# How to bend stainless steel tuubing?



## msimpson (Jan 5, 2009)

Hi all,

For reasons that are long and not particularly entertaining, I bought a Roundhouse Bertie in halves, first the the boiler, burner, etc., and then the cahssis. I am at the point of assembly where I am attaching the lubricator to the superheater tube, a stainless steel line about 1/8" in diameter. This requires that the tubing be bent to a near right angle 1/2" or 5/8" from the end. The tubing already has the threaded end soldered to it, making it difficult to get my micro-mark spring-type bender over the tube. I also have a cheaper harbor Freight bending form, about 1" in diameter.

So, what is the accumulated wisdom for bending such tubing? I really would rather not screw it up and am now outside my comfort zone.

Many thanks, Mike


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

some people fill with packed sand to keep the tubing from collapsing. 

Others have filled with low temperature melting alloy, like cerrobend. 

The idea is fill the tubing with something non-compressible and then bend, remove the "Something" later. 

Regards, Greg


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Some jewelers use orange shellac because it disolves in denatured alcohol. Heated to fill, warm to bend, cold to disolve. 

John


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## Cougar Rock Rail (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Mike, 

I wasn't aware you could get Bertie as a kit. When I built my Roundhouse Billy kit, the superheater 90deg bend was at the smokebox end, and the lubricator end was straight. Can you leave the lubricator end straight and bend the soft copper lubricator outlet tubing instead? 

Keith


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## SalM (Jan 2, 2008)

And definitely dont use the dremel or needle nose.........


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## msimpson (Jan 5, 2009)

Long story -- wanted to do a DJB coal-fired on an Edrig chassis, but he sold out before I got the chassis. So I begged Roundhouse for the top half of Bertie for "Egbert." Then DJB did another run and I got one. So I begged for the other half of Bertie . . . No normally a kit, but Roundhouse will supply a lot of things that aren't standard if you ask civilly. 

The lubricator pipe is too short to make the connection. 

So Sal, Micro-Mark came thru with my new nut-drivers -- #2, #1, #0, and #00 -- i know, you never knew I had nuts that small! No help for the current problem, however. 

Back to the topic -- does it help to heat the tubing first, as you might with brass? 

Regards, Mike


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## monsterhunter (May 25, 2008)

Mike,
I'm not familiar with the Bertie, but any chance you could make an elbow piece and hard solder it onto the pipe instead of bending the pipe? Posting a photo if you can might help us to understand the problem.
Dan


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## HMeinhold (Jan 2, 2008)

Mike,
I got excellent results with the Dubro tube bender, see here:


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## Nutz-n-Bolts (Aug 12, 2010)

Mike, 
I've also seen people fill a tube with water, freeze it, and then bend it. Very similar to what Greg was talking about, except you don't have to work about getting every last bit of sand or other filler out. I saw this done while making trumpets to aid in bending the soft and thin walled brass.


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## HeliconSteamer (Jan 2, 2008)

Mike, 
I've built two Roundhouse kits that require a similar bend. In both cases, I did the bend with finger pressure. That may have been a bit dim of me, but it worked in both cases and I've had not problems since. 

Interesting that we should have had similar experiences with coal firing. I missed the current production of Edrig boilers, and ultimately wound up getting into the present batch. With the announcement of the new coal fired Ragleth, I may have gotten in on the last batch of coal fired Edrigs.


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## wboylejr (Jan 2, 2008)

Mike,

I have the DuBro tube benders if you need them. Give me a call this weekend!

Bill Boyle
sa#767


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## Michael Glavin (Jan 2, 2009)

Harry Higley's Biso benders work great... I've had limited success with other small benders. 

http://www.harryhigley.com/24TubingBenderInstructions.htm 

Michael


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## rodblakeman (Jan 2, 2008)

Hey Bill, 
Might have known you would have a bender


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