In construction there is often a need to bend metal strips or pipes. If it is not possible to visit workshops that specialize in this issue, a pipe bender is made for profile pipe with your own hands. Having a similar tool at hand, it is easy to make trellises, arches for climbing plants and grapes. It will also help in the manufacture of gazebos, canopies, extensions or greenhouses, fences and even metal frames for furniture.
What does a pipe bender look like?
A pipe bender is a special device that helps smoothly deform pipes made of steel, aluminum, copper, polyvinyl chloride and other materials. The bend is made from 0 to 180˚ if the diameter ranges from 5 to 1220 mm.
The pipe bender forms the product without damage or kinks.
Based on the installation method, a distinction is made between stationary and portable devices.
By type of drive - manual, electric and hydraulic.
Pipe bender for working with pipes and metal strips
Reliable lever or screw device
The device consists of three shafts. There are two support rollers in a static position on the frame. They are rotated by a handle mounted on the neck of one of them. The material feeding shafts move uniformly thanks to the connecting chain.
A pressure roller is installed in the guides. The screw raises the guides and lowers them in a vertical rigid frame. As you can see, the diagram of a pipe bender for a profile pipe with your own hands is simple.
The first stage in the manufacture of such a device is the formation of the frame. To do this you need to take the corners. You will also need a double-row chain and sprockets. To make a handle that rotates the shafts, a calibrated rod and wrench. At further use a cut is put on the handle. This is done to prevent calluses from appearing on your hands.
The shafts will have to be ordered from a turner. To prevent the material from sliding to the side along the pipe bender, a special groove is made in the device according to the size of the profile (+ 2 mm). The journals are forced out on the shafts to accommodate the working bearing and sprockets. In addition, keyways for fastening will also be required. The size of the groove on the gear determines its width. The depth will be equal to half the height of the key used on the car for the same sprockets.
Rollers between which the pipe passes
To prevent the screw of the device from being worn out during operation, a copper or cast iron plate is fixed to it.
For high-quality bending, the pipe is placed on the feed rollers and carefully pressed. After this, the starting point of the radius is determined. It coincides with the center of the roll located on top. The handle is rotated in the required direction, while moving the pipe using feed rollers. At each pass, stops are made during which the screw is turned and the radius is checked.
When we make a profile pipe bender with our own hands, we carry out modernization. In order not to rotate the heavy handle, it is enough to make a drive.
Some profile benders use adjustable rollers to bend pipes.
Instead of a handle, a pulley is installed. For good rotation it is better to use V-belt transmission. If overloads begin in the network, it will not break, but will simply stall.
The electric motor can be taken from the old one washing machine or from the pump.
By making 5-6 shaped cuts in the feed rollers, repeating the cross-section configuration, you can achieve the versatility of the device. This tool will bend not only profile pipes of various sections, but also water pipes and metal strips. The technology for making a pipe bender for a profile pipe with your own hands is similar to one standard size, only the drawings of the feed roller barrel differ.
Lever pipe bender diagram
We make one-time pipe benders
If there is no need for permanent job device, it can be simplified. From boards that are larger than the profile, we make a bending template. The finished configuration is fixed on the shield. Initially, a clamp is nailed to hold the object, then strips are attached in several places (they protrude beyond the edge of the shield and limit the rotation of the profile).
After installation, the end is inserted between the clamp and the template and gradually pressed against the surface. A rod lever can help with this.
It turns out to be an excellent pipe bender for a profile pipe with your own hands, the dimensions of which can be any.
Diagram of a pipe bender you can make yourself
For this, a hardwood tree is selected. Oak or regular pear will do. Formation wooden elements performed on home machine: mounted on the rotating part wooden block, and a wood cutter gives it required form. It is important to use the lever carefully. We perform rotating movements smoothly, without jerking.
Small pipes are flexible and soft, so the wooden structure bends up to a dozen profiles.
If there is no chain, we help move objects between the rollers ourselves. They need to be pushed by hand along the axis. Press with the end wide board, which has pre-rounded corners.
When making a pipe bender for a profile pipe with your own hands, it is important to understand main principle his works. It consists in the fact that the device deforms parts using three points, which are located at a distance of 200-300 mm from each other. During movement, they limit the rotation of the object. Thanks to this, the profile will retain its cross-section, and the surface will remain smooth and undamaged.
Pipe bending wooden template
Two pipe design
For such a tool you will need two pieces of steel. Their diameter should not go beyond 70-150 mm. The sections are concreted in a vertical position. This could be a hole in the ground or a container that is no longer in active use. You can take a tall bucket, basin or plastic barrel. The main thing is that the distance between the tubes is 40-50 cm.
If it is not possible to concrete the pipes, they are welded with a welding machine to a reinforced base. As you can see, a manual pipe bender for a profile pipe, made by yourself, is not complex design.
The workflow itself is also simple. The bending pipe is inserted at one end into the gap between the previously installed steel sections. After this, it bends at the desired angle. This method Suitable for 40mm diameter.
To bend a pipe that is too short, fittings are inserted into it and then the work process is continued.
Pipe bender with chain and sprockets
Heated pipe bender
Thanks to this method, the bend is smooth.
The essence of the process is that selected, sifted quartz sand. It does not stick to the walls, but when hot it acts on them. The pipe is closed on both sides with wooden plugs.
It should be taken into account that during the heating process gases and vapors accumulate in a closed space. To ensure they come out unhindered, small holes are made at the end.
The bending area is marked with chalk. To deform the pipe by 90°, a section equal to six diameters is heated (respectively, 45° is three diameters, 60° is four).
After heating, the pipe is carefully inserted into a self-made profile pipe bender and bent according to the template. Drawings of such a device can be found for free.
You shouldn’t stop in the face of difficulties; the problem can be solved if you approach it creatively. Of course, it is better to turn to experienced craftsmen, but when there is no time to wait for workers to arrive or there are no additional funds to pay for their labor, you can bend the parts yourself.
Video instructions for making a pipe bender
Industrial samples of pipe benders have a sufficient number of differences from similar devices created by handicraft methods. Compact models of this equipment are available for purchase, supplemented with manual drives if you intend to work with a small-sized profile pipe. As for more serious work, when bending pipes from 3 inches is expected, hydraulically driven machines are used. An industrial tool of the type in question is relevant only if the work is of a corresponding scale, that is, it is unlikely to be suitable as home equipment.
The industrial production of pipe benders involves the production of two modifications of devices, where some are created in a mobile version, accessible for carrying, and others are created in a stationary version. Pipe benders connected to electricity are more convenient to use. They provide the desired bend radius in accordance with a certain angle without deforming the profile.
If you are planning to carry out pipe bending work at home, then you need to take into account certain nuances:
- The manual tool is equipped with a spring element, with the help of which the pipe configuration is changed;
- a segment tool makes it possible to bend a pipe by stretching it around the segment of the equipment used;
- The mandrel tool allows you to bend only thin-walled pipes to a fairly small radius using special guides.
To make a machine for bending a profile pipe with your own hands, you need to remember that final product should be extremely simple and fulfill its function.
1st method
To make and use a bending machine for a profile pipe, you need to prepare two pieces of channel, two cuttings of fingers that are part of the tractor tracks, and four corners.
To bend the workpiece you will need a jack capable of developing a force of 5 tons or more. In this case, it will require its modernization by installing a steel platform on the retractable rod, for the manufacture of which a worn-out pulley can be used, having a “stream” width comparable to the pipe profile. IN in this case arrangement of the hydraulic drive involves cutting off half of the pulley and drilling a seat in it for the jack rod.
The frame of the future machine is assembled from corners fixed to a steel plate by welding. A total of four corners are used, having a flange from 60 to 80 mm, at the upper ends of which two channels are fixed by welding. To adjust the bend angle, it is necessary to have symmetrical holes in the walls of the channels that need to be drilled.
To bring the finished machine to its starting position for work, it is enough:
- insert the axles (fingers) into the holes obtained in the channels and fasten the rollers to them as stops for the workpiece;
- raise the jack platform to such a level that the workpiece can pass into the gap formed;
- install the workpiece in the machine for the profile pipe and create the required bend using a jack, using its functionality.
2nd method
A homemade pipe bender for a rolled profile pipe implies that the workpiece will be laid on side rollers and pressed on top by a third one. After fixing the pipe in this position, all that remains is to drive the shafts through a chain transmission to achieve the desired bend.
To make a machine for rolling profile pipes you will need:
Attention! It is problematic to manufacture a functional rolling pipe bender without the appropriate calculations and drawings. However, not everyone has the necessary knowledge for this, so it is best to use ready-made documentation.
Making your own pipe bender for a profile is a completely feasible task that must be correlated with certain goals. If you plan to carry out such work only as a one-time event, then you can collect wooden structure, which is quite capable of withstanding a short service life. Otherwise, when it is planned to manufacture pipes with one bend or another on an ongoing basis, it is advisable to acquire a stationary unit of a more complex and reliable design.
To collect stationary device required for bending pipes, you must do the following:
- mount metal carcass by connecting its elements using bolts and welding;
- install the axles and shafts on them in accordance with the existing drawing, observing the placement levels: two above the third;
- collect chain transmission, used to drive the machine, which will require not only a chain, which can be borrowed, for example, from an old motorcycle, but also three gears;
- attach a handle to one of the shafts.
Drawings of a profile pipe bender
Homemade rolling pipe bending machine
Specification-explanation for the diagram:
- Wooden plate;
- Channel;
- Bolt;
- Corner;
- Special cracker;
- Pressure roller;
- Pen;
- Clamp;
- Guide roller;
- Corner mounting bolts.
The simplest pipe bender from a crossbow-type jack
Here:
- Bolts;
- Jack;
- Mandrel.
Assembling a simple pipe bender
By following the instructions below, you can make a pipe bender for a profile pipe with your own hands for a cross-section from 10×10 to 25×25 mm at an angle of up to 180 degrees.
The proposed design is simple, and for its manufacture you will need the following set of materials:
- fastening strip;
- square profile required for making the rotation handle;
- two rollers, where the diameter of the first is 65 mm, and the second is 173 mm;
- an axis equipped with an M14 thread at the end;
- nut M16, washer C
To manufacture the fastening strip, metal with a thickness of 7 mm or more can be used. In this structural element it is necessary to drill a hole (30 mm) to install the axle for the roller, 4 sockets (8 mm) for M6 studs and holes for bolts.
A square profile (36×36 mm, wall thickness 4 mm) is suitable for making a handle that drives the machine. To attach this element as a lever to its inner end, you need to weld two plates and make holes (30 mm) in them, focusing on the bolts that secure the rollers.
The pipe bender is assembled in compliance with the following procedure:
- The mounting plate is secured to the workbench using M8 bolts. In this case, the stability of the workbench should be ensured in order to eliminate the possibility of it shifting while bending the workpiece.
- A large roller, secured with a nut, is mounted on the rotation axis fixed in the mounting strip.
- The axis holding the small roller is installed and secured.
- The M6 studs necessary to hold part of the profile while working with it are placed in their places. Mounting plates corresponding to the profile size are mounted on the studs.
In the future, the process of bending a professional pipe assumes that the pipe bender handle will first be moved to the left position all the way, then the workpiece will be installed in the desired position, the bending of which will be ensured by the operation of the machine driven by the lever.
Conclusion
Since making a pipe bender for a profile pipe is quite difficult, we presented 3 different options for its manufacture. One of them should come up.
After you make a pipe bender with your own hands, send it to us by email with a description of the work and we will post it on the website.
We will send the material to you by e-mail
In some cases, it becomes necessary to bend profile pipes into an arc shape. This will require special skills and some tools. Special devices will help you create a pipe bender for a profile pipe with your own hands. For such products you will not need to purchase expensive materials and equipment. Read more in the material below.
Option homemade unit
Before you start producing a pipe bender for a profile pipe with your own hands, you need to find out why such equipment is required. A pipe bender is a device that helps bend a selected part from different materials with the required radius.
The element can be made of steel, plastic or aluminum, and also be profiled. The bend angle varies from 0 to 180 degrees.
Helpful information! The devices made are various types, so before making them it is worth choosing the most optimal option.
Types of pipe benders
Industrial devices can be classified by bending method or drive type.
Homemade devices can be made from inexpensive and unnecessary materials
Classification of devices by drive type
On a production scale, various types of machines are used. They will help you make suitable types of pipe benders with your own hands - drawings and professional diagrams.
Stand out the following types devices:
- Hydraulic machines can be stationary or manual. They allow you to bend parts with a diameter of 3 inches. Apply similar devices in production. With their help, huge amounts of work are performed.
- Electromechanical-type designs are suitable for processing any highways. Electronic capabilities help to accurately calculate the bending angle and the required pressing force.
- Manual devices are used for bending products with a small diameter.
Helpful information! It is important to consider that thermal effect on profile elements causes changes in internal structure material. In this case, the strength properties may decrease. Repeated bending can lead to structural failure.
Device options based on pipe bending method
The part can be bent various options. Pipe benders are classified according to the bending method:
- Segmental equipped special mechanism, which allows you to pull the line and bend it at a certain angle.
- Crossbow devices are equipped special device, which is a bending element.
- Spring devices are equipped with special springs that help bend plastic products.
Helpful information! The size of the possible angle depends on the characteristics of the product. At independent work, you should adhere to the minimum value of the bend radius. If you bend it over a greater distance, then over time such a highway may become deformed.
Self-production of the device
There are many auxiliary materials, telling how to make a pipe bender for a profile pipe with your own hands: drawings, videos and professional diagrams will help you create a high-quality design.
Worth considering simple options homemade equipment. You can design a simple mechanism using a template and a special radius. Similar technologies make it possible to process aluminum and steel lines. The template can be created from regular boards. In this case, parts with a larger diameter than the pipes that need to be bent are selected. The selected boards must be securely fastened so that the pipe cannot jump out of them. To create a rounded gutter, the boards are cut to the required shape. Wooden product attached to solid foundation and a stop for fastening the workpiece is mounted nearby.
Rolling unit drawing
Self-made products are able to bend even elements with thick walls. To do this you will need to use a winch. When using a profile line, bevels are not used when processing boards. The product is secured with special limiting devices.
It is also possible to create a rolling version of a pipe bender from wood, but this will require special rollers made of polyurethane or bearings. For products made from more soft materials you can make wooden units for bending, but for more rigid lines you will need metal parts.
Parts required for installation
Helpful information! At independent execution The individual parts of the machine are made of metal. Before installation, it is worth calculating the strength of the parts being processed and the quality of the manufacturing material so that the structure can withstand their processing.
Do-it-yourself hydraulic pipe bender for a profile pipe: drawings and circuit features
The creation of a hydraulic structure requires special attention. To perform such an installation you will need a channel, a jack with a special drive, rollers and a shoe. It is necessary to select metal sheets whose thickness is more than 3 mm.
Using welding units, a system in the shape of a rectangle is made from a durable channel element. Its height should be the same as that of the jack. This element should act as a pusher. It is important to choose high quality videos for precise gripping of selected pipes.
Such a hydraulic unit has many advantages. It is easy to manufacture and not high price auxiliary models. Using such an installation, you can bend any pipes even when cold. The video below will show you in detail how to make a pipe bender for a profile pipe with your own hands.
Helpful information! A profile pipe with a square cross-section will be easier to bend close to the ends of the line.
Video: example of a self-made hydraulic pipe bender
Do-it-yourself rolling manual pipe bender for a profile pipe: video and diagrams
The selected element is processed on a rolling machine in a certain way. The part is mounted on rollers and secured in the desired position. When the handle moves, the chain moves and moves the shafts. As a result, the profile pipe bends in the specified and required direction.
To create a rental unit, you will need to perform the following steps:
- Clips and special rollers for the bearing mechanism are machined. If you have drawings, you can order similar work specialist.
The videos are made on a regular lathe
- The unit has three shafts.
- The design of the screw mechanism is being manufactured. A shelf is made from a channel. Holes are made in it for fastening the shafts, and threads are also cut to adjust the pressure shaft.
Hello. Today I want to tell you about my homemade pipe bender that I made this winter.
I've been thinking about building a machine like this for a long time. With its help, you can roll profile pipes, giving them an arc shape. This operation is in great demand - you can assemble, for example, a greenhouse, a canopy, a canopy over the entrance. Can be given interesting shape the top edge of a gate or metal fence...
And this winter I found time and started doing this homemade project. When designing, I considered the following points:
Considering that I am not going to use it professionally, I decided to make a relatively lightweight design, which is also easy to transport and will not take up much space during storage. (After all, I will bend pipes either near the house or at the dacha. I will not use it every year. And I certainly won’t have to bend large-section pipes). Therefore powerful stationary structure With a large resource, I decided not to do it...
There are many descriptions of similar machines on the Internet. Their operating principle is the same - they are based on three shafts, one of which is movable in a vertical plane. It is he who bends the pipe and, rolling along these shafts, it takes the shape of an arc.
... Basically, they are all divided into two types:
1. With a “breaking” frame:
2. With a movable central carriage.
The second type is more compact (albeit more complex), so I decided to do just that.
In turn, pipe benders with a movable central carriage are also divided into two types: With a driving central shaft and with two driving outer shafts connected to each other by a drive chain.
If you make the central shaft leading, then it is possible to easily change the distance between the outer ones, which will provide additional adjustment of the work depending on the cross-section (and therefore rigidity) of various profile pipes.
At first I doubted whether there would be slippage if only one drive shaft was used, but after observing a pipe bender with one drive shaft in operation, I realized that for not very large sections this force is quite enough. But I’m not going to bend pipes with a height greater than, for example, 60 mm... That’s why I settled on such a device.
And after some time, I got a pipe bender, which you will see in this video:
So, in more detail... I needed:
1. Old faulty hydraulic jack
2. Profile pipes of various sections.
3. Circle with a diameter of 40 mm, a length of 500 mm.
4. Bearings 6206 4pcs
5. Bearings 6202 8 pcs.
6. Channel No. 65
7. Thrust bearings 2 pcs.
8. Hardware (bolts, nuts, washers, cotter pins)
I started by making the main working elements - shafts. I had a 40 mm round timber, half a meter long. It was possible to take a thicker one, but... I had this one!))). Therefore, I sawed it into three parts. Two - 130 mm each, and one - all that remains))))). On a lathe I turned shafts for bearings (up to 30 mm in diameter)
The shafts are ready. I started assembling the carriage. I decided to make it from the 65th channel - the 206th bearings fit well into it...
After I cut the channel to the required length, I drilled a hole in its center and welded it across the sides along the corner:
After that I started making the center screw. I took it from an old hydraulic jack that I found on scrap metal. When I was sure that it would never be a jack again, I decided to use it.
The screw itself had a diameter of 30 mm. I drilled through its end with an 8mm drill blind hole, hammered a pin in there and grabbed it with welding:
The screw in the jack was screwed into the piston. I cut off the top part (with thread) and another ring, 20 mm wide.
I put this ring on the screw, inserted the screw itself with a pin into the hole in the carriage and welded the ring to the carriage:
It will be seat for the support bearing. (I selected it according to the outer diameter)
I screwed a nut onto the stud and drilled a hole in the nut and in the stud:
It was only possible in high heels, but it seemed safer to me. The nut can now be secured with a cotter pin after assembling the unit. And the assembly, as you guessed, consists of a screw, a bearing, a carriage, a second bearing and a nut.
Now, when pressed, the screw will rest against the carriage through the upper bearing, and when lifted, the carriage will hang on it through the lower one.
On the sides of the carriage I welded a piece of 50 by 20 profile pipe - these will be the guides, and in the corners I drilled holes and cut M6 threads. The bolts securing the drive shaft clamps will be screwed into them.
I cut out the bearing mounting clamps themselves from tin - there is no need for strength there, as long as the shaft does not fall when the carriage is lifted:
Next I started making the top plate. It needs to be made very strong - it will bear all the force of the screw when it bends the pipe. Therefore, I made it from the same 65 channel. Since for the vertical racks I decided to use a 50 by 25 profile pipe (the distance between the flanges of the 65th channel is exactly 50 mm. The racks will fit into it and are secured with M10 bolts and nuts), then the width of the top plate should be 50 mm larger carriage width (2 times 25). I cut two such pieces of channel.
Another one was cut into half and spread lengthwise:
I inserted the threaded part cut from the jack piston into the center:
I cooked everything and trimmed off the excess:
Next, I started making the frame. It was also assembled from a profile pipe. I took the cross section 60 by 30:
I decided to make three positions for each shaft. I also made the mountings for the bearings from a profile pipe, so I cut 12 identical pieces of 50 mm each. (Here, and not only here, mine, which I told you about in a previous publication, helped me a lot):
After which I welded vertical posts and bearing mountings to the frame:
And also four “ears” along the edges. Holes will later be drilled in them for attaching the pipe bender with screws to the workbench.
The main part is ready. You can start pre-assembly:
I welded a piece of 20 by 20 pipe to the screw on top. I left it long. I decided that during the testing process, if it gets in the way, I will cut it off and use a removable lever made of a 15 by 15 pipe, which is inserted inside... But, looking ahead, I will say that this was not required. The lever really interferes with turning the drive handle if it is turned a quarter turn (it sticks out across the pipe bender). But it turned out that tightening the screw at half-turn intervals is quite normal.
Next, I started making the drive handle...I decided to make the handle itself from a 15 by 15 profile pipe and a stud. I drilled a hole at the end, inserted a piece of M14 stud into it, welded it and cleaned it:
Now you need to make a bend on the lever itself - the pipe bender will be installed on the edge of a table or workbench.
Next, connect it to the shaft. I decided in advance to make it not only removable, but also so that it would turn over and in the transport position would not dangle or cling. I made this profile on the shaft:
Then I drilled a blind hole and cut an M8 thread in it. The handle will be placed on the shaft and secured through a washer with a wing bolt.
Now we need to make a hub on the handle. I used corner scraps:
Then, like a sculptor, I cut off everything unnecessary :)))))
The lever is ready. On the handle itself (which I have made from an M14 pin), I simply put a piece of polyethylene water pipe and tightened the cap nut.
In general, I would like to dwell separately on my use of cap nuts. I often use them if I need an axis of rotation. Having chosen the correct length of the axle, you can screw on the cap nut and tighten it with maximum force - it will rest against the axle with the cap and will not unscrew easily. Of course, it is not worth fixing the axle on which, for example, a wheel is located, in this way, without a cotter pin, but for “unimportant” axles, such as “curtains” on which something opens and closes, this is quite suitable.
Let's return to the pipe bender... As I already said, such a moment as a very simple reinstallation of the shafts was important to me. (Because, knowing, for example, myself, I am sure that I will not use the option until the last minute if it is difficult to use... For example, if the shafts were close, and a pipe came across with a large cross-section, I would try carefully roll it in this position of the shafts, if to change it you would have to unscrew a lot of nuts... And most likely, it would crush...). That is why I made the bearing mounting points from a profile pipe. The shaft is simply inserted into the desired pair of racks.
But this design contradicted my other requirement - mobility! After all, when moving the machine, the shafts would have to be removed and moved separately... At the same time, the bearings would have to be removed from them (I machined them for a loose fit and they can fall off). This didn't suit me. Therefore, I decided to make a part that would press the bearings from above and fix them. I took two sections of profile pipe, section 50 by 20 mm, wall 2 mm.
After which I cut them lengthwise along the wide part, dividing the wall into 10 and 40 mm. At the same time, on the other hand, I marked this size in a mirror way. I ended up with four blanks like this:
Considering that the width of the 206th bearing is 15 mm, it fits quite tightly inside this workpiece.
I measured the required length, I cut the rest like this:
After that, I bent the upper part down 90 degrees, making a corresponding angle cut:
I cut out this “tooth” on them:
Now I installed both shafts on one side of the pipe bender, put the resulting parts on them, vertical posts, having drilled through, I attached them with long M4 screws with cap nuts (they turned out to be axles). In front, I bent the strips of side walls sticking out towards each other towards each other. Now, if we rivet them together, we will get a U-shaped cover, which, when lowered down, will cover the shaft bearings and fix them tightly:
A pipe bender for a profile pipe is necessary for certain situations tool, and there is a steady demand for it in the market. The pipe bender can be used in the most different areas, where there is a need to give the pipe a specific shape. Of course, such a tool can be purchased, but if you want to save money, you can make it yourself.
To assemble a pipe bender, you need knowledge about its structure, operating principle and characteristic features. This work will also require the appropriate tools and instructions. How to make a pipe bender for a professional pipe with your own hands will be discussed in this article.
Main characteristics of a pipe bender
Structurally profile pipe bender is a specific machine for rolling profile pipes, which allows bending pipes with various profile cross-sections.
Good pipe benders for profile pipes allow you to solve several problems, including:
- The ability to bend the pipe at the required angle, the value of which can reach 180 degrees;
- Ability to work with pipes in a fairly wide range of diameters - from 5 to 1220 mm;
- Possibility of processing pipes made of different materials(if necessary, you can bend both metal and plastic products).
Basically, the need for a pipe bender to process polymer pipes is absent - such material can be bent in other ways. But when processing metal products you cannot do without professional equipment.
Of course, you can always purchase a ready-made tool or rent it, but these solutions cannot be called the best. Renting specialized equipment is usually expensive, and purchasing it is even more expensive. In addition, you need to understand that buying a pipe bender for a one-time job will not be the most profitable option. To avoid extra costs, many people make pipe bending machines with their own hands.
Application of pipe benders
However, the main scope of application of such equipment is the laying of various pipelines and installation of buildings, in which profile pipes are often used as fittings. Regardless of the shape and type of raw material used for the production of pipes, they can still be bent only using special machines - otherwise a positive result cannot be achieved.
The scope of application greatly influences the bending parameters of pipes. The point is that the material may have different sizes both the raw materials and the bending requirements are different. To process pipes properly, you need to use equipment of the appropriate power and capabilities. In addition, an important aspect is the drive of the device, which can be manual, electric or hydraulic.
Types of pipe benders for profile pipes
The main factor by which pipe benders are classified is the device drive, depending on which three categories of devices are distinguished:
- Hydraulic.
- Electrical.
- Manual.
There are many differences between these devices - different configurations, operating principles and equipment costs. It is worth considering them in more detail to understand these differences.
Electrically driven devices are among the most expensive, but the high cost is fully justified (more details: ""). Technical characteristics of such devices, including high power, precise adjustment of the pipe bending angle and convenient control are at the very high level. As a rule, professional installers use this tool.
Hydraulic pipe benders, although somewhat inferior in cost to electrical devices, also cannot be classified as budget ones. Such devices are usually used in situations where the power of a manual pipe bender is not enough.
Hydraulic devices have many advantages:
- High pace of work. Thanks to its high and stable power, a hydraulic pipe bender is able to process pipes much faster than devices with manual drive.
- High processing precision. Unlike hand tools, hydraulic devices allow you to bend the pipe with an accuracy of 1 degree.
- Ease of operation and maintenance. This type of device is very easy to use and does not require special maintenance. Even if the device fails, you can repair it yourself. In addition, the work will not require a lot of effort, which is simply necessary when processing with manual pipe benders.
- Light weight and compact. If necessary, any hydraulic pipe bender can be moved from place to place without much difficulty.
- Versatility. Unlike hand-held devices Having a number of unpleasant limitations, hydraulic pipe benders allow you to work even with steel products of medium diameter.
In addition to the types of pipe benders already described above, there are also manual devices that are characterized by the lowest cost and simplicity of design. A manually operated pipe bender for profile pipes is quite mobile and easy to use. It is also worth noting that if they want to make a pipe bender with their own hands, most users choose this option.
However, you have to pay for the low cost with other qualities. Firstly, manual devices are poorly suited for large volumes of work due to the difficulty of using the device for a long time. Secondly, the principle of operation of such devices is simple, but it is difficult to work with them - you have to put in too much effort to bend the pipe well. Third, manual pipe benders Suitable only for processing plastic and aluminum pipes. If desired, you can also process steel products, but only if their diameter is small.
In addition to classification by type of drive, pipe benders are divided according to the method of bending the pipe, depending on which three types of devices are distinguished:
- Crossbow, in which the pipe is bent due to a special shape;
- Spring manual, bending the pipe due to the force generated by the springs;
- Segmental, having a structure made of dense material with installed mandrels, around which the pipe is bent.
DIY manual pipe bender
Many owners are concerned about the question of how to make a manual pipe bender for a profile pipe with their own hands. This question is quite relevant - purchasing ready-made tools is expensive, and the quality of some of them leaves much to be desired. No wonder that various schemes pipe benders are proving popular and in demand.
To create a simple manual pipe bender you only need three components:
- Concrete slab;
- Some metal pins;
- Hammer.
Assembling all the parts into one whole is not particularly difficult. First you need to divide the slab into squares with a side of 4 cm or 5 cm. When these squares are marked, deep holes are drilled in their corners using a hammer drill, into which pins are then installed. It is best to have drawings of homemade pipe benders for profile pipes with you so that you can constantly refer to them.
The operating principle of this primitive design is quite simple: the pipe is placed in the space between the pins and bends due to physical effort. Such a manual bending machine for profile pipes is not very convenient to use and does not allow achieving high accuracy of the bending angle, but for a small amount of work in domestic conditions its capabilities are enough.
Alternative designs for manual pipe benders
The simple pipe bender described above is not suitable for all situations. If higher performance is needed, you will have to look for a more complex design. Enough effective option A homemade pipe bender is a design whose main working element is a jack. To assemble manual pipe benders for a profile pipe with your own hands, you will need a hydraulic jack that can withstand a load of up to 5 tons, solid foundation and pins.
There is another interesting option - a pipe bender with a chain drive, which is started using a handle. The drawing of a pipe bender of this type includes a metal base in the shape of the letter P, a clamp, three rollers, a winch and a chain. The parts are connected by welding.
The assembly algorithm for such a tool is as follows:
- First of all, a U-shaped part is attached to the base;
- Two rollers are attached to both sides of the part, and the third is installed so that they all form an isosceles triangle;
- A chain with a connected winch is wound onto the rollers.
Homemade hydraulic pipe bender
Hydraulic pipe benders have many advantages over with hand tools, but all of them are determined by the complexity of the design. Since hydraulic equipment is complex, it will be much more hassle to assemble it yourself. To assemble such a pipe bender, you will need a solid base, a U-shaped metal piece, a shaft, a pulley, a chain and a hydraulic rod.
Making a homemade hydraulic pipe bender looks like this:
- The first step is to install the shaft on the base;
- A pulley is attached to one end of the shaft, and a chain is attached to the second, after which the next shaft can be installed and connected to the first by a chain;
- In the lower part of the structure you need to cut an opening for the movement of the rod;
- Next, the third roller is installed, which is the main element that bends the pipes;
- The third roller shaft is installed in the grooves of the base.
Homemade rolling machine for bending pipes
The set of materials required for work looks like this:
- Concrete base;
- Wheels;
- Winch;
- Engine;
- Metal jumper;
- Jack;
- Gearbox.
It is best to assemble a pipe bender for a profile with your own hands in several stages to simplify the work:
- The first step is to prepare the base. It will require metal elements And welding machine. Four supports are attached to the base, after which holes can be drilled in the structure, allowing you to adjust the bending radius of the profile pipe.
- Next, a jack is installed using bolts and plastic, after which you can attach a winch with rollers, both engines and a jumper.
- Last step– installation of a “fungus”, which is essentially an ordinary pipe curved at a right angle. The “mushroom” is attached to the upper part of the machine body.
A pipe bending machine for a profile pipe assembled according to this scheme has a complex design, but the difficulties of assembly in the future will more than pay off due to efficient and simple operation.
Conclusion
There are a variety of options for pipe benders for profile pipes. If we are talking about purchasing such a device, then it all comes down to choosing the necessary technical characteristics, and when self-assembly It will also require a lot of effort aimed at creating the most efficient and reliable design.