The need for bending strips or steel pipes arises among home craftsmen quite often. To solve this problem, there are many options. For example, the corresponding equipment can be purchased at the store, but it is quite simple to make a machine for bending a profile pipe with your own hands, and this approach will cost less.
Making the easiest pipe bender
If you decide to do the above-mentioned works yourself, then you can resort to the simplest solution, which involves a product that provides a certain bending radius of the pipe. Experts advise using a template made by yourself with home craftsmen. With it, you can work not only with aluminum, but also with steel pipes. For the manipulation should prepare wooden boards, the thickness of which is greater than the diameter used for bending pipes. In the process, you will need to make a template by fastening the boards in any way convenient for you.
In order to prevent slipping of the pipe during the manipulation, the boards should be cut with a slight slope. If you decide to make such a simple machine for bending a profile pipe with your own hands, then it will need to be fixed in a reliable way to the table or working base. As close as possible to the template, the emphasis is to be strengthened, in which the element will abut. On this we can assume that the pipe bender is ready.
Features of use
One end of the product should be installed between the emphasis and the template, and then, holding the other, with neat smooth movements, it is necessary to bend along the workpiece. You can make a lever at the opposite end, for this it is recommended to insert a sufficiently strong rod into the pipe. You can use a method that involves the use of an element of a more impressive diameter. Do not attempt to bend the pipe from the center of the template, as this may cause product breakdown.
If you make a machine for bending a profile pipe with your own hands, you can form a bend of a larger radius, but then the template will be made of plywood and hooks.
Making a pipe bender from hooks
Another fairly simple machine for bending a profile pipe with your own hands is permissible to perform using strong metal hooks that are installed on plywood so that it is possible to form a bending line. The advantage of this model is the ability to adjust the position of the hooks, thereby changing the bending line.
With the help of such equipment you can work with products that lend themselves to manual bending, as well as those pipes that are not so pliable for such manipulations. To do this, you can use a hand winch. If there is a need for manipulations where the profile pipe will be involved, then there is no need to make a bevel when creating the template. At the same time, the product is reinforced with several stoppers.
Alternatives
If you decide to make a machine for bending a profile pipe with your own hands, the drawings presented in the article will allow you to perform these works quite simply. A more complex model is the design, consisting of templates and rollers. These elements should grip the pipe as accurately as possible. If it is necessary to bend sufficiently soft products, then the metal roller and the template can be replaced with blanks made of solid wood. For the manufacture of rollers should use a lathe.
The role of another solution is the use of plywood with a jigsaw. Thus, an element is created with an inclination in a certain direction. The resulting circles of different diameters should be fixed in one roller, and then process the irregularities with abrasive paper. When such a machine is made for bending a profile pipe with your own hands, the photo is certainly worth considering even before the start of work. In order to achieve higher reliability of wooden elements, they should be fixed with steel plates.
Making a pipe bender from rollers and corners
In order to form a pipe bender, you can use blanks for wood rollers. These elements can also be made of bearings, however, if a clamping variety is used, then it is necessary to carry out jamming to prevent scrolling. Important construction features will depend on the pitch between the rollers. If you decide to make a machine for bending a manual profile pipe, then remember that the distance will be more impressive, the less effort will need to be made. However, in this case, the bending radius will be minimal. On the side should be installed steel corners that will hold the pipe vertically. Whereas with respect to the axis of the rollers it should be perpendicular. Otherwise, the pipe will be bent in a spiral.
The pressure roller must be tightened from below by rotating the strip with a thread that is cut in the central part. Gradually, the master should tighten the pressure roller, which will facilitate the rolling of the pipe through the structure. If it is necessary to obtain a bend of a small radius, then about 50 runs may be required.
Another manufacturing option
If you need a manual machine for bending the PG-2 profile pipe, then you can make it yourself using shafts, steel profiles, a drive mechanism and a chain. If you have an engineering background, you can improve the design at your discretion, adding functions. Shafts will be needed in the amount of 3 pieces, they must have axes of rotation. It is with the help of them that bending will be performed. Profile will be needed for the frame.
Initially, you will need to prepare the frame. All parts are connected by welding, but it is worth considering the point that it will not provide sufficient reliability when handling thick pipes. In order for the design to be more mobile and stronger, it is necessary to supplement the fastening with bolts. If you will make a manual machine for bending a profile pipe with your own hands, you must remember that the bending shafts are metal cylinders. Two of them should be fixed slightly above the level of the working surface. Whereas a third is set above them.
Features of the work
The bending radius of the pipe will depend on the step between the lower cylinders. After the shafts can be fixed, the machine must be equipped with a system that transmits rotating forces. The most suitable option would be to use a chain mechanism that can be bought on the market or borrowed from an old car.
Wizard Recommendations
Speaking of the above: if you selected the chain separately, you should take care of the presence of gears, which should be three. Two are mounted on the lower shafts, while the latter is somewhat lower. It is necessary to provide for the possibility of adjusting the position of the chain, which will allow it to be tensioned if necessary.