Pipe bender – a device designed for bending a profile pipe with your own hands. When constructing greenhouses, greenhouses, and gazebos, it can be used to produce various radii of curvature. Such a device can not only be bought, but also quite easily made with your own hands.

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Main design elements

A simple homemade pipe bender for professional pipes consists of the following parts:

• The bed is a structure made of a channel or angle 600-700 mm long, solid or consisting of two parts hingedly connected to each other.
• Front and rear shafts- made of durable steel and have a diameter of 40-50 mm, length - 60-80 mm. The ends of the shafts are machined to match the inner diameter of the bearings used to rotate them.
• The central shaft is located in the middle of the structure and serves to support and bend the profile passing under it. One of its axes should protrude from the bearing.
• Bearing races - pieces thick-walled pipes. Designed for pressing bearings into them and welding them to the frame.
• Handle - attached to the protruding axis of the front or rear shaft.

Also often used to reduce bending effort profile pipe bender homemade in its design contains two gears, a chain and a tension roller.

The gears are mounted on the axles of the front and rear shafts, a chain is pulled between them, fixing its tension with a roller. In this design, the handle is attached to the axis of the front or rear shaft rather than the central one.

To fasten such a device, long screws are used and with which it securely fixed on a workbench or table.

Important! The most exposed parts of a pipe bender are the shafts; they should be made of durable tool steel.

If less strong structural steels are used as a material for shafts, there is a high risk of rapid wear or breakage. In addition, such shafts will not provide high-quality pipe bending.

How to make a pipe bender with your own hands

To make a pipe bender, you need to prepare the necessary and materials, make drawings , both its individual parts and the entire assembled product. Based on these compiled graphic images production should be carried out components of this device and their assembly into a single whole.

Materials and tools

To make a pipe bender you need the following tools:

• grinder with cutting wheel for metal;
• drill or drilling machine;
• hammer;
• vice;
• metal brush.

In addition to tools for the manufacture of such devices, you need the following materials:

• channel 8P - about 2 meters;
• bearings 205 – 6 pcs.;
• shafts – 3 pcs.;
• thick-walled pipe with internal diameter 52-53 mm;
• handle with holder;
• garage curtains;
• car hydraulic jack.

To paint the manufactured structure you will need Oil paint , solvent.

How to make a pipe bender

Reliable and simple pipe bender you can make it yourself in the following way:

Such a homemade pipe bender for a profile pipe with a square, rectangular or oval cross-section will allow you to minimal investment create arched structures required sizes.

How to make a hydraulic pipe bender

Using the device described above, it will not be possible to bend profile pipes at an angle of more than 50-60 degrees. For such purposes you will need hydraulic pipe bender, having a different design and principle of operation.

Making such a device yourself is quite simple. The entire assembly process consists of the following stages:

1. To a metal plate with dimensions of two sides of 300×300 mm and a thickness of 8-10 mm 4 corners are welded length 300-350 mm.
2. Two channels are welded to the corners with advance drilled holes for support rollers. The holes on the channels are not located in one line, but in a ladder - this allows you to change the bending angles of the pipe.
3. A jack is installed on the slab.
4. A “shoe” is put on the jack rod - an attachment for bending a pipe in the shape of a semicircle.
5. The support rollers are made of durable steel and have through holes in the center - they are designed for axles.

To bend a pipe using such a device, first, support rollers are installed in the appropriate positions, then a jack with a shoe.

After this, the shoe, by lifting it with the jack rod, is installed at such a distance from the plane of the support rollers that the profile can be inserted there. Next, by lifting the shoe with the jack rod, the profile is bent at the required angle.

Making a similar pipe bender for a profile pipe with your own hands, a “shoe” and shafts best to buy rather than making it yourself.

Pipe bending methods

Since the manufacture of a profile pipe involves the use of metal of various thicknesses, when bending pipes using the methods described above homemade devices apply the following methods:

• Cold – involves bending the profile pipe at the required angle without heating. To prevent unwanted deformations and fractures of the profile from occurring during the bending process, dry sand is poured inside it. The sand to be poured should be very fine and there should be no stones in it.
• Hot – when bending pipes using the hot method, the profile preheated using a burner. This makes the material more flexible and eliminates fractures and deformations. The disadvantage of this method is the formation of an oxide film on the surface of the profile and the susceptibility of the product made from such a pipe to corrosion.

Important! Hot way bending is used for profile pipesWith large thickness walls. It should not be used for thin-walled profiles - this will increase their corrosion and create an additional risk of unwanted deformations, cracks and fractures during the bending process.

When hot bending is very it's important not to overheat metal - the color of the heated material should be rich red or crimson. Do not heat the profile to a bright white or faint red color. In the first case, the material is very overheated and the bending due to excessive softening of the metal may be too great; in the second case, on the contrary, it is weakly heated and may crack or break during bending.

Types of pipe benders

Depending on the design, type of drive, cost, everything pipe benders are divided for the following types:

• Angular pipe bending machine –most common and simple look of this instrument. Used for bending pipes and profiles of various sections and diameters.
• Manual – portable compact tool. Applicable small section.
• Hydraulic – used for profile and round pipe various diameters. Thanks to the smooth bending process, such equipment allows you to obtain products of the most High Quality.
• Electric is quite bulky, complex and expensive equipment. Designed to do high-precision work. Used for production purposes.

Important! To make arches, it is better to make a manual pipe bender with your own hands, or purchase the simplest factory model.

It is not practical to buy expensive professional models of electric and hydraulic pipe benders for such needs.

Useful video: how to make a pipe bender with your own hands

Having figured out how to make a pipe bender and turned this idea into reality, you can get a very reliable, simple and convenient tool that will allow you to make various designs from profile or round pipes.

Pipe bender - very useful tool on the farm, if you are used to doing everything with your own hands. Sheds, greenhouses and canopies are made from bent profile pipes, and they add water pipes desired bend. Using this tool it will not be difficult to make all kinds of products that have a variable radius. You can save on buying a tool and make it yourself according to drawings and photographs. The video master class will show all the intricacies of the process.

On construction market You can purchase different modifications of professional pipe benders. For bending pipes large diameter a hand-powered tool is suitable; Large diameter pipes are bent with a tool equipped with a hydraulic drive. Industrial units are either stationary or portable. The tool is easy to use and connects to the mains. Pipe benders are classified according to the bending method:

• crossbow-type pipe benders use a template as a bending unit required diameter;

Crossbow pipe bender

• manual drive bends pipes using springs;
• Segmental pipe benders bend pipes along a segment. They are most often used by plumbers;

Manual pipe bender

• mandrel mechanisms are designed for bending thin-walled pipes to a small radius.

Advice. In special reference books you can find tables with permissible bending radius values ​​depending on the thickness and diameter of the pipe. Violation of the radius will create zones with increased metal stress, which will significantly reduce the quality and strength of the pipe.

The simplest pipe bender from a template

This mechanism is suitable for small diameter pipes. The template is made from boards that are thicker than the diameter of the pipe. The edge of the template is cut at an angle so that the pipe does not slip out. The boards are fastened together and fixed on the table surface. A stop is attached at a certain distance from the template. The pipe is inserted between the stop and the template and bent. The pipe cannot be bent from the center of the template - it will break. And if it doesn’t break, then appearance will not stand up to any criticism.

Pipe bender from a template

A pipe bender is made in a similar way from concrete slab and durable metal pins. Holes are drilled in the concrete and pins are driven in at a distance of no more than 5 cm, and stop pins are driven in at the edges. To fix a curved pipe, a jumper can be welded to its ends, which is then dismantled.

A similar template can be made from a sheet of plywood and hooks. By changing the location of the hooks, you can change the bending radius of the workpiece.

Roller manual pipe bender

In the manufacture of such a mechanism, the main difficulty lies in the selection of rollers and the desired template. The bend will not be of high quality if the rollers do not wrap around the pipe. For bending flexible pipes rollers can be cut from wooden blanks hard rocks. Rollers can be made on lathe or using a jigsaw.

Rollers for a homemade pipe bender can be turned on a lathe

Wooden circles are cut out at the required slope, then assembled into one piece and sanded with sandpaper. To give strength wooden parts, they are reinforced with metal plates. To bend pipes over a large radius, you will need a pipe bender with three rollers.

Pipe bending machine

A manual rolling machine will become good help In workshop home handyman. To make it, you will need materials that can be bought at a reasonable price at metal collection points.

The distance between the shafts matters. The farther the shafts are located, the less force the operator will need to apply to push the pipe; the minimum radius value increases and the distance of the pipe section that will not be processed increases; accordingly, the stroke of the pressure shaft will be longer. Therefore, at the drawing design stage, it is necessary to calculate several options for the position of the side shafts.

Rolling machine in finished form

If rollers are used instead of shafts, stops (steel angles) must be placed on the sides, which will hold the pipe in a strictly vertical position and perpendicular to the axis of the rollers. Otherwise, the profile pipe will bend into a spiral. After final assembly, the device can be painted for aesthetic pleasure.

The above device can be improved if desired. Add a motor with a gearbox to the tool, which will drive the shaft by rotating the chain drive. Installing a jack instead of the upper shaft will allow you to bend the pipes different diameters. The jack regulates the pressure and sets the height. This upgrade will allow you to bend pipes on an industrial scale for a small enterprise, under all kinds of radii.

Scheme: pipe bender using a jack

It is convenient to work on such a machine with a partner: one person turns the winch, and the second pulls the pipe. The pipe blank is placed on rollers and pressed with a jack. The winch pulls the pipe along the shafts, then the jack force is added and the workpiece is driven through again. The cycle is repeated until the pipe acquires the desired bend.

Advice. When bending a profile pipe, sand poured inside the profile will protect it from destructive deformations.
The device, once made independently, will last a very long time and will be in no way inferior in quality to purchased equipment. If you need a pipe bender for one-time use, then it is more advisable to rent the device.

DIY pipe bender: video

When setting up a household, sooner or later you are faced with the need to bend a pipe. In a city apartment - less often, but also. The prices for pipe bending tools and accessories, both for sale and for rent, are not exactly exorbitant, but, to put it mildly, they are not encouraging. Therefore, there are more than enough people who want to make a pipe bender with their own hands, and the purpose of this publication is to help them find the right one for their specific purpose design and give effective practical recommendations for its production.

Amateur craftsmen make a wide variety of installations for bending pipes, from simple devices to real bending machines, see figure:

But a considerable part homemade pipe benders oppression according to the principle “as it happened, so it will be.” At the same time, those who happened to see the insides of an airplane or rocket probably noticed the bundles and intricacies of pipes, bent, sometimes in the most bizarre way, cleanly and evenly “just like it was.” But no “highly cosmic” secrets, respectively. no production equipment. At aerospace factories, pipe bending is done by low-level workers or even apprentices. The secrets lie in the correct proportions of certain features of the manufacture of pipe bending machines and devices and in choosing the type that is suitable for a particular job. In this article, these “secrets” are revealed, with an emphasis on a pipe bender for a profile pipe, since, on the one hand, it is professional pipes that are most needed in private households, and on the other hand, their bending is much more difficult than round ones.

Note: further in the article cold flat production-technological and, in part, decorative-art bending is considered. So, if you are eager to set up mass mechanized production in your own barn, well, say, hyperbolic coils for moonshine stills, then - see somewhere else.

Bending defects

At military councils, it is customary first of all to report on the enemy. So we will begin our debriefing with what needs to be avoided.

Typical pipe bending defects are shown on the left in the figure:

For household and other pipelines general purpose taffy and wave are acceptable, together reducing the lumen area of ​​the pipe by no more than 10% in the actual bottleneck. On pipes for gases and refrigerants, any stretch and, especially, a wave, are undesirable, because There may be microcracks there. A wave, even a small one, is unacceptable in tubular power elements building structures and mechanisms, since it sharply and unpredictably reduces their load-bearing capacity.

A characteristic defect in bending rectangular corrugated pipes is a “propeller” (in the center in the figure), when the pipe twists along its axis during the bending process. An arch or semi-arch that is bent with a “propeller” is most often impossible to fix until it is suitable for use. The reason for the “propeller” is the asymmetrical distribution of technological loads during bending, and bending equipment for profile pipes must ensure their correct spreading over the workpiece.

Another characteristic defect, but of round thin-walled pipes made of soft metals (copper, aluminum) is a “bun” (on the right in the figure), an external and/or internal longitudinal scar; Most often, the flattening of the pipe is noticeable to the eye, hence the name. There will definitely be a microcrack in the “bun” somewhere. A chronic leak in the house water supply or an air conditioner losing freon is not a cheap “fix”, but a leak from the fuel pipeline is simply dangerous. Building construction, including tubular elements with a “bun”, are prone to sudden destruction. The reason for the "buns" bent pipes– incorrect selection and/or setting of the pipe bender.

Main rules

The rules for choosing the bending radius of the pipe R IZG and the length of the technological shank L are summarized in the table:

The “tail” is needed at the beginning of the bend, i.e. the pipe is fed into the pipe bender with some excess at the outlet. The R values ​​of the IZG are calculated for defect-free bending. If the permissible defects (see above) are acceptable, then R IZG can be reduced by one step. way:

• If the difference between the real and the nearest tabulated values ​​of the pipe diameter P is more than 10%, the values ​​of the initial calculated values ​​are calculated by interpolation. Otherwise, we take the nearest one.
• The tabular R IZG is reduced to relative size r IZG, i.e. It is expressed in pipe diameters D or heights H.
• For pipes with a diameter of up to 10 mm, 1 is subtracted from r IZG.
• For pipes with a diameter of 11 to 15 mm, 0.85 is subtracted from r IZG.
• For pipes with a diameter of 16 to 24 mm, 0.75 is subtracted from r IZG.
• For pipes with a diameter of 25 to 40 mm, 0.65 is subtracted from r IZG.
• For pipes with a diameter of more than 40 mm, 0.5 is subtracted from r IZG.
• Convert the relative r IZG back to the numerical (millimeter) R IZG.
• From the obtained value of R IZG, take the nearest practically convenient larger one.

Example: need to bend out steel pipe 24x24x1.5, i.e. already classified as thin-walled, complex semi-arches for a flower house or hut. The structure is non-residential, light, complex semi-arch load-bearing structure is not (see below), i.e. "plumbing" wave and taffy are acceptable. We take data for the pipe H=25. According to the table we find r IZG = R IZG /H = 80 mm/25 mm = 3.2. Subtract the correction (for pipe H=25!): 3.2 – 0.65 = 2.55. Convert back to millimeters (again according to the table H=25!): 2.55x25 = 63.75 mm. That is, if we take a new bending radius of 65 mm instead of the “defect-free” 80, then the selection of bending devices and work will be simplified, the possibilities of artistic expression by the shape of the structure will increase, and there will be no visible and/or dangerous defects in the finished structure.

Note: for some types of pipe bending devices, e.g. mandrel and 3-roller, see below, the initial (starting) “tail” does not seem to be needed. But its role in this case is played by the not yet bent remainder of the workpiece, so it is impossible to cut the original pipe in advance exactly to size, otherwise it will be defective. A cut for a single “tailless” product, for example. curl for cold forging, is cut in stock for the “back tail” the same as the “front”. The stock goes to waste, so it is better to bend products without straight sections at the beginning and/or end in batches sequentially from one pipe, then only the very last “tail” will go to waste.

Simple - radius

A specific pipe bender is designed for a bend radius within certain limits. But to select a design prototype, you immediately need to know only its very general meaning:

1. for small radii R IZG<5D (или 5H);
2. for medium radii 5
3. for large radii 20D(H)

How to bend?

This refers to bending quality factors:

• Clean (defect-free) or not – whether acceptable defects are acceptable.
• For pre-installation - distortion of the bending profile is not significant, as long as it fits in the trench/groove/on supports. The “tails” (straight ends) of the curved section are cut to size, i.e. A section of pipe for bending is cut with a reserve that goes to waste.
• True to size - distortion of the profile is also not significant, but the “tails” during installation must fall into place with the specified accuracy. This is how pre-measured parts of pipelines are bent from expensive materials: copper tubes for lowering gas pipelines, parts of split-system air conditioners, tubular parts of production equipment. For example, some exclusive liqueurs are produced in distillers whose vapor-liquid path is silver.
• According to the profile for additional installation - the bending profile is maintained with the specified accuracy; Can be adjusted to fit by hand. Bending is done with technological “tails” for cutting in place. Building structures, decorative details of architectural forms.
• Profile-to-size – parts made of valuable metals of production equipment, instruments, machines and mechanisms, which during installation must fit immediately into place or with minimal adjustment within precisely established limits.

What to bend?

I mean, what kind of curves do you need? This is the second factor that determines the type of pipe bender needed for the job.

In the household sphere, most often there is a need for a trace. types of pipe bends (see also Fig.):

• General purpose – various kinds of distribution pipelines, ventilation devices, wire communications inputs, parts of production equipment, machines, mechanisms, etc. Bending most of all to size or for additional installation in small quantities; less often - along average radii. Acceptable defects in parts of water pipes and inlet devices are acceptable. Bends of parts of gas and steam pipelines, parts of technical devices are defect-free by default, unless otherwise specified in the specifications for the product.
• Building arches are tubular curved parts of building structures that can bear operational loads for a long time without the danger of sudden destruction. Bending almost exclusively according to the profile to size along large radii, occasionally - along medium ones. In private household plots, the most popular type of this kind of parts is arches made of corrugated pipe for greenhouses and other outbuildings. Of the permissible defects, taffy is acceptable in no more than 5% of the cross-sectional area of ​​the pipe lumen.
• Architectural forms - the bending radius is alternating (in one direction or the other) from small to large. Due to the “dips” in the bending profile, the load-bearing capacity is much lower than that of building arches of comparable sizes. For the same reason, sudden destruction of a non-worn part is possible. Bending – according to the profile for pre-installation; rarely - in size. Scope of application light non-residential structures for landscape design: gazebos, alcoves, flower corridors and tunnels, decorative trellises, fences, etc. In the designs of residential and temporary inhabited structures they are used only in conjunction with additional load-bearing elements. Acceptable defects are acceptable, most often even on 20-25% of the lumen area.

Prototype selection

Based on the entire complex of the above indicators, a pipe bender of a certain design is selected. Among those available or partially available for self-production are devices, tools and machines for bending pipes:

1. manual bending lever– bending round pipes with walls of normal thickness to medium and large radii. Thin-walled pipes flatten and crumple; on profile ones, a “propeller” appears when the lever is slightly swung to the side. It certainly produces acceptable defects. Bend for additional installation or, with an additional control template, along the profile for additional installation. Simple, cheap, non-volatile. No permanent production area is required for placement. Mobile: can be carried manually over long distances. Low productivity, high bending labor intensity and worker fatigue. Quite high demands on the operator’s physical strength, qualifications, endurance and conscientiousness. Scope of application – single non-standard parts of building structures;
2. bending plate (board)– similar to a lever, but for small and medium radii. Manual mobility is limited to the construction site. Productivity is higher, and labor intensity, fatigue and the required qualifications of the worker are lower than for a lever. Prem. applies. during construction work for the on-site production of parts of pipelines and tubular inlet and/or ventilation devices;
3. bending template (conductor)– has properties similar to those of a bending lever, but is intended for bending thin-walled, soft metal and profile pipes. Defect-free bending according to the profile to size is possible. Very low productivity (especially for steel pipes) due to “sludge” for metal relaxation, see below. If there is no hurry (say, in winter before the summer construction season), a roller pipe bender can replace it. It is also possible to produce multi-radius architectural forms (with a counter-pattern). The required qualification of the worker in metal processing is initial;
4. roller (rolling) pipe benders– manual bending of pipes up to 30-40 mm along a radius profile for pre-installation and to size. Bending radii are small. The complexity and labor intensity of manufacturing are low. A separate production area is not required; operator qualification requirements are minimal. Productivity is low. Defect-free bending of thin-walled soft metal pipes is possible. Mobile manually. Prem. scope of application – general purpose bends (see above) during plumbing and repair and construction work. The complexity and labor intensity of self-production is low;
5. crossbow (crimp) pipe benders– similar in properties to roller ones, but with increased performance for round pipes made of soft metals with walls of medium thickness. Rapid reconfiguration is possible during work. They are mobile to a limited extent (transported by road) or installed permanently. Self-production is not justified, see below. Most often used in the installation of home and apartment copper and aluminum pipelines. In production conditions - for making general purpose bends on steel pipes with a diameter of up to 60 mm;
6. mandrel (bypass) pipe benders– also similar to roller ones, but bending with a variable radius is possible without a starting shank. The requirements for the employee's physical strength are quite high. The main purpose is the production of small fragments for architectural and decorative purposes and for artistic forging. The complexity and labor intensity of manufacturing on your own is very high.
7. roller (rolling or broaching) pipe bending machines– high-performance bending of any pipes along large and medium radii. Installed permanently in a specially prepared room or on an equipped site; less often, they are transported to the place of work. Bending – defect-free in profile; perhaps - according to the profile in size. The main purpose is the production of radius construction arcs from corrugated pipe up to 80 mm wide.

Description of designs

The material presented above is sufficient for preliminary selection of the design of the pipe bending equipment required for this specific job. To clarify the final solution, we provide more detailed descriptions.

Lever arm

The design of a manual bending lever couldn’t be simpler, see fig. However, such a primitive device for centuries and millennia bent details that sometimes baffled modern technologists. The pipe can also be laid simply on the ground by placing wooden blocks under it and securing it with staples driven into the ground. It is better to work with a lever with an assistant holding the workpiece, checking during bending against a pre-prepared template.

Plate

The bending plate (support-thrust manual pipe bender) has been known for as long as the lever. The design is in some way ingenious: the bending pipe itself is used as a bending lever, and instead of a “hole” (a clamp on the lever), its opposite is a strong support pin or several of them. In general, everything is according to Murphy’s laws: if it doesn’t work out as it should, try doing it the other way around.

The structure of the bending plate is clear from Fig. (left):

Bending plate (support-thrust manual pipe bender) and its “ground” modification for the manufacture of greenhouse frame arcs

The most common variety is 4x4. All common bends can be made on the slab for retrofitting (with acceptable defects). Interfering stops are simply removed; the missing ones are substituted. The installation pitch of the support pins is taken so that the thickest pipe used fits between them. A concrete slab can be poured directly onto the ground in some inappropriate place on the construction site, for example. where the foundation of the shed will be (inside, not under the tape!) or, say, a cesspool. Brand of ready-made solution – from M250; reinforcement is at least 2-tier. The holes to the pins are formed with wooden sticks, wrapped in film or generously greased with grease (worse). Pins for a concrete slab must be made with shanks as long as the thickness of the slab; You can also use simple round pins from sections of thick-walled pipe or steel rod.

The “earth” modification of the bending plate is shown in the center and on the right in Fig. Supports/stops – pipes or wooden stakes driven into the ground. On such a “machine” you can bend up to 5-6 greenhouse arcs from a pipe up to 16x15x2 at a time. An important feature: the pipe must be passed around the stops slowly, in several steps, otherwise due to the release of voltage, a defect is possible - a reverse wave. The film on it will be wiped all the time, and it is unlikely that it will be possible to install the polycarbonate coating efficiently. The laid arcs are left in the “machine” for a day (preferably up to a week) so that the residual stresses in the metal of the pipe “resolve” (relax) and the profile of the arcs does not “spill” beyond the permissible limits.

Note: based on a bending plate, you can make a universal support-and-thrust manual machine for bending pipes and rods, see video:

Video: homemade universal bending machine

Conductor

An “earth bending slab” is essentially a bending template – a jig. Using solid conductors, pipes are bent to medium and large radii (items A and B in the figure); possibly with variable bend radius. In this case, the ends of the workpiece on the template are pulled together while the metal relaxes with a double bowstring, which is tightly twisted with a piece of rod inserted in the middle.

Bending along a jig is possible without using production space if you hang the template on the wall. Then the workpiece is fixed with a clamp and a hand winch (pos. B). Bending along an alternating radius is possible; for this, the pipe is clamped in the concavities of the profile with counter-templates. For bending pipes by tracing along the conductor, see also the story:

Video: do-it-yourself jig for cold forging from A to Z

Word and rollers and rollers

The heart of all pipe bending tools and accessories described below are profiled rollers and rollers. It is these details that primarily determine the quality of the bend. If a good-looking machine bends a 20x40x2 pipe along a radius of 2 m with a wave and/or a “propeller,” the wrong rollers are 99% to blame.

Profiles, dimensional parameters and installation relationships for rollers and rollers of pipe bending devices are shown in the figure:

Grooves and ridges in the grooves (working grooves) of rollers/rollers for profile pipes are needed to disperse process stresses in such a way as to eliminate the “bun” on the bending sides and the general “propeller”. The width of the grooves and ridges in the roller grooves for wide pipes (on the right in the figure) is within 5-10 mm. This is still not enough for a guarantee from the “propeller”, see below. Below in Fig. The device of the lever-handle for manual roller pipe benders is also shown. The rollers are secured with nuts to prevent them from falling out by the threaded shanks of the axles, but pressing the axle into the oblique groove when turning the lever greatly reduces the ability of the roller to “make a wave.” If you make grooves with a pitch of 20 mm (for reasons of strength), then, having 2-4 replaceable small rollers of different diameters, you can quickly reconfigure the tool to R IZG somewhere in the range of 20-120 mm with a step of 10 mm, which for practical purposes the goals are quite enough. Numerically expressed dimensions in Fig. are given in the table:

But what is not necessary for the rollers of a pipe bender for arcs made of corrugated pipe is “cosmic” precision - in work they are rolled to the mirror, like rails under the wheels of a train. Therefore, firstly, the rollers of a pipe bending machine for small profiles with large radii (mostly for greenhouse arcs) can be assembled from plywood disks (see figure). Then the radius of the rollers along the stream R must be at least (0.2-0.25) R IZG, otherwise the pipe may “lick” the stream, and the machine will jam, and the workpiece will be “screwed up”.

Secondly, durable steel rollers/rollers for small and large radii can be made without turning:

Video: rollers for pipe bender without lathe

and even without welding and turning:

and the rollers of a simple pipe bender for greenhouse arcs in manual broaching are made of bearings:

Roller

Manual rolling pipe benders come in 3-roller (with a pressure roller) and 2-roller (with a sliding pipe stop). Rollers here and there need to be turned according to the profile (precision is normal machine-building), therefore, of course, a 3-roller pipe bender (see figure below) will cost more, but if you do not tear the lever sharply, at the minimum R for a given pipe, the bend will give a clean defect-free bending. The working force on the lever of a 3-roller pipe bender is less than on the lever of a tool with a stop, but 3-roller bending to size is impossible - the pipe noticeably stretches behind the bypass roller, so pre-measured valuable workpieces are bent into bends and rolls by a 2-roller.

The device of a 2-roller pipe bender is shown on the left in the following. Fig., and in the center and on the right there are drawings of 2 of its options for metalwork, household and installation and repair work: tabletop and removable for installation in a vice. Please note: using a removable pipe bender with a horizontal plate is much more convenient. Therefore, many amateurs attach corners from 60x60x3 to the underside of the slab in a T-shape and clamp the device in a vice. But - only if their jaws are made of steel or gray or white tool cast iron. And now the sale is full of beautiful, chocolate-like vices made of raw cast iron. With a relatively small force, the sponges break off very well.

Note: Additionally, how to make a roller pipe bender for profile pipes without turning yourself, see the video:

Video: a simple pipe bender in 2 hours without lathe

Crossbow

A crossbow-type pipe bender is essentially a bending press, operating on the principle of pushing a workpiece between a pair of turned profiled rollers, which in this case are the press matrix. Therefore, hand-held crossbow pipe benders with a rack-and-pinion ratchet drive are rare: after the 3-4th bend of a dozen copper pipe, the hand already gets tired. Most crossbow pipe benders are equipped with a hydraulic drive with pumping by hand or an electric pump. Let’s say right away: there is no particular point in making a crossbow pipe bender yourself. The reason is not the turned rollers and/or hydraulics, but its main part: the punch (shoe). It is completely unrealistic to place the equipment necessary for its manufacture at home or in a garage and power it from a household electrical network. If you find an old worn-out shoe (and you need several of them), then instead of a more or less decent bend there will be tatters and rubble. Therefore, the purpose of this section is to help the reader choose a suitable crossbow pipe bender from those available for sale or for rent.

It can only be justified to independently manufacture a stationary crossbow pipe bender (item 1 in the figure) at the start of a micro-enterprise, respectively. profile. A set of shoes and a car jack from 10 tf for it will cost several times less than a finished piece of equipment, especially since the jack can be removed for its intended use. In such a case, the approximate dimensions of the installation frame are shown in pos. 2; its metal must withstand a breaking force of 10 tf, and a shear force of approx. up to 7 ts. But keep in mind: you can only do relatively small details. To bend the 6th pipe in the middle at 90 degrees, the entire machine will need to be raised above the floor by more than 1.7 m. Which means: a high ceiling, a strong supporting structure and a scaffold for the operator. And from the point of view of supervisory authorities, work at heights, which requires special licensing.

If you intend to buy a bending crossbow (trade name option), then it is better to buy one with a double corner frame and in a complete set (item 3): then purchasing additional shoes/rollers/rules individually will cost 2-4 times more. It is undesirable to take a tool with a straight frame (item 4), as this gives a taffy, which is noticeable in the advertising photo. The rows of roller mounting holes must be arranged with an angle of approx. at 150°, the top of which should fall on the center of curvature of the shoe at its working outlet. Then bending at 90° will be clean, and if the acceptable defects are acceptable, then the roll can also be bent.

As for the “cheap” tools with a single frame and sliding stops (item 5), this is frankly commercial hack. The bending force is hundreds of kgfs or tons, and the deviation of the bend from the plane (“whisker lifting”) due to frame misalignment can reach 3-5 mm/m, and there is a wave along the edges of the bend. This is not so scary; at first the tool bends satisfactorily. But soon the coating of the sliding jaws wears out, their metal becomes copper-plated, and there are burrs on the bend, or even a “bun” with visible cracks. In general, such a tool is for sale, but not for long-term regular work.

Dornovye

A mandrel is a bending template (conductor) to which the workpiece is not pressed, but is traced along its groove. Mandrel (bypass) pipe benders are used, firstly, if the bend of a small radius must be as clean and accurate as possible. For this purpose, the manual drive is made ratchet with reduction gear or electro-hydraulic. Manual lever mandrel pipe benders are used, secondly, if you need an inexpensive tool for quick bending of more than 90 o with satisfactory quality (staple blanks, rolls, coils).

The design and principle of operation of a manual mandrel pipe bender with a rotary jig and a gear-ratchet mechanism are shown on the left in the figure:

Roller

Rolling (broaching, roller) pipe bending machines are also known in 2 variants for a specific purpose: with a fixed and breaking table. Both, manual and machine-driven, are installed permanently or carried by vehicles for use at the place of work. They are usually used for bending profile pipes of rectangular cross-section along large radii, but round pipes can also be bent. The round timber arcs come out slightly bent with a screw (in a gentle spiral), but this defect in this case (round pipe) can be completely corrected during installation. But the “screw” of the professional pipe will definitely go with a “propeller”, which is simply invisible on a round pipe.

With fixed table

Roller pipe benders with a fixed table bend corrugated pipes over large radii without defects, exactly along the profile. Technological “tails” of the workpiece are not needed at the start and end of the process, i.e. It is possible to bend the profile to size. However, there is only one profile: a circular (single-radius) arc. In general, such bending machines are optimal for mass production of load-bearing arches of greenhouses, sheds, garages and other outbuildings, incl. at the customer's location.

The structure of a roller pipe bender is shown in the figure:

At the top left is its operating principle: the workpiece is placed on the lower rollers and pressed to the desired bending radius by the upper one, then the rollers are rotated until the “rear tail” comes out. The lower rollers are identical, this will ensure symmetrical spreading of technological stresses and, accordingly, clean, defect-free bending. The upper roller is usually made with a diameter 1.5-2.5 times larger than the lower ones; this speeds up rolling without significantly increasing the working force. When purchasing or designing a homemade pipe bender of this type, make sure that it has a bending radius scale, and that the installation grooves of the lower rollers are oblique in a “reverse herringbone” pattern (shown by green arrows). Without a radius scale, several workpieces will have to be damaged, and rollers in straight grooves, transverse or longitudinal (see below), can “shoot a wave” due to beating or displacement. During work, beware of asymmetrical installation or displacement of the rollers, then no amount of correct profiling will save them from the “propeller”. Drawings of a roller pipe bender for corrugated pipes up to 45 mm on the wide side are given in the figure:

The disadvantage of this design is that the lower rollers are installed in straight longitudinal grooves; it would be better to provide oblique ones, as shown in the inset there. The efficiency of reconfiguring the machine will not noticeably decrease, but asymmetry and adjustment failures in operation are excluded.

More about the drive

The symmetry of the drive force is also important primarily “from the propeller”. The symmetrical arrangement of the rollers in this case is not yet a completely sufficient measure.

For symmetrical spreading of process stresses, the drive roller must also be located symmetrically relative to the driven ones, i.e. The machine drive is needed on the central (upper) roller. If, for example, for ergonomic reasons, the drive is simply transferred to the lower roller (on the left in the figure), then the machine will sooner or later (or immediately) produce a “propeller” and, possibly, a wave at large radii.

In this case, both lower rollers need to be driven, synchronizing them with a rigid secondary drive, for example. chain, in the center. And it is best to make all the rollers the same and synchronize all 3. Rolling will slow down somewhat, but its fatal defects will be eliminated. If you replace the lever gate with a steering wheel, as in Fig. at the beginning of the section, and it’s heavier so that it works like a flywheel, then bending will work - “even for a rocket.”

With a breaking table

The working table of a roller pipe bender of this type consists of 2 parts: fixed and suspended on a hinge. The “hanging” part is supported by a jack, and the outgoing lower roller is installed on it. In this way, the bending radius of the pipe is precisely and smoothly set. The design is quite bulky and heavy, so it can only be installed permanently.

The distribution of technological stresses of the workpiece in a pipe bender with a breaking table is initially slightly asymmetrical. A simple measure to combat this is the only one, organizational: do not turn the drive too quickly, squeezing out productivity. But, firstly, you can bend not only to large, but also to medium radii: the adjustment limits R of the bend in a pipe bender with a breaking table are much wider. This circumstance is also significant when the table is stationary, so some master mechanics make roller pipe benders with a non-movable upper roller, and the installation of R IZG is carried out by lifting the outgoing rack and pinion mechanism, see fig.:

Secondly, having a qualified assistant, you can bend, for example, pointed semi-arches with a smoothly variable radius: one turns the drive (or adjusts the electric one), and the second pumps up the jack. Why extra beauty? True beauty is never in excess. For example, greenhouses on pointed arches are more than relevant in northern regions, where the Sun does not rise high even in summer. Note +15-20% increase in yield and 10-12% savings on lighting is already economic beauty, materially very tangible.

The structure, approximate dimensions and some design features of a roller pipe bending machine with a breaking table are shown in the figure:

Installing driven rollers sliding in longitudinal grooves is quite a valuable find. Expanding the range of adjustment of R IZG is, as they say, still seeds: by moving the lower rollers asymmetrically from the upper one, you can compensate for the asymmetry of stress spreading. In principle, after spending a lot of time and material on experiments, you can build a setting curve or table for different R IZGs, according to which the machine is adjusted for defect-free bending. True, the possibility of manufacturing semi-arches of variable radius will most likely disappear or be significantly narrowed. Which, of course, is not good.

Profile pipes are widely used in landscaping. They make strong gazebos, greenhouses, beautiful and reliable canopies over the porch of the house. The design of metal structures is united by the need for a bent profile, since the overwhelming number of metal structures of this type are in the shape of arches. Since a bent profile costs almost twice as much as a straight one, a pipe bender for a profile pipe, which can be made at home, comes to the aid of the thrifty owner.

Industrial pipe benders are used in production and industrial construction. Manufacturers offer ready-made machines for personal use. The simplest ready-made device for bending thin pipes or metal-plastic materials is a crossbow manual pipe bender. It is not used to work with the profile.

There are several methods and devices for obtaining a bent profile:

• manual bending, with or without guiding devices;
• using a lever profile bender;
• using a roller profile bender.

The simplest way to bend a pipe or metal rod is to drive guide pegs into the ground and bend the product along them with physical force. To prevent the profile from being deformed by creases during operation, it is filled with sand.

Template pipe bender. A life-size template is made from thick boards, fiberboard, or chipboard. To do this, knock together a shield, draw the required bending radius (semicircle) on it and cut out the corresponding segment of the circle.

Bending the pipe according to the template is carried out as follows:

• the template is fixed vertically on a plane or in a vice;
• one end of the pipe is fixed motionless with construction pins or in a vice at the beginning of the template;
• the free end of the pipe is pressed manually or using a winch, giving it a bend according to the template.

Note! To successfully use the template, its edge must be wider than the edge of the product being bent. The template pipe bender is suitable for products made of soft metal, small cross-section.

A more advanced version of the template pipe bender is a lever machine. The device is made on a metal frame. Different metal templates are attached to it in shifts (for soft materials these can be wooden or plastic templates) to obtain bends of different radii. The disadvantage of such devices is the limited profile bends obtained.

When performing various works with pipes, it is often necessary to bend them in a certain shape to solve certain problems. This is done using a specialized mechanical unit - a pipe bender. Next, we will look at how to make a manual pipe bender for a round profile pipe with your own hands; photos, videos and drawings will simplify the task and help you avoid mistakes.

One type of simple pipe bender

Of course, you can always buy an industrial version. But such equipment is quite difficult to use, and in terms of cost it cannot be called the most affordable. Therefore, as a rule, it is much more expedient to make a manual pipe bender for a profile pipe with your own hands; drawings and dimensions are presented below, so you should not have any difficulties. Various available tools will be useful for production. Such a tool is quite economical in terms of production and very functional.

So, we make the simplest pipe bender for a profile pipe with our own hands.

As a rule, in domestic or garage conditions, front-configuration equipment is made, structurally consisting of the following components:

• 3 steel rollers;
• drive chains;
• rotational axes;
• the mechanism that activates the components of the finished system;
• steel profiles required for the construction of the main structural parts.

Before you start making a pipe bender with your own hands for a profile pipe, study photos, videos, diagrams and drawings. You should be extremely careful when selecting and working (and especially their modification or adaptation) with drawings, since it is extremely important to achieve high accuracy and correctness of the design from an engineering point of view. You can use drawings from different models of pipe benders. But it’s better to take a simpler one, the optimal solution is a front-type machine.

Diagram of a simple pipe bender

Often, pipe benders are made with their own hands using wooden or polyurethane rollers. This decision should be approached carefully, since these materials are not always able to withstand the loads you need. It is necessary to build on the strength properties of corrugated pipes.

To build a pipe bender for a profile at home with your own hands, you need drawings of a model that suits you. Below is one of the varieties of this drawing, which you can use to produce this type of equipment:

Drawing of one of the bending machine models

To understand how to properly make a pipe bender with your own hands, watch the video, drawings and description of the operating technology. It is very important to understand the technological side of the process. Typically, such equipment operates on the principle of rolling or rolling, thereby minimizing the likelihood of fracture and damage to the pipe.

The pipe is placed between the installation shafts, after which the handle is turned. The technology is extremely simple, but it makes it possible to bend products according to clearly defined parameters and, as a result, obtain the ideal part for solving the task.

Bending system based on a jack

Everything you need to build a pipe bender for a profile pipe with your own hands in a garage using available funds - dimensions, drawings and photos can be downloaded in this material. We also recommend that you watch a video on YouTube about a pipe bender with your own hands, this will allow you to clearly see the entire manufacturing process and evaluate the possible difficulties in a particular case.

To create this tool you will need the following components:

• simple jack;
• profiles and a shelf made of durable steel (the frame will be constructed from them);
• very strong springs;
• 3 shafts;
• drive chain;
• other components (bolts and other small parts).

Variation of profile bending on a jack

We make a pipe bender for a professional pipe with our own hands (photos, drawings, pictures)

It is quite simple to build this kind of mechanical system, but it is extremely important to adhere to a clear sequence of actions and accuracy. Everything must strictly comply with the drawings, otherwise the tool will bend the profile incorrectly. To build a pipe bender for a profile pipe with your own hands, you need pictures and drawings, which you can download for free in this material.

The entire production process is divided into several key stages:

1. Preparing a reliable frame. Bolts and welding should be used to connect components.
2. Installation of the rotation axis and rollers. One shaft is installed below the other two. The distance between the axes of the shafts is determined by the bending angle of the pipe. At this stage, it is important to install the elements strictly according to the drawing.
3. The mechanical part is driven by a chain-type transmission. Its design should have 3 gears. It is not necessary to use a new chain; you can take an old one from any equipment.
4. A handle is installed on one of the shafts, making it quite easy to rotate it with light movements without much effort. The handle is one of the key components of the mechanism for generating the required torque.

How to make a horizontal pipe bender for a profile pipe with your own hands - video and instructions

There is nothing complicated in the procedure for constructing such equipment; the main thing is to follow simple rules and drawings.

The manufacturing process involves performing the following sequence of actions:

1. Install the rings, gears and bearings onto the pressure shaft. Connections are made using a keyway method. Initially, it is necessary to draw all the named elements, then turn them on a lathe. The design will have 3 shafts (2 on the sides and 1 suspended on a spring).
2. Make holes in the rings to create grooves and threads.
3. Make a shelf (for the production of this part a channel is used, preferably strong and massive). In the latter, also make holes and cut threads to make it possible to install the pressure shaft.
4. Assemble components into a single system. To connect, use bolts and a welding machine. First, assemble the frame, which also serves as the legs of the unit.
5. Hang the shelf with the pressure shaft fixed on it. At this point you will need good springs. Install the support shafts on the sides. A handle should be installed on one of the latter.
6. At the final stage, the jack is installed on the equipment.

For a better understanding of the process, watch how a homemade pipe bender is made from a jack for a profile pipe with your own hands - video on YouTube:

From the above we conclude that making a rolling pipe bender with your own hands from scrap materials is quite simple.

But the manufacturing process is characterized by certain subtleties that should be taken into account:

• the pressure shaft attached by means of keys must also be screwed to the shelf;
• in the process of fixing the pressure shaft, perform the actions in the following sequence: before mounting the shaft to the shelf, it is necessary to weld nuts to it, to which the springs will cling; upon completion of installation, you need to turn the shelf over and hang it using springs of suitable strength;
• A magnetic corner that functions as a holder is perfect for tensioning the chain;
• the stars are twisted using dowels (to make the latter, use a Grover);
• provide a scrolling tube on the drive handle, this will make working much more convenient and easier;
• The installation of the jack must be carried out on a suspended platform (to make all connections, we again use ordinary bolts or a welding machine where necessary).

Making a hydraulic pipe bender for a profile pipe with your own hands (drawings and video)

This page contains all the required information, after studying which you can build a simple pipe bender with a jack with your own hands (drawings, photos, videos and instructions). Many craftsmen, especially at the professional level, build a unit equipped with a hydraulic drive, as this increases functionality. But, producing such equipment is somewhat more difficult in comparison with the option discussed above. This is a rather labor-intensive process. Therefore, we recommend that you watch a video that demonstrates in detail the manufacturing process of this device.

How to assemble a universal pipe bender with your own hands - watch the video:

Based on the design and drawing of this unit, we highlight the components included in its design:

• hydraulic jack (must be designed for loads weighing over 5 tons);
• shoe;
• 2-3 videos;
• durable steel channel;
• thick steel plates and other elements.

To achieve the required bending parameters of the product on such a homemade machine, it should be placed in the shoe, secured on both sides. Then a jack is used, the lifting rod of which exerts pressure on the shaft. The latter, in turn, directly influences the fixed product, gradually performing the required bending. Once the pipe has been bent to the predetermined specifications, it can be dismantled. To do this, it is enough to turn the jacking mechanism back a little to relax the entire system.

Painted pipe bending machine

Shafts for the mechanism

Bearings with gears

Profile bending frame

Press roller

Movable platform of the clamp shaft

Shaft fixation

Drive chain with tensioner

Assembled machine

How to make a simple mini pipe bender for fittings at home with your own hands - step-by-step instructions:

1. Based on photographs or drawings, make a structure suitable for fixing the shoe, shafts and frame of the future system.
2. Fix the steel plate on the bottom platform where the jack will be mounted. Secure everything with bolts and install the drive handle.
3. It is extremely important to select the appropriate rollers for the pipe. It is necessary to ensure a tight grip of the product. If you can’t find ready-made ones, you can make homemade ones. The shoe is installed under the rollers. The location of the latter relative to each other is established based on the bending radius required in a particular case.
4. To secure the shafts with the shoe, make bolted connections. The drawing below contains all the hole parameters.

Variation of the pipe bender drawing

Technological aspects of the bending process

By following simple tips, you will avoid problems and mistakes during the bending process. Hydraulic units allow you to bend corrugated pipe from almost any material, including those with walls of quite significant thickness. There are hot and cold methods of bending products.

A type of device with a jack

The easiest way is to use the cold bending method. This technology is suitable for products made of plastic materials. The peculiarity is that the corrugated pipe must first be filled with sand, salt, oil or cold water. Due to this, it is possible to significantly improve the quality of bending, eliminating damage to the product.

If you plan to bend a thick-walled pipe, you should use the hot method.

Various shafts for different types of pipes

• In a manual machine, the absence of sprockets is allowed. The device can be built on a single drive roller. The clamping screw can be replaced with a jack.
• Use steel hooks to prevent the corrugated pipe from slipping during pattern bending.
• If you need to achieve a large bending radius, you should use a machine equipped with 3 rollers.
• To achieve the versatility of the device, it is worth ensuring the mobility of the thrust rollers. This will allow you to adjust the radius.

Watch the following video to understand how a budget DIY profile pipe bender works (YouTube):

To achieve maximum bending accuracy, it is recommended to use a special template. It is easy to make from wood. This solution allows you to achieve perfect accuracy even on the simplest homemade machine.