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Looking for help on bending up a large hard line

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by XXL__, Jan 30, 2013.

  1. XXL__
    Joined: Dec 28, 2009
    Posts: 2,117

    XXL__
    Member

    With so many fabricator geniuses on this board, I'm hoping to hook one...

    I want to run a hard line for part of the heater as it comes out of the water pump, so am looking for someone who can bend a 5/8" hard line for me. I tried a couple of the brake parts suppliers who sell brake lines in the magazines, but none handled anything this large in diameter.

    Since this is a fluid line, I'd like to make it out of stainless, and since I'll be welding (brazing?) a couple of brackets on it, I suppose the wall needs to be decent enough that it can be welded (maybe 0.049" ??). Total material required would be about 30". It's got 4 bends, and the finished piece after bends measures roughly 18" x 8" x 4". I mocked up the piece using some scrap 3/8" brake line so I can provide you dimensions as well as the mock-up for you to bend from. Anyone interested? If so, please PM so we can discuss how much this little project will cost me.
     
  2. Topless Ford
    Joined: Feb 10, 2007
    Posts: 560

    Topless Ford
    Member

    Start out with a piece longer than what you need. Pack it firmly with sand and somehow cap the ends. Bend away.....You will probably need heat though.
     
  3. How do you plan to address the vibration issue? You going to have part of it rubber where it connects to the firewall?
     
  4. saltflats
    Joined: Aug 14, 2007
    Posts: 12,592

    saltflats
    Member
    from Missouri

    I dont know if you would want heat stainless ?
     

  5. lht
    Joined: Jan 18, 2013
    Posts: 243

    lht
    Member

    harbor freight sells a hydraulic pipe bender with dies 3/4 inch to 2 1/2 for 69.99 iv'e got one works great but for thin stuff you gotta pack it with sand or it will look like a elephants trunk
     
  6. 226 flattie
    Joined: Jan 6, 2009
    Posts: 307

    226 flattie
    Member
    from orange,ca

    XML what part of California are you in ? There's a company in Santa Ana that I had bend up stainless tubing for the same purpose . I can't remember the name but I drive by it everyday . I can get you the information tomorrow .
     
  7. 226 flattie
    Joined: Jan 6, 2009
    Posts: 307

    226 flattie
    Member
    from orange,ca

    Pm me some measurements and ill see if I have any extras.
     
  8. 226 flattie
    Joined: Jan 6, 2009
    Posts: 307

    226 flattie
    Member
    from orange,ca

    XML, try performance tube bending & fabrication in irwindale ,ca (626)939-9000 fax(626)939-9006 .
     
  9. If you get no love there try a good refrigeration machnic. A shop that does commercial installaion should have a tubing bender in 5/8 that will handle your tubing.
     
  10. Hot Rod Jerry
    Joined: Oct 23, 2011
    Posts: 205

    Hot Rod Jerry
    Member

    Any electrician can bend conduit, might try them.
     
  11. john walker
    Joined: Sep 11, 2008
    Posts: 1,137

    john walker
    Member

    1.5" radius on 5/8 won't be easy. maybe find something that's already bent , like a section of an old kitchen chair or a fancy lamp at goodwill and use a section.
     
  12. 5_guy
    Joined: Jul 28, 2011
    Posts: 162

    5_guy
    Member
    from Upland, CA

    You can try www.bonacoinc.com, I have as well as many builders of all types (Off Road, Hot Rods, Boats, etc) great people to do biz with.
     
  13. I agree-
    There's no way you'll be able to get 5/8 tube bent on 1-1/2 radius, Especially stainless.
    I did some searching quickly and found several suppliers of stainless steel weld fittings, 90* and 45* in 1/2" and 3/4" but no 5/8".
     
  14. tommy
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 14,757

    tommy
    Member Emeritus

    [​IMG]

    They make hand benders for 5/8" copper tubing. Ask around with any plumbers or fitters in your area. Ive done it and it only works well with hard tubing and not annealed tubing. 94 bucks for this one. Do a google search.
     
  15. dreracecar
    Joined: Aug 27, 2009
    Posts: 3,476

    dreracecar
    Member
    from so-cal

    RBS Superchargers

    scroll down to hard lines and they have pretty tight radious bends. could give you some direction as to who does it.
    What I have found is that it would be more common in 3/4 stainless and just step down on the ends to 5/8
     
  16. My Ridgid 1/2" bender has a 1 1/2" radius, and it looks like the Ridgid 5/8 bender is a ratchet type with a 3" radius.
     

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  17. budssuperpro
    Joined: Jul 30, 2008
    Posts: 391

    budssuperpro
    Member

    James try Thermoking right next to I-70 2 miles west of Boonville, they rebuild and work on refrig on Big truck. they might just have what you need.

    Bud
     
  18. AREA51SD
    Joined: Jul 1, 2009
    Posts: 97

    AREA51SD
    Member

    Give Doug at Horse Power Engineering a call at (626) 440-0440. He can do tight radius center bend on stainless. He did some 5/8" stainless u bends with
    1.5" center to center.
     
  19. That would be a 0.4375 radius bend in 5/8 tube?

    1.5 c/c u bend
    - less 0.375 x2 or 0.625
    .875 diameter die x 5/8" i or 0.4375 bend radius

    I wouldn't think that's possible
     
  20. mr crocket
    Joined: Feb 9, 2009
    Posts: 70

    mr crocket
    Member

    I just saw something very interesting on a "how they make it" show which might help to do this,crazy bends on musical instrument French horn I believe. They filled tube with hot pitch (tar) let it cool and bent it around a form The tar kept it from collapsing they where doing some radical bends then just reheat and tar flows out little cleaning and done. They where using brass but worked like a charm
     
  21. dreracecar
    Joined: Aug 27, 2009
    Posts: 3,476

    dreracecar
    Member
    from so-cal

    Was not tar but a mixture of soap and water that they would freeze, the soap did not harden completely and made it plyable.

    Do you know why most french horn players get divorced?
    Their wives dont liked to be kissed with a fist in their rearends
     
  22. boo
    Joined: Jul 6, 2005
    Posts: 580

    boo
    Member
    from stuart,fl.

    a friend of mine that worked at GM for years making proto types ,then he retired and moved to town and rented a shop from me. he had some metal that he made dies and tooling with that melted at 212 deg. he would put it in a can and put the can in boiling water and it would melt. i looked it up on google one time and one of its main use was to bend tight raduses in tubing, melt it fill the tupe bend w/out distortion then heat rubing in water and pour out the metal. its an amazing metal, he used to make dies out of wood and then pour it into to make die. he died a few years ago and i got the metal, but havent done anything w/it yet. cant remember the name of it. it's very heavy like lead but not soft like lead.
     
  23. dreracecar
    Joined: Aug 27, 2009
    Posts: 3,476

    dreracecar
    Member
    from so-cal

    Most tight radious bends are pushed thru a cavity die and then they split the die to remove the bend. That way the metal compresses to shape instead of streching.
     
  24. MEDDLER1
    Joined: Jun 1, 2006
    Posts: 1,590

    MEDDLER1
    Member

    Not sure where in norcal you are but I have had hose & ftgs. In west sac make me some pretty complex bends for compressors. Also I have some benders of my own and can do 1/2" copper or stainless. I even have some soft copper I could try on post up your diagram or pm it to me maybe I can help.
     
  25. earlyv8
    Joined: Jan 13, 2007
    Posts: 194

    earlyv8
    Member
    from oklahoma

    Tough try to bend 1/2" stainless with bends that tight.

    What I did, was cut and weld 90 degree (cuts 45 degrees times 2) turns in the stainless with TIG. You can leave the weld showing or smoth it so the weld disappears.

    Mounted the tubing down front of sbc, using front motor mount holes to attach lower end and 90 degree hoses to connect to stainless tubng run down frame.

    A bit time consuming but it worked out. I am running heater hose through toe board to VA ac/heater.

    To keep hose from slipping off, I formed a drift the same size internally to the tube, with a radius on the step. Using a hammer, it swells the tube then with grinder and emory flap wheel, I smoothed the tubing end to not cut the hose but keep it from slippin off.

    My home solution to the task.

    Jack
     
  26. MEDDLER1
    Joined: Jun 1, 2006
    Posts: 1,590

    MEDDLER1
    Member

    I could be wrong but I think those ftgs are designed aluminum tube. maybe thats why it came apart? They look similar to some fuel stuff I had once. The mild steel wont crush to the ferrule most likely.
     
  27. MEDDLER1
    Joined: Jun 1, 2006
    Posts: 1,590

    MEDDLER1
    Member

    If I remember right the nut crushes the back of the ferrule against the tube.
     
  28. yruhot
    Joined: Dec 17, 2009
    Posts: 564

    yruhot
    Member

    xxl, I did somthing similar on my 57 chevy pickup. I installed a/c under dash behind glove box and being a HVAC guy I used what I was familiar wih and used copper tubing and short radius fittings. I figured it held up under 400 psi plus 15 lbs of water would be no problem. used silver solder of joints and had great flexibility and went where ever I needed to go. I ran it straight out the passedger wheel well and up to the top of the inside of the fender alongside the other a/c lines. Wrapped up everything with some industrial strength foam insulation and mounted to the fender bolts underneath,I used one hole type clamps that were rubber insulated. Been in there for like 5 years and no problem and really cleaned up the engine compartment. It's kinda funny cause people see the compressor in there and start looking for the lines where they went.lol. Hope this helps, worked great for me, yruhot............Doug
     
  29. saltflats
    Joined: Aug 14, 2007
    Posts: 12,592

    saltflats
    Member
    from Missouri

    Those fittings are not compression fittings thay are flair fittings you would need to slide the nut then the sleeve on the tube and then flair the tube too 37deg.
     
  30. saltflats
    Joined: Aug 14, 2007
    Posts: 12,592

    saltflats
    Member
    from Missouri

    Ya that sounds like life in the fast lane
     

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