We bend the profile pipe at home without a pipe bender in several ways. Bend a profile pipe at home Make arcs from a profile pipe

July 24, 2016
Specialization: Capital construction works(laying the foundation, erecting walls, constructing the roof, etc.). Internal construction works (laying of internal communications, rough and fine finishing). Hobbies: mobile communication, high technologies, computer equipment, programming.

Recently it occurred to me to make a gazebo out of rolled metal suburban area, but not simple, but with frills and fashionable bends to brag to friends and acquaintances and surprise them with something. For this, bent parts were needed, but I didn’t bring a pipe bender from the city and didn’t want to go after it (I already took a little cognac for mood). Therefore, I had to get out of the situation and decide how to bend the profile pipe at home.

Features of bending profile pipes

If you recently began to do something around the house with your own hands, you may not understand the importance of the problem. Indeed, what is difficult there: rot it to yourself with a hammer in any direction and that's it.

However, it is not so easy to give a profiled pipe a smooth and curved configuration, while retaining all its technical characteristics. This is usually done with a special tool under pressure in a cold or hot way.

The bottom line is that two forces simultaneously act on a rectangular profile when bending:

compression - from the inside;
stretching - from the outside.

As a result, several difficulties arise, due to which the locksmith comes up with various tricks for bending pipes:

Rolled metal in the process of mechanical action can change its shape, as well as lose alignment separate parts. As a result, the edges of the part will lie in different planes, which will not allow it to be used during installation.
The outer wall, which is stretched during the bending process, may not withstand the mechanical load and crack, losing the necessary strength.
The inner wall, on the contrary, will contract incorrectly and form folds, resembling a corrugated pipe in their appearance.

In principle, I have repeatedly met with cases when an incorrectly bent workpiece is simply crushed, after which it can only be thrown into scrap metal. This leads to an unjustified increase in construction costs, which is similar to death for a zealous owner.

That is why you should not immediately rush into battle with pipe cuts, but study pipe bending technologies. And they, by the way, directly depend on specifications rental used. I want to talk about this further so that you understand the whole mechanics of the process.

Influence of material characteristics on the choice of bending method

If you do not know yet, then I inform you that the concept of "profile pipe" includes pipes of all geometric shapes, including round ones. But for ease of understanding, it is customary to call only products of the following forms:

square;
rectangular;
oval;
flat oval.

This is due to the fact that a metal round pipe is used to design water and gas transmission systems, as it is ideal for this and has strong walls that can withstand significant pressure well.

Pipes of other shapes are more used in construction to create various structures and design furnishings. Further, I will only talk about square pipes, since I am going to use them for construction.

So, there are also many square pipes in the store. They differ from each other in cross section and wall thickness. And these two parameters, in turn, affect the minimum angle at which square rolled metal can be bent without damaging it.

I do not want and will not now go into engineering subtleties and features that home craftsmen do not need for nothing. I can only say that in order to determine the minimum bending radius, you need to know the cross section of the pipe.

The radius is defined like this:

for thin pipes, the cross section of which does not exceed 20 mm, the pipe must be bent in a section 2.5 times greater than the height of the profile;
for thick pipes, bending must be done in a section 3.5 times larger, otherwise the metal will crack on the outside or wrinkle on the inside.

For wall thickness. Personally, I do not advise bending large pipes with too thin walls, otherwise the parts will lose alignment.
It is better to use a grinder and a welding machine.

Before bending a profile pipe, it would be useful to know that the carbon steel pipes you use tend to spring back a little, that is, return to shape after the impact stops. Therefore, in order to bend the pipe under the desired radius, plasticity must be taken into account, making the bend a little larger than necessary according to the drawing or pattern.

Pipe bending methods

In general, I decided that it’s enough to load your heads with theory (although you can’t do without it). Therefore, I will go directly to how to bend a profile pipe at home.

Quite often in my practice, I bent profile pipes, while heating the bend with a blowtorch. High temperature increases the plasticity of the material and reduces the risk of damage to the part.

But if for construction you use thin rolled metal of a small section, you do not need to resort to additional tricks. Square pipes and so will take the shape you need. Of course, if you approach this matter with due skill.

I cannot give you unambiguous advice on when to use heat and when not. I will only say that the current building regulations it is stipulated that heating a round (not square) pipe is mandatory if its diameter exceeds 10 cm.

However, I will give my own considerations, which have developed as a result of many years of work at construction sites:

if the pipe section does not exceed 1 cm, I would not even mention any heating;
in cases where the pipe cross section is more than 4 cm, I would still advise using a blowtorch so as not to spoil expensive rolled metal;
between the two extremes above, decide for yourself.

You can try to bend the pipe by holding one end in a vise. If, when applying force, the pipe bends easily and does not wrinkle, you can not heat it. If it's hard to bend, warm it up. I'll tell you about that, and about that way.

Hot bending of profiled pipes

I'll start with hot bending, as more difficult. To avoid deformation of the pipe, its cavity must be filled with sand. In this case, you will get a detail, appearance which will satisfy even the most strict OTC master (inspired from the past).

The process of hot bending of a profiled pipe is as follows:

From suitable pieces of wood (I take two blocks) I grind out two plugs that are suitable in size for the existing pipe. They should fit snugly into the side holes of the part and not hang out.
Then, on the side of the plugs, I select small grooves through which hot gases and a bent metal pipe will be vented to the outside.
The section that will be bent is pre-annealed.
Then I prepare the filler, the role of which is played by pure river sand (although, in principle, any fine-grained sand can be used).

Sand is poured into the pipe according to the following scheme:

I plug one end of the pipe with a cork;
I pre-calcined the sand with a blowtorch;
I pour sand into a workpiece installed perpendicular to the ground or at an angle;
while falling asleep, I tap on the pipe so that the grains of sand are distributed evenly, leaving no voids;
after the blank is completely filled, I close the second end of the pipe with a cork.

I recommend sifting sand before use, getting rid of gravel and small pebbles. First you need to use a large sieve, and then a fine one, with a mesh size of 0.7 mm, to get rid of dusty particles.
If this is not done, the sand will bake inside the pipe and it will be problematic to pour it out from there.

After filling the filler, I turn to bending. To do this, I clamp the workpiece with one end in a vice and mark with chalk the place that will need to be bent. The part must be fixed so that the weld seam of the pipe (if it is not seamless) is on the side. Otherwise, it may burst.
With a blowtorch, I heat the desired area to a dark cherry color and give the pipe the desired shape. This should be done with a quick but smooth movement, making sure that the bending is done in the same plane.

After the metal cools down, I knock out the plugs and pour the sand out of the pipes. If wooden blocks I can’t knock them out, I burn them with a blowtorch.

I will immediately warn you that this method is suitable if you need to bend the workpiece under a certain (not very large) radius in one place. That is, the metal will have to be heated only once.

Otherwise, constant temperature fluctuations will violate the strength of rolled metal and the part may simply burst.

Cold bending

It is possible to bend a profiled pipe without heating it with or without filler. If the section of the part does not exceed 10 mm, you can do without filling the cavity. It is better to pour sand into a large pipe.

Sometimes profiled pipes I bent using a dense spring of the right size. It is placed in the cavity of the pipe, after which it is bent at the desired angle, without fear of displacement of the axes of the part.

In this case, it is important to choose the correct spring size. It should enter the pipe tightly, but move freely. Otherwise, then this part may not be available.

If you need to bend the pipe to the desired radius, and there is no blowtorch at hand, I suggest using another method, which I also had to resort to. To implement it, you will need a grinder with a disc for cutting metal and a welding machine.

The scheme of work is as follows:

It is necessary to calculate in advance the radius of the bend of the pipe and the segment that will be bent.
Cuts should be made along the length of this section on one side, leaving one side of the pipe intact. The number of these cuts depends on how small the bend radius needs to be.
After that, thanks to the resulting cuts, you can easily bend the part by holding one end of it in a vice.
The next step is welding the damaged areas using an electric or gas welding machine.
Once the seams have cooled, they can be cleaned and welded.

Use of special equipment

All of the methods described above can be used if there is a small amount of work to be done. However, when giving a smooth bend to a large number of parts, you will have to use specialized equipment. You can make your own, buy or rent.

I’ll tell you about this in a little more detail, since there are quite a lot of questions of this kind, so I consider the topic relevant.

The simplest manual pipe benders

At one time, I had to bend a considerable amount of rolled metal, so even offhand I can give many examples of simple bending devices. As I said, the specific mechanism depends on the pipe section, wall thickness and the required bending radius.

For home craftsmen who have decided to build an arched structure from profiled pipes, I offer the following options:

Thin profiled pipes can be bent using a horizontal steel plate with drilled holes. Pins are inserted into them, which play the role of stops when giving the workpiece the desired shape.

It is necessary to place the pipe between the stops and bend it at the desired angle. You need to start from the middle of the part and move to the edges. As a result, it is possible to bend the pipe, but you will not achieve the ideal shape, and you will have to apply a lot of force.

I recommend bending pipes of medium thickness with the help of rollers interconnected like a Volnov machine. In this case, the part must be fixed in a vice, and then the workpiece must be bent using special rollers.
The quality of the bend is better than the technology described in the first paragraph. However, given the thickness and cross section of the workpiece, you need to be a strong athlete to bend the parts. Especially if there are a lot of them.

To bend parts under a small radius (for example, arches for a gazebo), you can use home-made patterns with a groove at the end and a collar for which the pipe is hooked.

As in all previous cases, bending requires considerable physical effort. But the part takes the ideal shape, due to the configuration of the sample.

bending plate

If you like DIY and often use shaped pipes, I recommend taking the time to make a stationary bending plate that will help you bend any square and rectangular pipes to the desired angle.

It may take the form of a mobile panel, which is attached with clamps to work. working surface. Also, the slab can be welded to a channel or rail, concreted into the floor of the workshop.

The scheme for manufacturing a universal bending plate is as follows:

The basis for the fixture will be a thick metal plate. It is better to take thicker metal so that the device does not deform when bending thick pipes of large cross section.
It is necessary to cut or drill several holes in the plate, where to insert the bolts, which will serve as stops for bending the pipes at the desired angle.
The bending radius of the pipe during operation can be adjusted with nozzles of a suitable diameter, which are put on the bolts.
To maintain the alignment of the workpieces while working on them, you can install another plate that prevents the part from bending in a different plane.

Mandrel for pipe bending

This locksmith fixture is used to process pipes whose cross section does not exceed 2.5 cm. To make it, you will need a workbench and a large free space around it. On one edge of the work surface of the workbench, you need to drill a lot of holes in different places which are needed to secure the support bolts.

In addition, you will need a piece of thick plywood, along which the workpiece will be bent. The shape of the part after processing will exactly match the diameter along which the plywood was cut.

The disadvantage of this solution is that you need to change the template every time you need to bend the pipe to a different radius.

The scheme of work with such a mandrel is as simple as possible:

The end of the pipe is fixed between the bolt and the mandrel (pattern), which, in turn, is tightly attached to the workbench using several clamps.
After that, you just need to bend the pipe, resting it on the pattern.
If the workpiece is short, a pipe of a larger section (or diameter) can be put on its end, which will play the role of a lever.

Manual bending machine

If you are going to open your own business for the manufacture of arched structures from profile pipes, all manual fixtures will not suit you. After a few days of work, your hands will simply fall off, so it’s better to mechanize the whole process right away.

For bending pipes in this case, it is better to use a home-made or purchased bending machine, consisting of two fixed and one movable roller. By adjusting the position of the latter, you can change the bending radius of a square or rectangular pipe. Although the price of the machine is rather big, it will save you a huge amount of time and effort.

Conclusion

Now, I hope you understand how to bend a profile pipe without a pipe bender and using special equipment. As you can see, if you know some secrets and technologies, there is nothing complicated in this process. You can safely get to work.

And if you have your own technologies for bending square or rectangular pipes, I will be very grateful if you share them in the comments.

You can get more creative ideas regarding the construction of houses and the arrangement of suburban land plots from the video in this article.

July 24, 2016

If you want to express gratitude, add a clarification or objection, ask the author something - add a comment or say thanks!

In the process of work (usually quite unexpectedly), the question may arise - how to bend a profile pipe at home? To date, there are several fairly effective methods, and if you have a certain skill, you can cope with the task without turning to a professional workshop.

Method 1. Using pipe bending machines

When we talk about bending profile pipes, we most often mean the formation of an arc of a certain radius from a workpiece. The larger this radius, the easier our task, because in this way the internal cavity will be subject to less deformation ().

Note! Bending round and shaped pipes at a right angle will not work: a break is almost guaranteed. For this purpose, either a welded joint or special adapters are usually used to connect two separate segments.

If the need for the manufacture of arcs arises quite regularly, then it is worth purchasing a manual or stationary roll forming machine. It is a device with several rollers that act on the workpiece, giving it the desired shape.

The instructions for working on a pipe bender are quite simple:

Detail right size we put it in the machine and clamp it in the mounts.
We turn on the electric motor or start turning the handle.
The working rollers shift the axis of the pipe in the direction of the bend, while simultaneously stretching one of the walls.
A bending template acts on the opposite wall, giving the workpiece the desired shape.
To reduce the deformation of the internal cavity, hydraulic stabilization is often used: the edges of the part are closed with plugs, and liquid is pumped inside under slight pressure.

To increase the efficiency of all operations, it is worth observing the following rules:

The slower we process, the lower the risk of fracture or uncontrolled deformation of parts.
When working, you should take into account the restrictions on wall thickness and pipe section that are relevant to your machine model.
Thick pipes are best bent at the factory after preheating: by increasing the ductility of the metal, the quality of processing is improved.

The price of home appliances of this type starts at about $ 100. That's why for processing a small number of parts, you can either rent the machine for a few days, or use the services of a artisan.

Folk remedies

Method 2. Trimming and welding

However, a pipe bender is not always at hand. That is why any craftsman should learn in advance how to bend a profile pipe at home using more common tools.

If the integrity of the internal cavity is not critical for us, you can use an angle grinder and a welding machine:

We apply markings on the part, highlighting the area along which the bend line will pass.
From the inside, using a grinder with a cutting disc, we make several cuts of at least 3/4 sections.
Holding the ends of the part, we form a bend.

Advice! if necessary, cut out the excess metal with the same grinder.

We fix the workpiece in the template and weld the edges of the cuts.
After the metal has cooled down, we change the grinder disc to a grinding one and polish the treated surface.

Method 3. Internal spring

If maintaining the integrity of the walls is fundamental, then in order to complete the task before us, we need to make a special spring with our own hands:

We take steel wire with a diameter of up to 4 mm. The thicker the pipe walls, the stronger the wire must be.
Using a solid steel blank, we wind a square spring. We select the size of the side of the square in such a way that the resulting structure can easily pass into the internal cavity of the pipe.
We lay the spring in the bending area, after which we heat the part with a blowtorch.
Using a template or a round blank of a suitable diameter, we form an arc. In this case, the spring inside will protect the part from fracture and preserve its profile.

This technique is quite laborious, since the manufacture of the spring takes a lot of time and effort. On the other hand, the elastic insert can be used repeatedly, so the described method is quite suitable for large-scale work.

Method 4. Filling with sand or water

If there is no suitable steel wire at hand, and the need to make an arc from a tubular billet is quite acute, it is worth using one of the methods that involve internal filling.

Liquid can be used as a filler:

Before bending a profile pipe made of copper with thin walls (sometimes they are used in heating systems), we fill its cavity with water, hermetically closing both ends.
After pouring, we take the product out to the cold or place it in the freezer. We wait until the water is completely frozen.
Using a blank or a template, we bend the pipe, after which we remove the plugs and drain the water.

In the warm season, as well as when processing thick-walled workpieces, we replace water with sand:

We sift the material, removing all impurities, and then carefully ignite it on fire.
We plug one edge of the workpiece with a wooden cork.
We pour dry sand into the cavity, carefully compacting it by tapping on the ground or a workbench.
We install a cork on the other end of the part and perform bending. If you do not hurry, then the sand, by maintaining internal pressure, will not allow an internal fracture to form.

Conclusion

If you at least periodically work with metal, then you need to know how to bend a profile pipe without a pipe bender. Of course, all the described methods cannot fully replace the quality professional equipment, but in a critical situation they are able to come to the rescue, allowing them to solve the task as quickly as possible ().

Profile pipes are indispensable in the process of assembling frames for building structures. Greenhouses, various greenhouses, gazebos and other objects are built with their help quickly and efficiently. However, everything is not so simple.

To bend such a pipe, you have to use expensive special equipment, which is not always acceptable for home master. Let's talk about how to bend a profile pipe at home.

A profile pipe is considered to have a cross section other than a round one. It can be rectangular, oval, hexagonal or square. The pipe has increased strength, because its edges take on the role of stiffeners.

Profile products cope with significant bending loads, due to which they are good choice for the erection of the metal frame of the buildings of the for various purposes.

The raw material for the production of profile pipes most often becomes high or low alloy steel. Depending on the manufacturing method, electric-welded, cold-rolled and hot-rolled, seamless pipes are distinguished.

Products differ in wall thickness and profile height. Such pipes can be used to make various parts in the form of frames, stairs and railings. Most often, a profile pipe is used in construction for the construction of arched structures and as a replacement for an iron bar in the construction of frames.

Bending skills profile pipe useful for home craftsmen who want to independently equip a suburban area:

Image gallery

The simplest devices for cold bending

Consider how to independently make two very simple devices that will help you bend a profile pipe.

Profile mandrel

The basis for the adaptation will be a workbench. It is important that not only work zone but also the space around it were free. To secure the mandrel, you will have to make several closely spaced holes in one edge of the workbench table top.

Actually the mandrel or template is made of plywood. However, this option is only acceptable if several parts are to be performed.

The simplest mandrel for a pipe is made of thick plywood or board. This template is enough for several bends

If you need to bend a large number of pipes according to this template, the mandrel is best made from a steel corner. In some cases, the profile product must be bent at different angles.

For such work, you will need several templates at once, which should be prepared in advance. Before starting work, the mandrel is firmly attached to the base with clamps.

The pipe to be bent is securely fixed to its edge. Then bending is done. The operation is performed smoothly, without sharp jerks. The force applied to the pipe should increase gradually. In the process of bending, the part takes the form of a mandrel. This will require considerable effort.

Advanced bending plate

This is a convenient multifunctional device that allows you to carry out high-quality bending of the profile with your own hands. The device is a solid metal base plate mounted on a pedestal. The latter is fixed to the floor of the workshop with the help of fixing bolts.

Set of steel mandrels for different radii

Plywood disposable blanks

Mandrel for narrow profile pipe

As an option, you can consider a similar device mounted on a workbench. After work, the bending plate is easy to dismantle and remove, or you can use it as a stand for other plumbing operations.

To make such a device, you need a thick metal plate. It is welded on a telescopic stand. For bending stops, two holes are made on the base plate.

Bolts are placed in them. Nozzles of various radii are put on and fixed on them, which allows you to bend the pipes as you need. A pressure plate is cut out of sheet thick steel.

It is desirable to equip the bending plate with a pressure plate made of durable metal. It will allow you to maintain the alignment of the profile part during the bending process.

Its use is mandatory so that the alignment of the bent part is not disturbed, since bending a profile pipe without a pipe bender can accidentally deform it in two different directions. The plate is fixed above the nozzles on stop bolts.

The simplest way to bend a profile pipe:

There are quite a few ways to manually bend profiled pipes. And they all have a common drawback: it takes a very large effort to bend them. A physically unprepared master may not be able to cope with such work. Bending parts using specialized devices is much easier, more accurate and does not require much physical effort.

The problem is that the cost of such equipment is quite high. Therefore, buying a device only in order to perform a one-time job is, of course, unprofitable. The best way- rental of specialized equipment, which will allow for a small fee to obtain profile products bent exactly according to the template.

A garden bench, smooth curves of the entrance gate, a porch decorated with forged decor and a garden arch - all these items make the estate unique and cozy, give a sense of calm and tranquility.

But this is only when what was conceived has already been embodied in the finished composition, but when in the process of creativity the question arises - how to bend the profile to a touching mood is very, very far away.

And, although other technologies, such as electric welding or metal cutting, can be learned by simply buying an ordinary inverter or a grinder with a set of cutting and emery wheels, in order for a profile pipe to acquire a graceful bend, you need not only to have special equipment in your arsenal - a pipe bender, but also to have a certain idea of how the workpiece profile changes itself.

Counting on the fact that everything will turn out smoothly and simply the first time is rather naive, but on the other hand, only optimists are able to learn from their mistakes.

When working with a material such as a profile pipe, it is important not only to understand the process of changing the configuration itself, but also to imagine what changes occur in the material itself.

A profile pipe, and if we are talking about a profile pipe of a conventional rectangular or square section, has slightly different than a conventional round pipe:

The first is a feature of production, a profile pipe is basically a welded structure, made by hot or cold drawing, followed by joining the edges of the workpiece by welding.
Secondly, the section itself has a non-uniform wall thickness. For such a shape, a significant, up to 30% thickening of the metal in the corners of the rectangle is characteristic.
Thirdly, with simple efforts to apply force to the place of bending, you can quickly simply break it, because when deformed by bending, in such a shape of a part, one of the sides experiences compression, one is stretched, but the two sides of the profile have a combined deformation - in a narrow section, the profile is stretched and shrink at the same time.

And therefore, before bending the profile pipe on your own, in order to obtain the correct, desired size and shape of the workpiece, you must at least take care of using even the most primitive, but extremely necessary equipment for pipe bending.

The main methods of bending a profile pipe

Before bending a profile pipe at home, even using some mechanization or simple hand tools you should pay attention to some methods of working with a profile pipe. For a separate piece product, for example, a gate or buying special equipment, there is no practical sense, but here is the knowledge of how to give a profile unusual view still follows.

Today, as for ordinary profile pipes having a square, rectangular, complex and round section of pipes, there are several methods for changing the shape:

bending with a template
manual roller pipe bender
mechanical pipe bender with adjustable bending radius
hot bend method
segment method

The use of any of the above methods makes it possible to obtain the required shape of the profile, while the quality of such a change in shape, the possibility of correcting errors largely depends on the qualifications and ability to work with metal.

Attention! It is very important to understand that with profiled pipes, it is also necessary to know about the properties of the manufacturing metal itself, for example, for steel pipes bending is possible by all methods, but for copper there are, in addition to all the listed methods, two more - the water method and bending using a flexible cable.

In any case, the experience of how to bend a profile pipe with your own hands, an understanding of the methods of working with pipes of different cross sections and sizes will come with time, as well as an understanding of what mistakes were made and methods for correcting them.

Errors when working with a profile pipe

The process of bending a profile pipe is nothing more than the deformation of a metal in order to give it the necessary shape. At the same time, as practice shows, in the process of when you have to most often there may be the following problems:

the appearance of small folds on the inner surface of the profile
bending with violation of the axis - torsion of the part, bending in several planes
plane or weld break
crushing or fracture, the appearance of cracks at the bend

Such shortcomings mainly arise due to several reasons:

low-quality metal profile
wrong choice of bending radius
applying too much force
incorrect, multidirectional application of effort during work

But these are common problems when using bending machines and fixtures. But how to bend a profile pipe without the slightest experience and additional equipment worth considering.

Indeed, in this case, much more problems will arise, ranging from simple abrasions and bruises, ending with a broken tool and disappointment in the project that has begun. Therefore, before proceeding with the profile bending process, it is necessary to seriously consider the feasibility of using bent elements in the project.

From simple to complex

When using a bent profile, you should keep in mind the possibility of its independent bending.

Before bending a profile pipe with your own hands, you should critically evaluate your capabilities and make the most optimal decision, do the work yourself or find an enterprise where the machine will perform this process.

Most often, at home, small-sized profiles 15 * 15, 20 * 20, 20 * 40 mm are theoretically used independently, without the use of machines and devices, you can bend the profile to a size of 60 mm, but this is only theoretical. But using a grinder to bend a pipe of the desired size and radius is quite possible.

In practice, this process looks like this:

a curved pattern is cut out of paper
segments are cut out of a strip of paper equal to the thickness of the profile pipe in such a way that the required template radius is obtained as a result of bending
using a scriber or pencil, a paper template with cutouts is transferred to the pipe
a grinder with thin cutting wheels 1.2 mm thick makes appropriate cuts, the segments are removed
the pipe is bent, the correct radius is checked
if necessary, electric or gas welding welds the seams at the bends

From a technological point of view, it is the simplest and quite effective to give the desired bending radius to a large section profile. In order to perform this operation, it is enough to have basic skills in working with power tools and correctly calculate the places for cuts.

Using templates for bending a profile pipe

To put into production the formation of several identical parts, in their small-scale production, for example, for fencing a balcony or terrace, it is recommended to use a template method for bending a profile pipe.

For this operation, it is quite enough to have a minimum number of tools and materials:

locksmith vice
hammer
workpiece template

The overall process can be represented as follows:

a profile template is made
fixed in a vice
the workpiece is fixed in a special clamp and then passes to give the profile the required shape

From the point of view of how to bend a profile pipe at home, this method allows you to form the required number of blanks of the same type with minimal deviations from the template.

Most often, this method is used to form parts from a thin-walled profile pipe. small size from 15 to 40 mm.

Universal pipe bender for large radii

From the point of view of work productivity, a three-roll pipe bender is best suited to obtain a large bending radius of a profile pipe.

Such a mechanical device allows you to obtain blanks of any length and size. Simple in design and effective, the device has a frame base in its design, three shafts rigidly mounted on bearings with a toothed chain drive.

Two shafts are located on the base, and the middle shaft, which has an upper location, is located on a movable slide. To form a profile, the sled has a screw that regulates the degree of clamping of the workpiece.

The profile pipe is pulled through the shafts, gradually forming the desired bending radius. By pressing the upper shaft, a desired bend profile.

Among the ways to bend a profile pipe, this is the most effective and high-quality method.

The video shows how to bend a profile pipe at home:

During the construction of many structures, there is a need for a frame erected from shaped pipes. To assemble the arched structures of greenhouses, greenhouses, canopies, sheds and other objects, profile pipes are pre-bent using pipe benders or profile benders. However, you can do without this expensive tool, armed with an ordinary grinder and a welding machine. Having learned more about how to bend a profile pipe without using a profile bender, you can decide whether to purchase it. Maybe, alternative ways bending pipes will be much more difficult to perform the required amount of work. When bending profile pipes, it is important to avoid the appearance of kinks and cracks, as well as their flattening.

This video shows how easy and relatively fast you can bend a profile pipe with a manual pipe bender. Achieving the desired radius is checked by measuring the distance between the ends of the profile pipe.

What units can facilitate the operation?

Option # 1 - compact manual pipe bender models

The purchase of manual pipe benders is only advisable if you intend to bend a small amount of material. As a professional tool, these models cannot be used due to low productivity and the need for an approximate adjustment of the bending radius of each product. This machine usually comes with several interchangeable rollers, by means of which the profile pipe is bent, depending on the size of its section.

To achieve the desired bending angle, it is necessary to drive the pipe through the machine several times. At the same time, each time you have to manually twist the central roller, lowering it lower and lower. The side rollers remain in a stationary position, therefore, under the pressure of the central roller, the metal profile is bent.

One of the models of manual profile benders, which allows bending a profile pipe on its own in several runs of a metal product between the side and central rollers

When working with a manual pipe bender, a person will have to apply physical effort. The equipment cannot be used for bending profile pipes whose cross section exceeds 40 mm.

Option #2 - electric pipe benders for the pros

Unlike manual pipe benders electrical models provide high-precision bending of the pipe. The fact is that the bending radius is set with an accuracy of 1 degree mechanically or electronically. The use of this expensive productive equipment allows you to process a large number of shaped pipes per shift. Usually, the owners of electromechanical pipe benders provide services to the public, which should be used if you are satisfied with their cost.

An electromechanical profile bender installed permanently in the workshop provides precise bending of profile pipes of various sections along a strictly specified radius

The disadvantages of electric profile benders include their large weight and high cost, which is inaccessible to the average buyer.

Alternative ways to bend profile pipes

Method #1 - grinder + welding machine

How to bend a profile pipe at the right angle with your own hands without using factory machines? If you have a grinder and a welding machine, then you can bend according to the following algorithm:

calculate the radius of curvature according to a previously drawn scheme;
in the place of the intended bend of the pipe with a circular saw (grinder), several transverse cuts are made;
holding the pipe in a vice, they begin to bend it in the right direction, applying a little physical effort for this;
then the cuts are welded with a welding machine, not forgetting to comply with safety requirements;

welding seams are polished.

A circular saw or grinder, mounted on a special sole, is necessary to make several cuts at the bend of the profile pipe

Method #2 - blank and sand

You can bend the profile pipe along the required radius using another easy way. For this, sand is prepared, which must be sifted and dried, if necessary. Then one end of the profile pipe is closed by hammering a wooden wedge into it. Sifted sand is poured into the profile, clogging the entrance to the pipe on the other side. After that, the product begins to be bent around a metal blank having suitable diameter. One end of the profile is fixed securely between the pins, and the other is pulled.

Important! To facilitate the process of bending the profile along a small radius, it is necessary to heat the place of deformation gas burner. The poured sand ensures the integrity of the walls of the metal product during the mechanical impact on the pipe.

Having finished the bending process, they begin to remove the clogged wedges by burning them out or knocking them out. Sand is also completely removed from the pipe cavity. As you can see, artisanal methods are more troublesome, so they can be put into practice for one-time bending of pipes.

V winter time sand can be replaced with water, which is poured into a profile pipe and the product is exposed to frost. It is clear that the ends of the profile are plugged with plugs. After freezing of the liquid in the pipe, they begin to bend it according to a pre-prepared blank-template.

A metal blank used by craftsmen for bending shaped pipes with their own hands without the use of special equipment in the form of pipe benders

Method #3 - Square Spring Pipe Bending

The spring, which has a section of the same shape, but smaller, does not allow the walls of the profile pipe to deform when bent. The spring is made of steel wire, the diameter of which is selected based on the wall thickness. The spring should easily go inside the pipe. The planned bending point is heated with a blowtorch or gas burner. The heated profile walls are easier to bend. To prevent burns, it is necessary to work in special protective gloves, and hold the product with ticks. A blank or metal pins hammered into the ground around the circumference helps to achieve the desired bending radius.

Brief Summary

As you can see, all the artisanal methods invented by craftsmen for bending profile pipes take time and effort. At the same time, obtaining an even bend is not guaranteed to be one hundred percent. The quality of the metal frame directly affects the strength and beauty of the erected structure. Therefore, do not neglect the services of professionals who have special equipment for pipe bending. Buying a manual machine for bending profile pipes will allow you not to spend money on paying for third-party services. The acquisition will quickly pay off if you yourself begin to produce pipe bending to order.