Bending profile pipes is a fairly common procedure, for which a special device is used - a pipe bender. It is possible to make a pipe bender for profile pipe with your own hands, or you can buy it at construction market or in the store.

Serial devices differ in their operating principles, they may have different types of drives, but operating any of these devices requires some experience. The use of devices manufactured in production conditions is limited by the fact that they are not cheap. A good solution for everyone similar situations It will be possible to independently manufacture a device designed for bending profile pipes, for which you can use improvised means.

Required design elements

To make a pipe bender with your own hands, you can use the drawings various designs. Their choice is determined mainly by what materials you have. Most often they opt for front-type pipe benders, the design of which includes:

• three rollers (shafts), which must be metal;
• drive chain;
• axes of rotation;
• a mechanism that will set in motion all elements of the device;
• metal profiles, from which the frame of the device will be made.

To understand how to bend a profile pipe on a homemade device, it is important to understand the technology used for this process. As a rule, pipe benders use the rolling or rolling principle, which minimizes the risk of kinking and damage to the pipe.

To make a bend on a profile pipe using such a device, you need to insert it between and turn the handle. The use of such a simple bending device allows you to obtain bends on a profile pipe that fully comply with the specified parameters.

To make a simple machine for bending profile pipes, you will need the following structural elements:

• ordinary jack;
• metal profiles and shelf necessary for making the frame;
• springs with high strength;
• shafts in the amount of 3 pieces;
• drive chain;
• a number of other structural elements.

When using such a device, the operation of which can be seen in one of the videos below, the pipe is laid on two side rollers, and a third one is lowered on top of it, creating the required force. To give the pipe the necessary bend, you need to rotate the handle that drives the chain and, accordingly, the equipment shafts.

Pipe bender manufacturing process

To make a receiving device, you need to follow the following procedures.

• Prepare a reliable frame, the elements of which are connected by welding and bolted connections.
• Using a previously prepared drawing, install the axis of rotation and the shafts themselves, two of which are located above the third. The bending radius of the profile pipe depends on the distance at which the axes of such shafts are located.
• To operate this bending mechanism, a chain drive is used. To complete such a transmission, it is equipped with three gears, and the chain itself can be picked up from an old car, motorcycle or other equipment.
• To operate such equipment, a handle is needed that is connected to one of the shafts. It is through this handle that the required torque is created.

Instructions for making a pipe bender

Making a pipe bender for a profile pipe yourself is not at all difficult if you adhere to the following technological sequence.

• Gears, bearings and rings are placed on the pressure shaft, which are connected to it using a key. First, a drawing of such a shaft, races for bearings and rollers is developed, then these parts are turned, which is best entrusted to a qualified turner. Total for of this device it is necessary to make three shafts, one of which is suspended on springs, and the other two are located on the sides.
• Then it is necessary to drill holes in the rings, which are necessary for making grooves and threading.
• Now you need to make a shelf, for which you use a channel, in which you also drill holes and cut the threads required when installing the pressure shaft.
• After completing the preparatory measures, the entire structure of the equipment must be assembled, for which welding and bolted connections are used. First of all, the frame is installed, which also serves as the legs of the pipe bender.
• The next step is to hang the shelf with the pressure shaft attached to it, for which springs are used. After this, you need to install side support shafts on the homemade pipe bender, on one of which a handle is attached.
• The finishing touch is installing a jack on a pipe bender.

Some subtleties of implementation installation work:

• the pressure shaft, fixed with keys, is additionally screwed to the shelf;
• installation of the pressure shaft is carried out according to the following scheme: the shaft is installed on a shelf to which nuts for the springs are pre-welded; after the installation work is completed, the shelf is turned over and suspended on the springs;
• the chains are tensioned using a magnetic corner, which is used as a holder;
• when tightening the sprockets, keys are used, which are pre-made from Grover;
• the drive handle for the bending machine is made with a rotating tube;
• The jack on such a homemade device is installed on a suspended platform, for which bolted connections and welding are used.

Manufacturing of hydraulic pipe bender

On the Internet you can find many photos and videos of how to make your own device for bending profile pipes with a hydraulic drive. The process of manufacturing such a pipe bender, equipped with a hydraulic cylinder, injection device and pipe stops, is a rather labor-intensive undertaking.

In the drawing and in the design of such a pipe bender, the following elements can be distinguished:

• hydraulic jack with a lifting capacity of at least 5 tons;
• shoe;
• rollers in the amount of 2–3 pieces;
• powerful metal channel;
• thick metal plates and other parts.

To make the required bend of the profile pipe using hydraulic device, you need to insert it into the shoe and fix both ends. After this, you need to use a jack, which, with its rising rod, presses on the roller, which acts on the pipe and bends it. Once the required bend angle is obtained, the process can be stopped and the pipe can be removed from the pipe bender by turning the jack handle several times in the opposite direction.

Methods for bending pipes using a homemade machine

The question of how to bend a profile pipe using a homemade pipe bender is unlikely to confuse you if you read a few more recommendations. On hydraulic machines You can successfully bend profile pipes from different materials, as well as thick-walled products. This operation can be performed using either a cold or hot method, which involves preheating the pipe section.

Thus, a manual hydraulic bending machine can be used to influence the pipe in two ways:

• cold;
• hot.

Cold bending is the simplest bending method, which is used for pipes made of plastic materials. The subtlety of this process is to fill the pipe before the flexible pipe with sand, salt, oil or cold water. This allows you to get a better bend without significant deformation of the pipe.

If you are interested in the question of how to properly bend a profile pipe with thick walls or made from materials of increased rigidity, then the answer to this question is to use the hot bending method.

The question of how to bend a profile pipe as accurately as possible and without unnecessary labor costs will be answered by several useful tips from qualified specialists.

Removable casters different shapes will allow you to work comfortably not only with profile pipes, but also with round ones

• In manual pipe benders for bending profile pipes, you can not use sprockets, but assemble a structure based on one drive roller. Instead of a pressure screw, such pipe benders often use a jack.
• If you are bending according to a template, then to prevent the pipe from sliding off it, you can use metal hooks as stops.
• If you need to bend a profile pipe under a large radius, it is best to use a pipe bender with three rollers.
• To get a more versatile bending machine, you can make its thrust rollers movable. This way you can change the bend radius of the pipe.

In the video below, the master shares his experience in building a pipe bender from scrap materials.

In order to strictly observe the dimensions of the required pipe bend, it is best to perform this operation using a template made of wood. Even the simplest manual pipe bender using such a template will allow you to bend a profile pipe with precise compliance with the specified parameters. By the way, such templates are mainly made to implement the simplest manual methods flexible.

IN household a machine for bending profile pipes is not used so often that it is necessary to buy expensive factory-made equipment.

If such a need arises, a simple pipe bender can be made privately, having previously decided on what type of this structure is suitable for completing the task.

This article examines in detail the types of pipe bending machines, describes the principles of their operation and construction methods.

There are many equipment modifications for changing the configuration of profile pipes. This is due to the minimum bending radius. If you neglect this important parameter, at the point of bending, the strength characteristics of the material will change for the worse. You also need to know some technological subtleties and take them into account during work.

When choosing a design, take into account the workpiece material, diameter, and wall thickness.

Classification of bending machines by drive type

Depending on the type of drive, machines designed for bending any pipes are manual, electromechanical and hydraulic.

Manual. These are extremely simple mechanisms that are accessible to self-made even to a person not initiated into the intricacies of working with metal.

A manual, self-made machine for bending profile pipes is an indispensable assistant in the manufacture of frames, decorative elements, self-installation ventilation systems

Electromechanical. Such a machine has a drive in the form of an electric motor - stepper or conventional, connected through a lower gearbox. The latter solution ensures high-quality bending due to correct stress distribution.

The structure of the mechanism is not simple; in order to make it, you need special knowledge and at least a little professionalism.

Electrically driven roll forming machines in most cases have the form of a 3-shaft design. A profile pipe is passed between the rollers. An element located in the center can change its vertical coordinates. When the central shaft rotates, the profiled pipe changes its geometry

Hydraulic. The drive in this model is manual. Unlike the simple manual design, here a hydraulic cylinder is included in the design, which significantly reduces the muscular effort applied during bending.

Rollers make it possible to bend a profile pipe in any desired direction. A manual profile bender with hydraulics, with its light weight, can bend pipe assortments up to 10 cm wide.

Hydraulic cylinder roll forming machine exerts pressure on the surface of the pipe through mechanical action. This causes the cylinder rod to move. As a result of the resulting load, the product is deformed. The pressure in the piston can be increased in two ways - manually and using an electric pump

Types of pipe benders by installation method

There is a division of profile benders depending on the installation method. There are stationary, portable and wearable equipment. Stationary machines can take the form of a simple concrete slab with rods or solid equipment.

Compact portable pipe benders have a support stand, but the portable model does not have a support; it is selected each time the equipment is used.

Classification of machines by bending method

The design of the profile bender and its performance will depend on the bending method. There are 3 main bending methods. The first is extrusion, when the geometry of the profile pipe is changed using a deforming roller that acts as a punch. In this case there is no matrix.

To perform the operation, 2 strong supports are required on opposite sides of the bend, which act as a matrix. Rotary shoes or rollers are used as such supports.

Since the force increases gradually and is constantly perpendicular to the pipe, the method makes it possible to obtain a good final result. We apply the method only for small-scale work.

The second is pressing. To obtain a bend, the principle of a bench vice is used - a piece of pipe is placed between the matrix and the punch.

To obtain a high-quality bend, the profiles of the latter must exactly repeat the geometry of the part. And also in the calculation it is necessary to take into account the residual deformation of the metal. At home, this method is applicable when great accuracy is not required.

The machine for changing the shape of a profile pipe by rolling consists of three cylindrical rollers, a chain, a drive and a base. The diameter of the rollers must correspond to the parameters of the deformable profile pipe

Third - rolling - universal method, used for bending both thin-walled and thick-walled pipes. The bend is produced by pulling the workpiece between rollers - one rotating and two supporting.

In addition to those mentioned above, pipe bending can also be carried out using the following methods:

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The bending of the pipe is carried out using three rotating rollers. In this case, the bending radius determines their location relative to each other

When bending a pipe with a crossbow pipe bender, it rests against two rollers, and the template, which is located on the rod of the device, bends it between the supports

The principle of operation of this pipe bender is to bend the pipe in a cold state by rolling it with a roller around the bending block

Using a clamp, the pipe is tightly fixed to the device roller. Passing between the roller and the template, the pipe takes on the required shape.

Rolling pipe bending method

Crossbow method of bending pipes

Pipe bending by rolling method

Pipe bending using the winding method

Regardless of the chosen design, when independently manufacturing a pipe bending machine, it is necessary to take into account the recommendations of specialists. When choosing a material for the frame, you need to proceed from the fact that the thickness of the metal should be at least 1/6 of the width of the profiled pipe.

So, if you have to bend a pipe with a rectangle in cross-section with parameters of 50 x 25 mm, then in order to avoid deformation of the frame during the bending process, you need to take a channel or angle with a thickness of at least 10 mm. The base plate and punch with the matrix must be 2 times thicker.

The optimal diameter of the rollers is at least triple the cross-sectional dimensions. The shelf of the channel and angle taken to make the frame should be 2 and 3 times the width of the pipe, respectively. If you have to bend profile pipes with a rectangular section of 50 x 25 mm, you need a 100 x 10 channel or a 150 x 10 angle.

We make a hydraulic pipe bender

Let's consider the diagram of a machine with a hydraulic drive, where bending occurs due to pressing a profile pipe in the center with a punch fixed on a rising rod. As a result of close contact of the workpiece, supported by two stationary rollers, with the movable punch, the latter takes on its outline.

This type of machine is called a crossbow machine due to the similarity of the outline of the punch with the shape of a crossbow. Its main parts are the base (1), hydraulic jack (2), punch (3) and fasteners in the form of bolts. The layout of machine components is carried out according to the sketch

To mark the working surface, lay vertical axis and at the distance from the edge and axis indicated in the drawing, mark the location of the lower holes. Then mark the location of the upper holes, retreating the required distance from the edge. Connect the center of these holes with a straight line and lay equal segments on it.

The axes of the intermediate holes will be located at the intersection of the marks made with the inclined axis. Holes on the working surface are needed to be able to adjust the bending radius of the profile workpiece. Because working surface consists of two mirror-like parts, the second is marked in the same way.

The height of the machine is determined by the parameters of the jack and the distance indicated in the drawing by the symbol “a”. To bend a profile pipe 15 mm wide, this gap when the jack is not in use should be approximately 20 mm.

In this design, the force transmitted by the punch is concentrated in its upper part. As a result of this effect, the outer radius of the pipe is subject to tension, which can cause thinning of the wall, and in some cases, rupture. Therefore, this machine is not recommended for deforming thin-walled workpieces.

DIY rolling pipe bender

On such equipment, the workpiece acquires a given shape by rolling. In a home workshop, it is easier to make a 3-roller design with a manual drive. Let's consider two options for such machines.

Machine version with rotary platform

The design principle of such a machine for bending pipes with a cross-section other than round is as follows:

1. The main frame is connected through a swivel joint to a rotating platform, which sets the bending angle.
2. The platform is set in motion by a jack resting against it with a working rod.
3. The profile is drawn by rotating the handle located on the intermediate shaft.

To make the base of the machine and the stands, you will need a channel with a wall height of 150 to 200 mm in an amount of about 3 m. A steel pipe with an internal diameter equal to the external diameter of the bearings, which is divided into 6 short sections, is suitable as a cage for the bearings, the basis of the rollers.

The rotating platform is not the only option for adjusting the bending parameters of the profile pipe; this can be done using the outermost rollers. To do this, holes are made in the support plates and channel so that the elements are movable. You can raise the end platform with any jack that you can find on the farm

The base and two platforms are made from the channel. Having retreated about 0.5 m from one of the sides, weld vertical stand from the same channel. To do this, two sections are paired to make the stand strong.

Strictly observing horizontality, a stationary platform is mounted, and the rear pillar is welded to it. Next, they take a section of a profile pipe and increase the limiters with a height no less than the thickness of the profile pipe, the deformation of which is supposed to be carried out on the machine being manufactured.

The guide platform is connected to the main frame via door hinges. Bearings are mounted on the extended stops and edges of both platforms by welding and the structure is reinforced with corners. The shafts are inserted into bearings, and a handle is attached to the middle one.

A jack is installed under the edge of the guide platform and secured to the base using a bolted connection.

The assembly of a pipe bender with a rotating platform is carried out in the following sequence:

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To make a pipe bender you will need the following materials: pipe, channel - 2.5 m, bearings, jack, hinges, rollers

It is necessary to cut the channel into two parts - one of them will be the main platform, and the second will be the guide. They are connected using metal loops

The next step is to cut 6 pieces of pipe 2 cm wide and bend them to attach the bearings

Having cut the rollers to the required length, they need to be connected to the bearings and the structure welded to the working platform

The central roller must be welded at a height of 8-9 cm above the platform. This is necessary so that a profile pipe can pass under it

Using welding, we connect the working platform to the base and check the reliability of all connections

At the last stage, we paint the product, wait until the paint dries and check our homemade product in operation

Step 1 - preparing tools and materials

Step 2 - assembling the working platform

Step 3 - cut the pipe for the bearings

Step 4 - connect the rollers and bearings

Step 5 - weld the central roller

Step 6 - building the base for the skating rink

Step 7 - connect all parts of the product

Step 8 - checking the functionality of the machine

Rolling machine with three rollers

On this machine, the pipe is laid on rollers located on the sides. The upper movable roller is lowered onto the product from above and in this way it is fixed. Next, they rotate the handle and transmit movement to the shafts through the chain. The pipe stretches and changes its geometry.

Gradually increasing the pressure by tightening the clamping bolt and pulling the workpiece, the pipe is bent at the required angle.

The three roller roll forming machine is equipped with three rollers. By connecting a 1.5 kW electric motor to such a machine, you can bend pipes with a cross-section of up to 8 cm at a time

To make a machine that operates according to this scheme, it is necessary to prepare a shelf and rolled metal profile for the frame, shafts, 4 strong springs, a chain, bearings, fasteners, and other parts. To attach the bearings, you will need 3 shafts with parameters corresponding to the sprockets and bearings.

Two shafts are designed for lateral placement, and the third (clamping) is for hanging on springs. These elements will most likely have to be ordered from a workshop, but the rest can be done by hand.

The pressure shaft includes bearings, gears and rings. Threads are cut into the rings for clamping bolts and grooves are made. In the shelves made of channel bars, seats are made for the pressure shaft. At the final stage, the structure is assembled, starting with the installation of the frame.

Afterwards, the pressure shaft on springs, connected to the shelf by means of a key connection, is suspended. The support shafts are installed on the sides and the chain is pulled between them, using a magnetic corner as a holder.

Attach a handle with a rotating tube to one of them, then carry out the work of installing the jack. It is attached to the platform with bolts and welding.

When installing the suspension shaft, a certain sequence is followed: first, install it on a shelf, weld nuts for the springs to it, turn the platform over and connect it to the springs. It should be noted that as the distance between the rollers increases, the forces applied for bending decrease.

To assemble a rolling pipe bender you will need:

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First you need to purchase or order shafts of the required size from a turning workshop. To ensure the mobility of these elements, gears and bearings are attached to them.

Armed with a grinder and a welding machine, the frame of the future pipe bender is made from profiled metal

At this stage, you need to screw the pressure shaft to the frame of the product and weld the nuts to secure the springs

At the very top of the structure, a piece of profile is welded using a welding machine to attach the springs

The device is driven by a chain. It is pulled between the shafts and secured so that it does not sag

To facilitate the use of the machine, a handle is attached to it to rotate the shaft - this will protect the user’s hands from the formation of calluses

At the last stage, it is recommended to paint the pipe bending machine, and after drying, you can begin testing the device

When manufacturing metal structures from profile pipes, the need to bend them often arises. Arched ceilings, greenhouse frames, elements of playgrounds - this is just a small list of objects that require the installation of rounded profiles. In production, special equipment is used to produce pipes with a given radius of curvature. Considering the bulkiness and high cost of such machines, their purchase is impractical for irregular use for domestic purposes. For a home workshop or garage, you can make a profile bender yourself. Everything you need for this can be found in the same workshop or found in the garages of friends and acquaintances. Interested in this design? Then put on your work clothes and get to work!

Roll forming machine. What is it for?

Universal production bending machine

The purpose of the roll forming machine is indicated by its name. This is the bending of metal profile pipes in order to obtain certain radius rounding in the required area or along the entire length of the workpiece. Using a profile bender, or pipe bender in other words, you can perform several technological operations with rolled metal of various types:

• bending metal rods or reinforcement, including spring steel workpieces;
• bending of profile metal products of square or rectangular type;
• getting knees out round pipes or bending them at the desired angle;
• rounding of parts of any length from rolled products (angles, I-beams, channels).

There are several models of bending machines. Some allow you to make efforts only on certain area blanks. Others roll the pipe between rollers, applying pressure along the entire length. For some reason, it was the latter that received the name “profile benders” from experts, although both of them directly relate to the same type of equipment. By the way, rolling the workpiece allows you to obtain a product without preheating complex configuration, and bends can be made at an angle from 1° to 360° in arbitrary planes.

Rolling type profile bending

Just like their industrial counterparts, homemade profile benders are electrically driven or powered muscular traction. Of course, the use of an electric motor not only makes it easier to process workpieces, but also significantly speeds it up.

Classification of profile benders

Depending on the type of drive, which, in turn, directly affects the power and productivity of the machine, profile benders are divided into several types.

Hydraulic machines

Hydraulic driven roll forming machine. Powerful and very expensive

Hydraulic pipe benders are industrial equipment, therefore they have high power and are designed for permanent installation. Such units are used primarily in small-scale and mass production, when it is necessary to produce a large number of blanks of the same type. The hydraulic drive completely removes the load from the operator, giving him the ability to control the machine by pressing buttons.

Advantages of hydraulic machines:

• high speed;
• complete absence of manual labor;
• ease of operation;
• possibility of bending a large cross-section profile.

The disadvantages of devices of this type include high cost, stationary design and the complexity caused by the use of hydraulic drive.

Electric profile benders

Electric profile bender with screw drive. Inexpensive and functional

Bending machines using electric motors are also stationary equipment, since they require connection to electrical network. An electric drive is usually combined with a screw drive, which reduces the cost of equipment, but also makes it impossible to bend large cross-section profiles. That is why such machines are found in small enterprises and even in private workshops. By the way, there are designs of homemade electrically driven devices that function no worse than their factory counterparts.

Advantages of electric profile benders:

• relatively low cost;
• workpiece processing speed;
• simplicity of design;
• high bending accuracy;
• possibility of using digital machine control technologies.

The disadvantages include the same lack of mobility and the inability to bend oversized profiles.

Manual machines

Manual profile bending. Cheap, mobile option

Manual bending equipment is simple, compact and low cost. Thanks to simple design with drive rollers and a movable roller, working with profile benders of this type does not require any qualifications. If necessary, the machine can be easily moved to the installation site, and affordable price of such devices determines their wide application in the household. Of course, the design is not without its drawbacks:

• there is no way to accurately control the bending radius;
• increased processing time for workpieces;
• high physical stress on the operator;
• processing profiles with a small cross-section.

The advantages and simplicity of the design of manual profile benders make them attractive for manufacturing in artisanal conditions, which is why such machines have gained immense popularity among home craftsmen. By the way, manual bending devices can be transferred to the middle category, if necessary, supplementing the design with an electric drive.

Design and principle of operation of bending units

Design of the simplest rolling type profile bender

The main elements of a roll forming machine are shafts mounted on a durable metal frame. In this case, a pair of rolling rollers is responsible for the longitudinal movement of the workpiece, and a movable roller provides pressure on the part. Depending on the design of the unit, the clamping force can be adjusted within wide limits using screw pair, jack or hydraulic mechanism. The rolling rollers are driven by an electric motor or manually. The latter option is used on small devices and is most often repeated by craftsmen at home.

In addition, there are other designs of profile benders:

• units with a left movable roller are used to produce spirals. Most often, such machines are equipped with CNC and allow you to bend parts, precisely controlling the bending gradient;
• machines with movable lower shafts bend large workpieces, therefore they are equipped with a hydraulic drive. The presence of a position controller for each shaft makes it possible to obtain parts of complex shapes, even twisting the workpieces into a spiral;
• models in which all rollers are movable represent the elite of roll forming equipment and can work with parts of any configuration and thickness.

The main difference between profile bending machines and other pipe bending equipment is that the configuration of the workpiece is changed not by bending around a stationary roller, but by cold rolling. This allows you to change the configuration of workpieces of any section and length. This design will serve as the basis for a homemade machine, which we propose to make yourself.

A diagram that shows the operating principle of a rolling pipe bender

Required tools and materials

To manufacture a machine for bending profile pipes, you will need a fairly large number of parts, but this does not mean that you will have to buy all the items on the list. Predominant number necessary materials can be found in any garage or workshop. Here's what you'll need during the process:

Every craftsman will have the tools that he will need during the work process:

• angle grinder;
• electric drill;
• set of metal drills;
• hammer;
• welding machine;
• set of open-end and socket wrenches.

The only difficulty you will have to face is making the drive rollers and the pressure roller. Only the lucky owners of such equipment have the opportunity to turn them from a workpiece on a lathe. However, do not despair - in any organization there is a turner who will inexpensively produce parts according to the submitted drawings. The remaining elements of the machine can be used used.

Everything you need to make a profile bender

The chain transmission mechanism can be borrowed from the gas distribution mechanism drive of automobile engines, and the bearing housings (and the bearings themselves) can be borrowed from old agricultural machinery.

Options for manufacturing manual roll forming machines

To make a roll forming machine, it is not necessary to repeat exactly existing structure. It is much easier to create a device according to your own drawings, based on what you have at hand. This will save time and money and make it possible to design a device that is ideal both for its purpose and for its installation location. That is why you can find many devices on the Internet that use the same principle, but differ in execution.

Drawing of a pipe bender with radial action on the workpiece

One of the designs allows radial bending of rectangular profile pipes due to the use of two rollers, one of which is movable and the other is a support (guide). The workpiece is deformed to the desired radius by pressing and moving the working roller around the guide. The device body is made from steel sheet up to 8 mm thick and metal corners. To avoid involuntary displacement of the workpiece, before bending it is clamped between a stationary roller and a specially installed stop.

Homemade rolling bending machine for profile pipes

More universal is a rolling type machine, the design of which is described above.

In addition, there are other, truly simple designs that allow you to bend pipes according to a template. Unfortunately, the quality and accuracy of the deformation performed leaves much to be desired, and to obtain a different radius, a new template will have to be made.

Devices for bending pipes according to a template

When making a hand-held machine, some points should be taken into account:

• so that when bending large workpieces the profile bender does not tip over, its bed is made stable and massive. The best material for manufacturing can be considered a channel or I-beam;
• The machine rollers must have low roughness and increased hardness. It is better if their configuration follows the shape of the profiles of the most used sizes;
• the housing design must ensure a change in the distance between the axes of the drive shafts. The increased distance will make it possible to roll workpieces with a large cross-section, then, with a decrease in the interaxial distance, it will be possible to obtain bends of small radius;
• The drive lever must ensure ease of rotation during operation, so it should not be made too short.

Most connections in the manufacture of profile benders are made using welding machine. However, it will not be possible to completely avoid bolted connections - moving structural elements are fastened in this way.

Making a rolling structure with your own hands

For self-production, we recommend using the most common design of a roll forming machine with two lower shafts and a pressure roller. The easiest way is to install a manual drive on the unit, which, if necessary, can be easily converted into an electric one.

Device drawings

As already mentioned, it is better to design a profile bender yourself, based on your own conditions and preferences. In your work, you can rely on the drawings of the machines, which the craftsmen who made them are happy to share.

Assembly instructions

1. Manufacturing of drive (support) shafts and rollers. It is better to entrust this work to a turner, after which the parts must be hardened.

   The manufacture of shafts and support rings will have to be entrusted to a turner

   It is possible to make cylindrical rollers without grooves for profile pipes. In this case, two restrictive rings are made for each shaft. Such cylindrical attachments are installed taking into account the width of the workpiece and secured with bolts.

2. Bearings are installed in cages. If it is not possible to use factory parts, they can also be turned on a lathe.

   Shaft supports with installed bearings

3. Sprockets are fitted onto the shafts and the location of the keyways is determined. The grooves for the key can be cut using a drill and file or a Dremel.

   The keyway can be made with a drill

4. Holes are drilled in the restrictive nozzles and threads are cut for the clamping bolts.

   Thread for fixing restrictor rings

5. A platform is made for installing the pressure roller. To do this, take a thick metal plate or channel, in which two pairs of holes are drilled for attaching cages with bearings. In addition, on back side A hydraulic jack will be installed, so in some cases you will have to cut off one flange of the channel.

   Upper roller support

6. Screw the pressure shaft and weld eyes made of M8 nuts to the platform for attaching the springs.
7. Using welding equipment, the supporting legs and frame are made. Special attention should be given to the part of the body in which it will be located support platform top roller. The corners that will form it must be even, and when installing them, the geometry must be carefully observed using measuring equipment.

   Bed with installed top roller platform

8. The platform with the installed roller is suspended on springs to the upper cross member of the frame.

   

The need for reliable and simple device for bending profile pipes occurs when House master begins to seriously study metal. A frame for a gazebo, a carport, a garden bench, a workbench...

These and many other structures turn out strong and beautiful if the profile metal for them is carefully bent on a special profile bender.

There is always an economical alternative to buying a ready-made machine, since you can make a pipe bender for a profile pipe with your own hands in a home workshop. Before the first workpiece is clamped in a vice, we invite you to get acquainted with the principle of operation and the existing varieties of homemade pipe benders.

The operating principle of this device is simple: a profile pipe is placed between three support shafts. The central shaft creates pressure that bends the metal at the desired angle.

A pointing machine is used to bend the pipe in one local area.

Profile pipe bent on a point device

If you need to get an arched profile, then use a rolling bending machine that combines metal bending with broaching.

Types of pipe bending machines

Depending on the drive that transmits force to the profile metal, there are three types of pipe benders:

• mechanical (pressure is created manually using a central screw or lever);
• hydraulic (a hydraulic jack is used);
• electric (bending force is created by an electric motor);
• electrohydraulic (the hydraulic cylinder is driven by an electric motor).

Point mechanical pipe bender

Mechanical rolling profile bender (the screw creates pressure on the profile, broaching is done using the central shaft and handle)

It should be noted that a rolling pipe bender with manual profile pulling is designed for small cross-section pipes (maximum 40x40 mm). It is impossible to stretch a large profile manually. To bend it, powerful machines with an electric broaching mechanism are used.

Manual rolling bending machine (broaching is performed by the outermost rollers driven by a handle and chain, and the pressure is created by a screw and a central shaft)

Video about the design of a machine with an electric motor:

How to make a bending machine with your own hands?

The basic principle that should be followed when developing a drawing for a homemade pipe bender is maximum simplicity of design and reliability.

Option 1

A machine for point bending can be assembled from two pieces of channel, four corners and two trimmings of fingers from tractor tracks.

Pipe bending in it is performed by a standard hydraulic jack with a force of at least 5 tons. A steel “shoe” is installed on its working rod. You can order it from a turner or make it yourself from an old pulley, the width of the “stream” of which is equal to the width of the profile pipe. By cutting off a half from the pulley and drilling a seat for the jack rod in it, a hydraulic drive mechanism is obtained.

The frame of the homemade device consists of four corners (60-80 mm shelf) welded to a steel plate. Two channels are welded in parallel to the upper ends of the corners. Holes are drilled symmetrically in their walls to adjust the bend angle of the workpiece.

The manual machine for bending profile pipes is brought into working position very simply:

• Two steel fingers are inserted into the holes on the channel and stop rollers are placed on them.
• The jack with the shoe is raised so that a profile pipe passes between it and the stops.
• Having installed the pipe, use the jack handle to create a bending force.

Video of the assembly and operation of a point pipe bender:

Option 2

It is also quite possible to build a rolling manual pipe bender for a profile pipe on your own. To make it, you will need 2 linear meters of channel (wall height 15-20 cm), from which the base and racks are cut.

To make the rollers, take six short pieces of steel pipe. It will act as a cage for bearings. Therefore, its inner diameter must be equal to the outer diameter of the bearing. Having ordered three shafts from the turner for attaching the bending rollers, they begin welding the frame.

For the machine under consideration, the role of a guide setting the angle of bending of the profile is played by the rightmost support. It is mounted on a channel, pivotally connected to the main frame using ordinary door hinges. The jack's working rod rests against the turntable and lifts it.

By rotating the handle mounted on the intermediate stop shaft, the profile is pulled through the machine.

You can adjust the bend radius of the profile not only by tilting the rotary channel, but also by using the outermost rollers. To do this, they are not tightly welded to the frame, but made movable (holes are drilled in the channel and support plates).

Instead of a hydraulic jack, you can use a screw automobile jack to lift the end drum.

Video on making a rolling pipe bender:

The need to bend profile pipes in the household arises quite often, whether it is preparing blanks for building a metal frame for a greenhouse or canopy, or manufacturing parts for pipelines of complex configurations. For this, industrial-made devices are often used, but purchased products are not cheap. It is much more profitable to make a pipe bender with your own hands, especially since the manufacture of the unit does not require any scarce parts, and its design can be repeated in any garage. Homemade device will allow you to obtain a pipe with the desired radius of curvature and at the same time avoid deformations and creases on its surface.

Purpose and types

A pipe bender is an indispensable device when you need to delicately and accurately bend a round or profile metal pipe

The bending of metal profile pipes is directly related to their diameter, wall thickness and material of manufacture, therefore metal manufacturers always indicate the minimum radius of deformation in special tables.

Table for calculating bending radii steel pipes depending on diameter and wall thickness

It is not easy to bend a hollow pipe without creases and deformations. At home, to do this, fill it with sand and heat it until it turns red. gas burner or blowtorch, after which they bend “by eye”. Of course, this method, although labor intensive, is not ideal due to low quality and low accuracy.

Special devices - pipe benders - allow you to obtain a bend of the required curvature without damaging the part. Depending on the length of the fragment that needs to be bent, two types of devices are used:

• lever pipe benders;
• rolling units.

The most common products are lever-type pipe benders. In such devices, the force is applied in the right place, and the bend itself follows the shape of the segment (template), which in some devices can be removable. As a rule, such units include several segments for pipes various diameters. In addition to segmental devices, the industry produces mandrel and crossbow pipe benders, the bending shape of which is set by two guide rollers and a pressure template (mandrel). This design allows cold processing of round steel pipes in short areas. By the way, compact crossbow pipe benders are the most popular tool among utility installers.

Simple, fast and high quality - these are the advantages of crossbow pipe benders that attract professional installers

Depending on the design of the lever bending device, it can have any type of drive:

• hydraulic;
• pneumatic;
• electric.

Often the operating principle of the unit involves heating the pipe (externally, or with the help of heated air passed inside the rolled product), thereby increasing its ductility, and, accordingly, the quality of the bent section.

If it is necessary to obtain a bend of a large radius, rolling devices are used. Their design includes two guides and one pressing shaft (rollers). The pipe is pulled between the moving elements, setting the degree of bending by the force of the pressure roller. If it is necessary to obtain a large radius of curvature of the workpiece, the procedure is repeated.

Rolling attachments may have an electrical drive for the guide shafts, as well as a hydraulic, mechanical or pneumatic drive for the pressure roller.

Designs of homemade devices

The simplest option available to most novice craftsmen is bending pipes according to a pre-made template. This method is used when it is necessary to obtain a large number of blanks of the same type.

Bending a pipe according to a wooden template is the easiest way to solve the problem

As a template, you can use a structure made of wooden boards. The thickness of the wood is chosen based on the diameter of the pipes being bent - the board should have a margin of 2–3 cm. To prevent the metal profile from sliding off the template during work, the ends are processed with a slight slope.

The structure is attached to the floor or other surface in any way, installing a stop for the pipe nearby. Having inserted the profile into the gap between the template and the thrust element, smoothly and carefully press on its other end, pressing the pipe against the template. To ease the pressing force, you can use a lever of a suitable size or install a winch.

A winch can facilitate the process of bending pipes using a template

In a similar way, you can bend a metal profile of small diameter. If it is necessary to change the configuration of a pipe larger than 1 inch, then the template is made from sections of powerful fittings. For this purpose in concrete slab holes are made along the required trajectory into which guides are inserted in the form of pins from sections of pipes, fittings, etc. The bending is performed by securing the edge of the metal profile by welding.

The advantage of this method is its cheapness and simplicity, however, the accuracy of the resulting blanks and the quality of their processing leave much to be desired. In addition, the template will have to be made every time you need to obtain a bend of a different radius.

Factory-made snail pipe bender

To produce a large number of similar workpieces with a small radius of curvature, you can use a snail pipe bender. This unit consists of two pulleys (wheels) different diameters, fixed on shafts. Having fixed the end of the pipe on the impeller, use a roller of a smaller diameter (drive wheel) to press the workpiece, simultaneously rolling it along the workpiece. As a result, the pipe bends around the surface of the large pulley, repeating its shape. The only drawback of this method is the impossibility of obtaining large radius curves.

The most versatile and practical are homemade rolling pipe benders (bending machines), in which you can set any angle of deformation of rolled metal. The simplest design rolling unit is a base with fixed at a certain distance from each other drive shafts. Pressure on the pipe is carried out by a movable roller, and it is drawn through the rotation of the drive shafts. Screw devices, jacks, winches and electric motors are used as power drives for such devices. The rolling machine is the most difficult to replicate at home, as it requires turning and welding. However, there are many variations of its design made by amateurs, which indicates the high popularity of this solution. With the help of such a device, bending of any configuration is obtained, and the process itself is often automated. The only thing such a device cannot cope with is obtaining a minimum radius of curvature of a metal profile over a small segment.

Video: Homemade rolling bending machine

Making a pipe bender with your own hands

To make a pipe bender, you can use drawings of finished structures. After looking at several options and balancing the complexity of the units with your capabilities and availability necessary details and materials, you can choose the most optimal scheme. For your consideration, we present two models of pipe benders for self-assembly- manual unit for small pipes and a semi-automatic bending machine.

Manual snail pipe bender for small radii

To correctly bend a profile pipe, you need to have a good understanding of the physics of the process. Manual pipe benders most often use a circular bending method, which avoids the risks associated with bends, cracks and other damage to pipes. To bend rolled metal in such a unit, it is enough to secure the workpiece in the device and press the lever. Bending occurs when a roller is rolled along the pipe, pressing the part to the main wheel.

Materials and tools

To make a manual pipe bender you will need:

• metal sheet with a thickness of at least 6 mm;
• Working wheel;
• pressure roller
• steel corners 50x50x2.5 mm;
• a piece of thick-walled pipe Ø25 mm;
• axes of rotation (sleeve or bearing assembly);
• a piece of square rod 20x20x40 mm;
• nuts and washers;
• angle grinder;
• welding machine;
• hammer;
• measuring tool.

While working, do not forget about safety precautions. This is especially true when working with cutting and welding equipment.

Pipe bender calculation and drawing

Before you start work, you need to decide what bending radius of profile pipes will be most in demand. Depending on this, the size of the impeller is selected. It is this value that will correspond to the inner radius of the resulting elbow.

Snail pipe bender assembly

The drawing is designed for profile pipes with a diameter of up to 1 inch. The bending radius that can be obtained with this pipe bender is 125 mm (half the diameter of the impeller). If you need a bending unit with other parameters, use the method for calculating the dimensions of a pipe bender.

The main size of the pipe bender fork is the distance between the axes of the impeller and the roller (indicated by the letter a=200mm). In our case, the center distance was chosen taking into account the maximum size of the processed profile pipe d = 25 mm, however, it is advisable to add a couple of millimeters to this value “in reserve”.

The center-to-center distance can be determined by the formula a = d + r1 + r2 + 2, where d is the diameter of the profile pipe, and r1, r2 are the radii of the impeller and roller, respectively.

If a roller and a wheel with a groove (some kind of rivulet pulley) are installed in the design of the bending device, then the measurement is carried out starting from the lowest point of this part.

Snail pipe bender fork

To determine the size of the fork, the gap between the roller and its base is taken equal to 10 mm, and a 30 mm margin is also added for attaching the impeller axis.

Fork length c = a + r1 + 10 + 30 (mm).

To determine the internal clearance between the fork side flanges (b), add 1 - 2 mm to the wheel thickness.

You can make the pipe bender more versatile by drilling several holes in the side surfaces of the fork. By rearranging the roller axis, the distance between the working surfaces of the rotating parts is changed.

Step-by-step instructions for making a manual pipe bender

The drawing of the manual bending unit shows that it consists of several main parts:

• base in the form of a thick metal plate;
• Working wheel;
• video clip;
• fork.

Our instructions will help you perform the work consistently, avoiding errors and inaccuracies.

1. Make an impeller and roller. Of course, having a lathe in your workshop will be a huge plus, but even if you do not have such equipment, these parts are not a problem. Any turner can turn pulleys at a very reasonable cost.
   When manufacturing moving elements, you should not save. Be sure to make a groove in them for a pipe of maximum diameter, and also carve a seat in the roller for any suitable rolling bearing. If there is a need to change the configuration of the elbow surface, the groove of the impeller or roller is made shaped. When rolling, the roller will leave the required imprint on outer surface knee, and the wheel is on the inside. To make the turner’s task easier and further reduce the cost of the device, instead of a roller, you can install a pair of ball bearings of a suitable size.

   Pipe bender impellers can be manufactured with a trough of any configuration

   The image clearly shows the ball bearings installed instead of the roller

2. On the same machine it is necessary to make axles for the impeller and roller. The thickness of the parts is taken equal to internal diameter selected bearing. The length of the axle for the roller is equal to the width of the fork along the outer dimensions. The axis of rotation of the impeller will be slightly longer, since you will also have to take into account the thickness of the base plate of the pipe bender. By refusing to install bearings, the design can be significantly simplified. In this case, long bolts with nuts can be used as axles. However, it should be understood that bending pipes with this device will be more difficult.

   To make a fork you will need metal with a thickness of at least 6 mm

3. The side surfaces and rear wall (base) of the fork, as well as a piece of thick-walled pipe as a lever, are cut out of sheet metal.
4. According to the drawings, holes are drilled in the fork for the axles of the wheel and roller.
5. Weld the fork parts. Particular attention should be paid to all right angles of this structural element.
   

   Attaching the lever to the fork end-to-end will be unreliable due to the large force applied. It is best to make a hole in its back wall into which the edge of the pipe will fit. By scalding this joint by welding, the most durable joint is obtained.

6. Using a grinder, cut out the base (frame) of the device and drill a hole in it for the stationary axis of the impeller.
7. If necessary, a bearing is pressed into the roller.
8. The roller is inserted into the fork and then secured with welding or nuts.

   Snail pipe bender fork assembly

9. The fork assembly is installed on the base, securing the impeller axis in the same way as when installing the roller.
10. Weld a square section piece as a clamp for the pipe being processed.

Holes are drilled in the corners of the base of the pipe bender to attach the device to the workbench. In order for the device to be not only functional, but also aesthetic, during the work process, be sure to clean the weld joints and use a grinding wheel to process the sharp edges of the workpieces. To protect against rust ready product painted with enamel.

Bending machine for profile pipes

Bending long profile pipes requires not only force to deform them, but also a mechanism to pull the parts to the required distance. Often, the design of homemade bending machines uses not a screw, but a jack or winch, and the drive includes an electric motor.

Drawings of homemade devices

Bending machine. Side view Pipe bender with top roller drive Pipe bender with variable distance between rollers
The simplest broaching type pipe bender

In the bending machines shown in the drawings, a threaded drive is used to press the roller. In our design, we will use a hydraulic jack, as well as a manual drive using parts from the gas distribution mechanism of automobile internal combustion engines.

Tools and materials

To get started, prepare the following parts and materials:

• corners for the machine bed;
• round or profile pipes for the frame;
• working and broaching shafts (rollers);
• jack;
• springs;
• chain transmission;
• tensioner;
• bearing supports assembled with bearings;
• pen;
• channel for fastening;
• bolts and nuts.

For work you will need hand and electric plumbing tools:

• angle grinder (grinder);
• welding machine;
• electric drill and set of metal drills;
• hammer;
• set of wrenches;
• measuring tool.

Do not neglect personal safety measures. When working with an angle grinder, be sure to use a protective shield or goggles, and carry out welding processes in thick overalls and special gloves. It should be remembered that it is prohibited to work without a welding helmet and carry out electrical installation work on a wet surface or in the rain.

Instructions for making a bending machine

Dividing the pipe bender manufacturing process into several stages will help organize the work more clearly.

1. Make broaching (support, drive) and pressure (working) shafts. If you do not have the skills to operate a lathe, you will have to contact a specialist. Be sure to remind the turner to machine the rollers with shanks for installing the sprockets. It's best if you take these parts with you.

   The design of the operating shafts must provide for the possibility of installing drive sprockets

   Any sprockets and chain can be used. For example, from the gas distribution mechanism of passenger car engines.

2. Attach the bearing supports to the shafts and install the drive gears on the keys.

   The design of the machine can use drive sprockets and bearing supports from automotive equipment

3. Use a welding machine to make the frame of the bending machine. To do this, first make a square frame with support legs, and then mount a structure on it, along which the plate with a pressure roller will move.

   Making a bending machine bed

4. A steel U or H-shaped channel is used as a plate. To install the pressure shaft, holes are drilled along the edges of the plate according to the connecting dimensions of the bearing supports.

   Making a frame for installing a base plate

5. A section of channel with a roller is suspended from the upper part of the frame on four springs, for which nuts are welded at the corners of the plate and frame as mounting loops. After this, a hydraulic jack is installed.