How to Bend Aluminum Pipe
Aluminum pipe is used to create a wide variety of forms and supports: bicycle handles, boat deck railings and custom canopy supports are just some of the projects that may require you to bend aluminum pipe. Aluminum pipe is harder to bend than other types of pipes; however, you can do it using relatively simple tools. Large aluminum pipes may require you to use specialized machines, like a mandrel or a section roller, to create a bend. You can bend pipes 3 inches or less in diameter using the method described here.
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Things You'll Need
- 2- by 4-inch wood boards Jigsaw Sandpaper Metal file Clamps Heavy dowel Small piece of 3/4-inch plywood Metal strapping Duct tape Nails Hammer Sand Aluminum pipe
Instructions
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1
Lay your 2- by 4-inch pieces of wood flat on your work surface, with the narrow edge of each board butted against the next to form a "sheet" of them. This sheet needs to be wide enough and long enough for you to trace the pattern of your bend on it.
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2
Trace the bend you want in your pipe onto the 2-by-4s. The pattern for your bend shoul be one pipe-width smaller than the actual bend that you want.
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3
Attach your small piece of plywood over your 2-by-4s so it acts like a gusset and holds them together. Nail the plywood into place, making sure that the edges of the plywood do not extend past the pattern you have traced on your 2-by-4s.
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4
Using your jigsaw, cut your 2-by-4s along the pattern you traced. Sand the edges, if necessary. This creates the jig you will use to make your bend.
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5
Seal one end of your aluminum pipe with duct tape. Your pipe should be approximately 1 foot longer than the finished length of the bend that you want. Fill the pipe with sand, stopping 1 foot from the end. Insert your heavy dowel into the end of the pipe until you hit the sand; tape the heavy dowel firmly into place.
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6
Align the duct-taped end (not the one with the dowel protruding) with the edge of your wooden jig. Use the metal strapping to hold the very end of your pipe to your jig, making sure that no more than the first 2 inches of the pipe are attached to the jig with the strapping.
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7
Firmly clamp your jig to your work surface. You should be able to easily grab the heavy dowel and pull toward your body to bend your pipe over your jig. Pull the dowel slowly and evenly; the sand inside the pipe will keep the pipe from kinking as you are bending it.
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When you are done bending your pipe, release the strapping, remove the dowel, and unseal the end of the pipe to drain the sand. Cut off the excess pipe, and file down any sharp edges.
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Tips & Warnings
If you are making a tight-arc bend, nail pieces of 2-by-4 along the pipe as you bend it to prevent it from "kicking" backward and out of shape.
Before bending your pipe, perform several test pulls to make sure both the clamps on your jig and the strapping on the pipe will hold under the pressure of the bend. If there is any movement, undo the clamps and strapping; redo them and test again until you are sure the jig will remain firmly and safely in place during the bend.
Resources
- Photo Credit www.ultrafabrication.com
