required shape.
We take sandpaper and process the frame with it.
Create the necessary plastic wrap.
We firmly fix all the details.
We give the pipe the required shape.
We take it out of the frame and cool it down.

All these works aimed at bending various kinds of pipes can be done without the use of additional expensive tools. But with the purchase of a pipe bender, the same work will be done by you much faster and better. The benders have different bending methods and types of drives. Consider various kinds of pipe bending methods.

Manual method

Do not be upset if, during the installation of any system in your household, and you need curved pipes, but you do not have professional tools, and there was no opportunity to purchase ready-made curved pipes at the desired angle. All this can be done with your own hands and without leaving home, if you have even the most basic tools in your arsenal. Let's start.

We grab the structure with our hands and bend it gradually, clamping it tightly. This must be done with great care so as not to break the part. Carry out this process gradually, moving slowly along the pipe. We repeat these actions in six to seven moves. But not every pipe can be bent manually. For example, a pipe made of aluminum bends easily, but a metal pipe is not very.

Experts advise. Before proceeding with the bends of the pipe directly during the behavior of plumbing work, try to do it on some unnecessary segment. Just do not rush, do not make sudden movements. This can lead to deformation of the pipe or to its breakage. You can bend pipes with your own hands if their diameter does not exceed twenty millimeters. You can try a slightly larger diameter, but there should be many times more effort and accuracy.

Heat treatment method

As for the metal pipe, a gas burner should be your assistant. We act in stages.

With the help of a vise, the metal section of the pipe is fixed.
The proposed bend area is heated with a gas burner.
After the appearance of the dross, we carry out the fold.

It is important to catch the moment of the beginning of the bend. If the pipe is aluminum, then it is necessary to bring a sheet of paper to it. If it catches fire or smoke, then you can start. If the pipe is made of a different metal, then the area reddened during heating will serve as a signal. The heat treatment method cannot be used when bending galvanized pipes. High temperatures will damage the coating and render the coating unusable. You need to know that if we are talking about bending a square pipe, then you cannot do without a powerful blowtorch or torch. And the main thing is that at the very beginning of work, such a product warms up from all sides.

Use of sand and water

If the above fillers are used, then it is possible to bend both professional pipes and an aluminum segment of a solid diameter. Step-by-step instruction.

First, we pour sand into the inner part of the structure, fix the plugs at the ends of the pipe, while maintaining tightness.
The part is fixed with a vice.
The proposed bend is heated with a blowtorch or a gas torch.
After a good heating of the area, we bend the pipe with a rubber hammer or a wooden mallet, by gently tapping on the heated surface.
At the last stage, the plug is removed, the sand is poured out. The work is done.

With this method, the sand serves as a protection preventing pipe deformation and uneven bending.

It should be borne in mind that:

galvanized pipes can be bent in this way without heat treatment;
the inside of the pipe must be filled very tightly so that there is no free space;
square-edged pipes must be machined on each side to minimize the formation of defects.

Working with water is done in the same way. Pour water into the pipe, close it with plugs. We cool the water to the freezing stage (in winter in freezing temperatures or in the refrigerator at any time of the year). When the liquid freezes, gently, without sudden movements, bend the pipe.

Bending pipes with tools

The manual method of bending pipes can lead to their breakage or unnecessary deformation. Therefore, for this type of work, it is recommended to use special equipment or other materials that will speed up and facilitate the bending process.

Pipe bender

Bending a metal pipe is much easier using a pipe bender. There are several types of this specialized equipment.

Manual tube benders. By means of them, pipes of small cross-sectional diameter, made of non-ferrous metals and stainless steel, are bent. The process of bending aluminum or steel pipes is as follows: one end of the pipe is inserted into the pipe bender and the product is bent by means of a lever to the desired angle.
Hydraulic pipe benders. Used for large diameter pipes. This device has hydraulic cylinders, due to which the pipe is bent. One end of the pipe is inserted into the groove of the pipe bender, and the lever performs translational movements.
Electromechanical pipe benders. They are used when bending pipes of different cross-sectional diameters. They have high productivity, bend accuracy, no need for operator services. They are very expensive and there is no point in purchasing them for one-time use.

Plane-parallel plate

If you did not buy a pipe bender, but you need to bend the pipe, then use a plate that looks like a bent blank with a groove. It can be used if you need to bend a metal-plastic or metal pipe up to 45 mm in diameter. The pipe is inserted into a special clamp on the plate, clamped and bent along the plate along the groove. This method belongs to the category of primitive, but reliable. It is successful if the pipes are short.

Steel type plate

This "tool" is used when you need to bend a pipe made of non-ferrous metals. They are soft and pliable, which can damage them during bending. In order to avoid a negative result, medium-hard springs of such a diameter are used, which makes it possible to place this spring inside the pipe. When the spring reaches the point of the intended bend, you can bend the pipe at the knee, or secure it with a vise. By using such a spring, the pipe walls can be bent easily, avoiding deformation and damage. After the end of the process, the spring is removed from the pipe by means of a strong cord attached to it.

Profile pipes are indispensable in the process of assembling frames for building structures. Greenhouses, various greenhouses, gazebos and other objects are built with their help quickly and efficiently. However, things are not so simple.

To bend such a pipe, you have to use expensive special equipment, which is not always acceptable for a home craftsman. Let's talk about how to bend a profile pipe at home.

A profile pipe is considered to have a cross-section other than a circular one. It can be rectangular, oval, hexagonal, or square. The pipe has increased strength, because its edges take on the role of stiffeners.

Profile products cope with significant bending loads, making them a good choice for the construction of metal frames for buildings of various purposes.

The raw material for the production of shaped pipes most often becomes high or low alloy steel. Depending on the manufacturing method, electric-welded, cold-rolled and hot-rolled, seamless pipes are distinguished.

Products differ in wall thickness and profile height. These pipes can be used to make various parts in the form of frames, stairs and railings. Most often, a profile pipe is used in construction for the construction of arched structures and as a replacement for an iron bar in the construction of frames.

Skills in bending a profile pipe will come in handy for home craftsmen who want to independently equip a suburban area:

Image gallery

The simplest cold bending tools

Consider how to independently make two very simple devices that will help you bend a profile pipe.

Profile holder

The workbench will become the basis for the device. It is important that not only the working area, but also the space around it are free. To secure the mandrel, you will have to make several closely spaced holes in one edge of the workbench tabletop.

The actual mandrel or template is made of plywood. However, this option is only acceptable if several parts are expected to be completed.

The simplest pipe mandrel is made from thick plywood or plank. This template is enough for a few bends.

If it is necessary to bend a large number of pipes according to this pattern, the mandrel is best made from a steel angle. In some cases, the profile product must be bent at different angles.

For such work, you will need several templates at once, which should be prepared in advance. Before starting work, the mandrel is firmly attached to the base using clamps.

The pipe to be bent is securely fixed to its edge. Then bending is performed. The operation is performed smoothly, without sudden jerks. The force applied to the pipe should increase gradually. In the process of bending, the part takes the form of a mandrel. This will require significant effort.

Advanced bending plate

This is a convenient multifunctional device that allows high-quality bending of a profile. The device is a solid metal base plate mounted on a pedestal. The latter is fixed to the workshop floor using fixing bolts.

Set of steel mandrels for different radii

Plywood disposable blanks

Mandrel for narrow profile pipe

Alternatively, you can consider a similar device attached to a workbench. After work, the bending plate can be easily dismantled and removed, or you can use it as a stand for other locksmith operations.

To make such a device, you need a thick metal plate. It is welded onto a telescopic support. For stops for bending, two holes are made on the base plate.

Bolts are placed in them. Nozzles of various radii are put on and fixed on them, which allows the pipes to be bent as needed. The pressure plate is cut from the thick sheet steel.

It is advisable to equip the bending plate with a pressure plate made of durable metal. It will allow you to maintain the alignment of the profile part during the bending process.

Its use is mandatory so that the coaxiality of the bent part is not disturbed, since bending a profile pipe without a pipe bender can accidentally deform it in two different directions. The plate is fixed over the attachments on the stop bolts.

The simplest way to bend a profile pipe:

There are quite a few ways to manually bend profiled pipes. And they all have a common drawback: it takes a lot of effort to bend them. A physically untrained master may not be able to cope with such a job. Bending of parts using specialized devices is much easier, more accurate and does not require much physical effort.

The problem is that the cost of such equipment is quite high. Therefore, buying a device just to perform a one-time job is certainly unprofitable. The best option is to rent specialized equipment, which will allow you to get profile products bent exactly according to the template for a small fee.

Every second man on earth at least once in his life thought about how to bend a pipe on his own. The process can be carried out using a special device - a pipe bender. If this is not available, then there are a number of ways how to bend a pipe at home without outside help. You will need personal protective equipment, lighting, a burner (construction hair dryer), sand, a vice.

Varieties of pipes

Before starting the process, it is necessary to determine the material from which the long hollow object is made. There is a specific bending method for each type of pipe.

Plastic pipes

Currently, the market is flooded with plastic goods, pipes are no exception. But it is worth noting that the wear resistance of such metal pipes is much less.

They are unlikely to be suitable for the operation of hot liquids, and in an open space under the influence of sunlight they will not last long. However, they are actively used for sewerage and cold water supply.

Reinforced-plastic pipes

Such pipes cope with temperature extremes much more efficiently, are excellent for hot water supply, heating and are not exposed to frost. The pipes are composed of two materials, they in the connection provide the products with strength and durability.

The manufacturing method is a layer of plastic and thin sheets of metal. Despite the ability to withstand high temperatures, pipes are fragile and are damaged by strong physical impact.

It should be noted that in terms of composition, plastic pipes are divided into two main types: polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride.

The first ones are composed of various types of polyethylene, withstand pressure and high temperatures.

The second ones are made of polyvinyl chloride, thanks to this they are durable and resistant to temperature changes, but are not used for water, since chloride tends to be washed out of pipes and enter the substance, therefore, into the human body.

Metal pipes

These pipes are widely used in pipeline, oil and gas pipelines. Today, there is no stronger and more durable material for bulk pipeline networks.

Aluminum pipes

Despite the fact that this material is very flexible and easy to deform, it can only be used in industries or for the manufacture of structures.

Aluminum is capable of emitting harmful substances into the environment, therefore it is absolutely not suitable for pipelines.

Pipe bending methods

First you need to decide how the process will take place, and what you need to have at hand.

If you have a Volnov machine or a pipe bender, then the bending process will not take much effort. With it, you can make a fold in the form of a staple, bend, roll and duck. Pipes of different diameters from 15 to 25 mm are exposed.

The process is as follows:

We place the pipe in the clamp of the machine with the long end
The place where bending will occur should be lubricated with machine oil or other oil.
Bend the short end of the pipe using force.

On the Internet, you can see the process in more detail in the photo, and understand how to bend a pipe using this machine.

If you do not have such a device at hand, you have to make a little effort and take the process seriously.

Visually, it seems that when the metal pipe is bent, everything goes well and the pipe does not deform. But in fact, folds form in the inner side of the fold, thereby reducing the radius of the pipe, and on the outer side, the material is strongly stretched, due to which there is a possibility of microcracks appearing.

The faster the bending occurs, the more likely it is to damage the pipe and render it unusable.

Before you start bending the pipe, you need to heat it up to the optimum temperature for bending. Experienced craftsmen advise checking the temperature with a piece of paper. If, when the paper comes into contact with the pipe, it begins to smolder, then the process can begin.

To avoid unwanted sharp bends, fill the pipe with sand and seal it on both sides. Clamp in a vice and start the process.

It will take some effort and it will take time, but you will not have to resort to the help of specialists, purchase special equipment, and you will know how to bend the pipe at home.

With plastic pipes, things are a little different. It is easier to bend them, but the likelihood of microcracking is much higher. Unlike metal, it is worth monitoring the heating temperature, otherwise the pipe will simply burn out.

Another disadvantage is that in the plastic, holes that are not visible to the eye or even their rudiments can form in the plastic, which in the future will make themselves felt at the most inopportune moment.

Pipes made of metal-plastic do not need to be warmed up, they already bend perfectly due to the presence of an aluminum rod inside, you just need to take care of the stabilizer.

Thin plastic pipes often break when trying to bend, so you need to warm up the place of the planned bend with a construction hairdryer to a temperature of about 180-200 degrees and carefully make a bend. This will happen quickly and easily, you just need to fix the finished bend and wait for the pipe to cool down.

The bending of shaped pipes is a little more difficult and should be approached more seriously. If the wall thickness of the pipe is less than 2 mm, it is not even worth trying to bend the pipe, it will be easier to use welding during construction.

Pipe bending is carried out with heating pipes and in a cold state. Undoubtedly, the heated pipe will be easier to bend. Heating can be dispensed with if the profile height is not more than 10 mm; in cases with a higher height, it is worth using a burner.

It is imperative to fill the profile with calcined sand, plugging the holes on both sides with wooden plugs, 7-10 mm long. Mark the bend with chalk, place the pipe in a vise and start heating. After reaching the desired temperature, gently begin the bending process.

It is worth remembering about protective equipment: gloves and a mask. After comparing the resulting bend with the template, making sure that everything matches, wait for the pipe to cool down, remove the plugs and pour out the sand.

All methods show that you can independently and easily do without a pipe bender for bending pipes.

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Source: http://landshaftdizajn.ru/kak-sognut-trubu/

How to bend a metal pipe at home

If you independently carry out work on the laying of water supply networks at home, then you may be faced with the need to bend the pipe. Since you may not have professional equipment in the form of a pipe bender, it is rather difficult to accomplish this. However, there are special methods that, without the help of professional equipment, will make it possible to bend pipes from different materials. In this article, we will describe several ways to bend a pipe at home.

Professional equipment

Usually, professional craftsmen have such equipment and it belongs to the category of pipe benders.

Let's start with what special tools you can use to bend pipes made of different materials. Usually, professional craftsmen have such equipment and it belongs to the category of pipe benders. According to the bending method, all benders can be divided into several categories:

Crossbow products have a specific shape, therefore they are used to bend pipes with a suitable diameter.
Spring tools are suitable for self-bending plastic piping. The equipment is made on the basis of a steel spring.
Segment constructions have a special section around which the workpiece can be pulled out.
Core tools are designed for bending elements with thin walls, as well as in the case when you need to obtain a small bending radius.

By the type of drive, such equipment is divided into the following types:

The hand tool is suitable for bending small diameter workpieces made of thin-walled plastics, stainless steel and various non-ferrous alloys.
Industrial hydraulic equipment is used to bend 3-inch pipes.
The electromechanical tool is suitable for pipelines of different diameters. Its main difference is that you can easily achieve high bending accuracy (angle, radius).

Important: for bending workpieces at home, a manual pipe bender will be enough. It is suitable for bending pipes made of aluminum, brass, stainless steel and thin-walled copper with or without plastic coating. The main condition is that the diameter of the pipes should not exceed 2.5 cm.

Self-bending metal pipe

If you do not have special equipment, then to bend a metal pipe at home, you can use one of the following methods.

If you do not have special equipment, then to bend a metal pipe at home, you can use one of the following methods:

Usually, during bending, pipes can break or shrink in diameter. To prevent this from happening, the product must be filled with dry sifted sand. To prevent the sand from spilling out, we install plugs at the ends of the workpiece. The easiest way to do this is to prepare wooden chops and drive them in, but so that later you can easily pull out without deforming the pipe. Now the workpiece can be bent without fear that it will break and shrink in section. Moreover, if the pipe is made of soft metal, then the procedure can be easily carried out without the use of auxiliary tools. For denser material, an additional pipe of the desired diameter can be used, which will be securely anchored in the ground or other equipment. In this case, we bend the workpiece using the lever principle.

Tip: in the cold season, you can use plain water instead of sand. We pour it into the pipe and wait until the water freezes. After that, we perform bending, let the ice melt in the workpiece itself, or heat the product.

If you need to bend an aluminum or steel workpiece, then the procedure is done using a blowtorch or gas torch. First, you need to pour sifted fine sand into the piece of the product and drown the ends. Then we fix the element in a vice. After that, the area to be bent is heated with a burner. It is worth heating until this place acquires a bright red hue. You can check that the aluminum pipe is hot enough with a piece of paper. If you bring it to a heated pipe, the paper should catch fire or start to smoke. After that, we put gloves on our hands to protect ourselves from burns, and gradually we bend the pipe.

Attention: it is better not to heat painted or galvanized elements before bending. Otherwise, you may damage their protective coating.

If you need to bend a square pipe (small size), then the procedure can be performed without heating. However, you will still have to fill up the sand or fill in the water in winter. You will need a rubber mallet to bend. Next, we lay the pipe on two supports and bend the workpiece with the blows of a mallet in the central part. If the bend turns out to be too large, then the element in this place heats up and straightens a little. However, with this method, the shape of the profile product may be slightly disturbed. If it is very important for you to maintain the correct cross-section of the profile pipe, then you need to find a strong spring of a suitable diameter (according to the size of the inner section of the element). We place the spring inside the workpiece in the area of the bending point, tying it with a wire, so that later it can be removed. Now you can safely bend a section of the pipeline without fear of deformation of the section.
The expediency of using the method with a welding unit and a grinder is questionable, but we will describe it as well. To do this, shallow cuts are made in the bend area using an angle grinder. This reduces the strength of the product, after which it is easy to bend it by hand. Then the incisions are welded together.

We bend metal-plastic elements

If you do not know how to bend a metal-plastic pipe at home, you can use one of the following methods

If you do not know how to bend a metal-plastic pipe at home, you can use one of the following methods:

The easiest way to perform this procedure is simply bending the element with your hands, because metal-plastic is not as strong as steel. In this case, it is worth trying so that the bend configuration is 15 ° for every 2 cm of length. This method is suitable for bending workpieces to be used in the installation of underfloor heating systems.
If you have small pieces of wire, then they need to be tamped tightly into the pipe. Bending can then be performed. As a result, you will get smoother curves than in the first method.
If you need to perform a smooth, high-precision bend, but you do not have a pipe bender, then you can use this method. To do this, we plug one end of the workpiece with a chopstick or other material. We pour fine sifted sand into the pipe so that it reaches the upper edge. After that, we drown out the second end of the workpiece. We fix the pipe in a vise and use a blowtorch to heat the area where you want to bend. In this case, it is important not to overdo it, causing the plastic coating of the pipe to melt. The fact that you have heated the area sufficiently can be judged by the piece of paper. If you bring it to this place, it should start to smolder. After that, we put on protective gloves so that there are no burns, and we bend the pipe. Then we remove the chopiki and pour out the sand.

Working with a polypropylene blank

In the first case, we need to heat up the workpiece section with a construction hair dryer to a temperature of about 150 ° C

Usually, manufacturers of polypropylene pipes do not recommend bending them at home, but if you are careful, you can do this using one of two methods:

In the first case, we need to heat up the workpiece section with a building hair dryer to a temperature of about 150 ° C. After that, putting on gloves, boldly bend the pipe and fix it in this position until it cools completely. For a much better result, you can fill the product with sand. In this case, it is important to adhere to one rule: the thickened part of the element should be on the outside of the bend. After the workpiece has cooled down, carefully inspect the place of bending; there should be no cracks or dents there. Otherwise, the item cannot be used.
Without heating, this type of pipe can be bent only with the help of construction angle couplings and soldering.

Bending of plastic workpieces

To bend plastic piping, you need to do the following:

In the fiberboard, we cut out a template that will help give the plastic pipe the desired configuration. The template should be carefully sanded with sandpaper so that there are no chipping and unevenness.
Further, a frame for a plastic blank is made of silicone on a molding machine. It will fix the section of the pipeline in the template and protect it from scratches, chips and dents.
We place the plastic element in the prepared silicone shell.
The part is then fixed in the frame and placed in a molding machine.
As the workpiece heats up, the plastic will soften and settle into the frame. As a result, the workpiece will acquire the desired configuration.
After that, you should wait a quarter of an hour until the plastic hardens a little, remove the pipe from the rim and let it cool completely.

Source: https://vodakanazer.ru/truboprovod/kak-gnut-trubu.html

How to bend a pipe without a pipe bender with your own hands?

Surely you have come across a situation when, when assembling a pipeline, it becomes necessary to bend the pipe by a certain degree.

For such tasks, a special tool called a pipe bender is used. Pipe benders are very different. They are intended for bending pipes made of metals, plastic, various alloys, etc.

All this is of course very good, but what if you need to bend a pipe without a pipe bender? For example, if you do not have a pipe bender available, but business is urgent.

Bending a metal-plastic pipe with a spring inside

Well, there are ways to perform similar actions with your own hands. We will tell you about them.

Process features

It is actually quite easy to bend the pipes. It only seems that such actions require a huge amount of strength and energy. Of course, when working with metal pipes, you still have to sweat, but even in this case, the process takes only a few tens of minutes, and this is taking into account the preparatory work.

But simply bending the pipe is not enough. You need to do it right in order to end up with a working, not a damaged sample. If we bend the pipes with our own hands, then the chance of their damage increases significantly, since bending the pipe at home is possible only with the help of improvised means.

The thing is that the pipe, when bent, changes its structure, naturally deforms. And the deformation process is unpredictable.

In fact, this is not the case. At the moment of bending, especially if you work only with improvised means, the pipe walls are deformed unevenly.

The inner wall, as it were, accumulates more material at one point, becomes thicker, even microscopic folds are formed. The outer one, on the contrary, is stretched, which is fraught with the appearance of microcracks. Bend it too quickly or without preliminary preparation - and its damage will be almost inevitable.

How to protect yourself?

However, you can easily protect yourself, or at least reduce the chance of damage to the pipe to a minimum. To do this, use a few tricks.

Firstly, when bending with your own hands, the pipe is heated to a certain temperature. This is normal, it is extremely difficult to bend a segment, and even a steel one, without warming up. You will spend a lot of strength and energy, and the result is unlikely to please you.

Whether the pipe surface has reached the desired temperature is checked using a regular piece of paper. It is believed that the pipe has warmed up if the piece of paper begins to smolder upon contact with it.

Steel pipe bending process

The method, of course, is rather clumsy and gives only relative results, but more is not required for homework.

Secondly, a stabilizing material must be added to the pipe cavity. This is done before it warms up.

Various options are used as stabilizing material, from sand to springs. The pipe is plugged on both sides, and then they get to work.

Inside the pipe, sand acts as a plasticizer. It does not allow the material to deform in jerks, while maintaining the original shape of the workpiece, which is also extremely important.

Also, before starting work, you need to create a wooden or steel blank to simplify the deformation process. It is not necessary to suffer a lot and create something, you just need to choose the right material.

For example, if you need to bend a pipe at a right angle with your own hands, then the presence of a profile pipe or a table is enough.

If the bend radius is large enough, then you will have to pick up a return pipe of the required size or a wooden log.

Differences depending on the pipe material

The pipe material has a huge impact on how we interact with it.

Pipes are divided into:

Metallic;
Plastic.

Metal pipes require one approach, plastic pipes quite another. In addition, specific materials differ in their strength, stability, deformation principle, etc. All this should be taken into account, especially when we work without a specialized tool, that is, with our own hands.

Interaction with metal samples

Metal pipes are the most difficult to bend at home. By the way, you yourself understand that.

Although the metal is ductile, it is very durable. Manually, without preliminary preparation, you simply cannot cope with it.

It is advisable to heat the pipe with a burner before processing.

But if you think over everything in advance, then the result will certainly please you. Also, let's not forget that there are soft metals, and there are hard ones. Non-ferrous metals are mostly soft. It's easier to work with them.

The same copper, if desired, is generally deformed by hand. You can actually bend a thin copper pipe with your hands, which is what plumbers often use.

Reinforced copper is already stronger, but it still doesn't match the strength of steel or good aluminum.

The working process

Consider an algorithm that allows us to bend metal pipe sections with our own hands.

Stages of work:

We prepare the tool, find the burner, collect sand, plugs, etc.
We fill up the sand inside the pipe.
We seal it.
We heat it with a gas burner.
We check the heating temperature. If a sheet of paper caught fire or began to smolder upon contact with metal, then everything is fine, you can start.
We mount the pipe in working position.
We bend the segment using physical force. It is advisable to do this with gloves, as metals conduct heat well.
When the desired angle is reached, we leave the pipe for a day.

That's all. After completing the work, it remains only to check the quality of the bend. Unfortunately, this cannot be done in a heated state.

The sand should be filled up until the pipe is completely filled. It is advisable to take the plugs not plastic, but steel. Plastic can melt and bond with steel. Of course, nothing terrible will happen, but we don't need any extra problems either.

You can even bend a small diameter pipe manually using a reinforced shoulder

The pipe is heated evenly, that is, from all sides, focusing on the outside. It is on it that the most serious deformations will take place.

The heated pipe may only be bent with heat-resistant gloves. Otherwise, you can burn yourself. And in general, if you are going to act according to the instructions given, then it is advisable to take care of personal safety, put on equipment, etc.

Working with plastic pipes

It is easier to bend plastic, this is quite obvious. It is much softer, in many cases more plastic, and weighs lighter. However, plastic has one unpleasant characteristic: it has tensile strength. That is, it can crack if the application of forces is excessive. This must be taken into account.

Remember that a crack in a pipe is not necessarily a huge hole that you can stick your finger in. Just the formation of such a crack in a pipe is a great blessing, because it is easy to notice.

Problems appear when microcracks or even the rudiments of cracks form in the plastic. They are invisible and will wait in the wings to then declare themselves at the most inopportune moment.

Differences between pipes made of different types of plastic

The easiest way is to work with metal-plastic. This material is a combination of an aluminum rod and a plastic alloy, and it is very strong yet ductile at the same time.

The process of its bending practically does not differ from the analogous one when interacting with steel samples. Moreover, the pipe, if it is small in diameter, does not even need to be heated. You can just bend it with your hands. But again, you need to take care of the presence of a stabilizer in its cavity so that the deformation is successful.

Not only sand can be used as a stabilizer. Wire or even high strength steel spring works well.

You can also bend polypropylene, but you have to be very careful here. Manufacturers of polypropylene pipes do not recommend bending them yourself. If it is nevertheless necessary, then make sure you have a construction hair dryer.

They can warm up the walls of the pipe, and then bend it on a pre-prepared workpiece. Position the pipe so that the thickened wall is on the outside of the bend. Then the chance of damage to the segment is significantly reduced.

Thin plastic pipes seem to be the easiest to bend. But they break down with physical impact. Here you need to apply a trick and all the same heat treatment.

With a construction hairdryer, we heat the pipe to a temperature of 200 degrees, and then we easily and smoothly begin to bend it. In some cases, the plastic will become so soft that it will bend itself. Then just lay it in the way you need it, and then try to fix it.

Source: http://trubypro.ru/kak-razrezat/sognut-bez-trubogiba.html

How to bend pipes without a special tool - 4 easy ways

Surely, many home craftsmen have repeatedly faced the question: how to bend small-diameter pipes along a certain radius to give them the required rounded configuration. On an industrial scale, special equipment is used for these purposes, but in this case the question is different: how to bend a pipe without a pipe bender at home?

Bent elements from a shaped pipe

Self-bending pipes

In order to help the reader deal with this issue, this article will consider several ways to bend round and rectangular pipes made of various materials. These skills will come in handy when building a panel house.

Also, detailed instructions will be presented here, in which all stages of this operation are described step by step using a set of ordinary household locksmith tools.

Locksmith vice equipped with a pipe bender

Method 1: bending steel pipes

Steel itself is a fairly tough material, however, when heated to a high temperature, it becomes more ductile, which makes it possible to give steel products almost any desired shape. In order to bend an arc or a circle from a steel round pipe with your own hands, in addition to the usual locksmith's tool, you will also need a gas burner.

Clamp the steel pipe in a vice... In order not to crush the walls, you need to first insert a metal bar of a suitable diameter into it at the clamping area.
Using a gas burner, heat up the section of the future bend until the characteristic color of the metal appears bright red.
With short, gentle hammer blows give the heated part the required configuration, controlling the bending radius according to a pre-made template.

After cooling, the finished part will retain its shape, and the metal will regain its previous rigidity and high mechanical strength.

Before heating a pipe made of ferrous metal, it must be heated red-hot

Note! The described method cannot be used for bending galvanized steel pipes, since zinc will burn out when heated to a high temperature, as a result of which its anti-corrosion properties will disappear.

Method 2: bending non-ferrous pipes

Non-ferrous metals, such as copper or aluminum, have high ductility, however, due to insufficient strength, opposite pipe walls may not withstand multidirectional loads (compression and tension), as a result of which they break or crush.

In order to evenly distribute local internal stresses of the material, a simple technology is used for bending thin-walled pipes made of non-ferrous metals.

Before bending an aluminum pipe, you need to find a suitable steel spring. Its diameter should correspond to the inner diameter of the pipe, and its length should not be shorter than the length of the section to be bent.
Having tied a strong long wire to the spring, insert it into the pipe, placing it approximately in the center of the intended arc.
Gently clamp the part in a vice without exerting great effort, so as not to crush thin walls of soft material.
Heat up the place of the future fold with a gas burner to the temperature at which the paper begins to smolder.
Bend the heated part along the required radius with a gloved hand on the free end of the pipe.
Remove the spring from the inner lumen of the pipe after the part has cooled, using the left end of the wire.

Spring for bending thin-walled pipes made of soft materials

Please note: Non-ferrous metals have high thermal conductivity, therefore, when working with a heated part, be careful not to get burned.

Method 3: bending metal-plastic pipes

There is a special tool for working with metal-plastic plumbing, but its price is not worth buying a plumbing pipe bender for a home collection of tools. Reinforced-plastic pipes are quite plastic, so they can be given any necessary configuration. You can bend a metal-plastic pipe with a large radius with your hands, performing short, smooth movements and gradually giving it the required shape and bending angle.

A more sophisticated yet powerful method can be used to create a small radius arc or a 180 ° turn.

Cut thin copper wires in such an amount that they can completely fill the inner lumen of the metal-plastic pipe.
Paste them inside so that they completely fill the pipe at the bend and at the same time all their ends remain outside the pipe end.
Give the future part the necessary shape, applying a sufficiently large effort with your hands, and then remove all the wires one by one from the inner lumen of the pipe.

The photo shows the simplest manual pipe bender

Please note: It is recommended to use copper wires without PVC insulation as a filler, because it can jam and make it difficult to remove them after the end of the work.

Method 4: bending profile metal rolling

Many wondered how to bend a profile pipe. Plastic deformation of steel and aluminum shaped pipes is complicated by the presence of lateral edges, which are stiffening ribs, therefore, they require additional efforts during operation. In order to maintain the correct profile of the final product, and to prevent kinks and breaks in the metal, the inner cavity must be filled with a dense movable material.

Gas burner with portable cylinder

Bending of shaped pipes:

Prepare two plugs to cut the pipe... They can be made of wood, rubber or plastic, and should fit snugly into its inner lumen.
Insert a plug from one end of the pipe, then completely fill the entire internal volume with sand from the second end, and then insert the second plug into the other end.
In winter, you can use water instead of sand.... Having filled it, and having installed the plugs, you need to take the part out to the balcony until the water completely solidifies in the entire internal volume.
After that, you can start forming the arc. using a hammer or rubber mallet, clamping the part in a vice, or placing its edges on stable, solid supports.

This method can also be useful for those home craftsmen who do not know how to bend a stainless steel or galvanized ferrous metal pipe.

It is convenient to clamp round parts in such a vice.

Conclusion

After reading this article, it becomes clear that there are many ways that a home craftsman can make a plumbing piece or a figured product from metal pipes at home, even without special equipment.