How to Bend Metal Tubing with Sand

Fill metal tubing with sand to prevent kinks

A common problem when bending metal tubing is the kinking or flattening that can occur in the radius of the bend. You can avoid this problem by using a mechanical or hydraulic tubing bender, but these tools are expensive and require experience to operate them properly. However, there is another way to bend metal tubing that only requires dry sand and heat.

Things You'll Need

• Metal tubing
• Duct tape
• Fine, dry sand
• Table-mounted vise
• Leather work gloves
• MAPP gas torch
• Striker

Instructions

1. Cover one end of the metal tubing with duct tape.

2. Alternate pouring fine, dry sand into the open end of the metal tubing and banging the duct taped end on a hard surface until the metal tubing is filled with sand.

3. Enclose the other end of the metal tubing with duct tape as described and secure one end of the metal tubing in the table-mounted vise.

4. Put on your leather work gloves and light the MAPP gas torch with the striker.

5. Evenly heat the area of the metal tubing you will be bending with the MAPP gas torch. Heat all around the metal tubing.

6. Bend the tubing with a gloved hand when the surface of the metal tubing glows bright orange.

7. Allow the metal tubing to cool before removing the duct tape and pouring out the sand.

References

• Fire and Hammers: Tutorial #3: How to bend tubing
• NOMMA.org: Conquering the Tight Bend