How to make a pipe bender for a pipe with your own hands: drawings, diagrams, videos. How to deepen a well with a plastic pipe Rollers for bending round pipes dimensions


To carry out construction and installation work, especially when it comes to pipelines, pipes with different angle bending, and the use of fittings may not be justified at all.

Pipe bending in such cases is carried out using pipe benders. These are portable, industrial and for home use.

Contents of the article

Design and principle of operation of a manual pipe bender

A manual pipe bender is quite simple in design and operating principle, so a home craftsman can easily cope with its production yourself. The main elements in any pipe bending device is the pressure plate. A special mechanism presses on it with a certain force, and it transmits the force to the pipe being processed.

Both an electric motor or a hydraulic pump, and a spring with clamps are used as a pressing mechanism.

To perform bending, the corrugation is installed between the pressure plate and several shafts, which act as stabilizers. Also, with the help of shafts, you can adjust the bending radius, since their position is adjustable.



So, to bend a pipe along a small radius, the shafts are placed fairly close to each other, and if it is necessary to increase the radius, then they are moved further away from each other.

For bending round pipe Crescent-shaped shafts are installed on pipe benders.

Manual device

Homemade manual pipe bender, with the help of which round pipes are bent, consists of two machined pulleys, one of which is fixed motionless, and the second rotates around the first at a distance of the diameter of the pipe being processed. The principle of its operation is simple: A pipe is placed between two pulleys and by rotating the movable pulley, the round pipe is bent to the desired angle.

A manual pipe bender in the hands of a skillful owner may be needed at any time, therefore it is worthwhile to approach its manufacture thoroughly, so that it can bend pipes of various diameters.


This design will require two triple pulleys instead of single pulleys: one pair will be used for bending 1/2″ pipe, one for bending 3/4″ pipe, and one for inch pipe.

It is unlikely that you will be able to buy such devices on the market, so you will need to order them from a turning workshop. A recess is made at the ends of the shafts, which in size coincides with half the diameter of the corrugation.

Another important point, which must be taken into account when manufacturing shafts - the stationary pulley should be minimal in size, since the minimum possible bending radius of the product depends on this. Optimal size The moving shaft is twice the diameter of the stationary one.

Sequence of manufacturing a pipe bender structure


So, now directly about the stages of work that are performed independently:

  • after the shafts are ordered, we begin to manufacture the base for homemade pipe bender. A thick metal plate (at least 10 mm) is suitable for it. square shape. To attach the base to the table, you need to drill four holes in the corners of the plate, or weld it to metal pole, immured in the floor;
  • in the center of the plate, a pin of the same diameter as the small triple shaft is attached by welding;
  • next step it is necessary to make a rotating mechanism. To do this, three metal plates are welded in the shape of the letter P (the width of the plates is more than 50 mm), and the height of the structure depends on the diameters of the large and small shaft: this height should accommodate a fully movable pulley and half a stationary one;
  • To mount the shafts, you will need to drill several holes. The legs of the letter P are located at a distance from each other, slightly greater than the height of the shafts. A handle about 25 cm long is welded to the top bar of the structure, onto which a lever tube is subsequently placed;
  • the large pin is mounted first and secured with cotter pins behind the plate in the shape of the letter P, and the small shaft is put on together with the entire structure;
  • to equip the pipe stopper, another pin installed vertically is welded to the frame. It will serve as a stop.

The second method is similar to the previous one, only metal hooks are used as a template, which are fixed on top of the plywood sheet along the line of the intended bend. The advantage of this design is that the hooks can be rearranged to change the radius of the pipe.

Advantages and disadvantages of manual pipe benders

Main advantages hand-held devices:

  1. has small overall dimensions and weight. Pipe bending with their help is possible almost anywhere: in the workshop, on summer cottage, in the garage or on construction site. As a rule, the need for a pipe bender for round pipes arises in places where utility systems are laid.
  2. Another advantage is that with the help of such devices it is easy to bend pipes made of soft metal or.
  3. The manual unit is quite mobile: if necessary, it can be easily moved to any place.
  4. Even the most inexperienced user can handle working with a manual pipe bender: the principle of its operation is so simple that it is simply impossible not to understand it.

However, along with the advantages, there are also disadvantages of using such a device. One of the most important: the inability to bend the pipe large diameter. It will also be difficult to bend thick-walled materials.

Owners country houses or personal plots When updating a pipeline or carrying out any construction work, robots are often faced with the need to bend a round or profile pipe at a certain angle.

If such a process has to be carried out frequently, it is better to purchase special equipment. But if such a need arises rarely, then you can make pipe benders for a round pipe with your own hands using simple manipulations; video lessons and drawings of this design will be presented in the article below.

In this publication we will talk about how to make a pipe bender at home from improvised means for bending round and profile pipes. However, before starting the description step-by-step production, in the introductory part, let's look at what this tool is and for what purposes it is used on the farm.

What is a pipe bender and what is it for?

It is a design that makes it possible to bend profile or round pipe materials at the desired angle. They are divided into:

    • hydraulic;
    • mechanical;
    • manual.

The first type copes with bending large sizes, mechanical models are used for medium-sized ones, and manual ones are considered ideal option for diameters up to 3 cm and profiles up to 4 cm.

According to their own design features, functionality and operating principle they are divided into:

    • crossbow;
    • segmental;
    • spring.

The operating technology of any pipe bender is the ability to correctly bend the product to the required radius. If no attention is paid when bending Special attention quality of the result, then homemade structures will cope with this task 100%.

Made from a metal pipe and nut

This type of bending device is considered the most elementary. It is made from a piece of rigid round pipe (metal rod) with a nut attached at the base.

  1. We make a template for the future bend from wire;
  2. We take measurements of the template and transfer them to the pipe;
  3. The pipe is installed on a flat floor with a hard surface;
  4. The pipe is inserted into the pipe bender nut, comparing its direction with the measurements on the pipe;
  5. With your foot, resting on the pipe that is on the floor, we press it harder, and bend the second edge, slowly pulling the handle of the pipe bender towards you. Such manipulations allow it to be bent by 10˚.
  6. Moving the pipe along the hole of the nut, the procedure is repeated several times until the bend eventually takes the desired shape.

Wood pipe bender

To bend a round pipe yourself, you can make a pipe bender from wood with your own hands. From a technical point of view, such a device is the simplest; operation does not require additional parts, such as a hydraulic cylinder.

We start by knocking together several boards of dense wood and cutting out half a circle of the appropriate diameter. For cutting, you can use the simplest hand saw, the main thing is to ensure that the slope is maintained closer to the base.

The resulting workpiece is attached to solid foundation in the form of a tabletop or wall. An additional block of wood is also attached to the base to create additional support.

When choosing wood, pay attention to the fact that its thickness should be larger diameter otherwise, during bending of the sample, it may slip and cause injury.

To easily make a wooden pipe bender for a round pipe with your own hands, you can familiarize yourself with the video lessons below. This will help you understand all the nuances of this process.

How to work with it?

We place the pipe in the recess between the wooden semicircle and the thrust block and carefully begin to press on it with reverse side, bending to the desired shape.

The main thing is that it fits easily into the opening. Given wooden device bends aluminum and steel products well. Moreover, its production requires minimal costs.

Pipe bender made of metal hooks

To make it you will need to carry out the following simple steps:

  • buy high-quality metal hooks at any hardware store;
  • we fasten them on a stable base in increments of no more than 5 cm. However, the distance of one hook from the other will depend on the size of the product that needs to be bent;
  • as a result we get a semicircular template;
  • An additional stop is attached to one side of the device.

The bending process will be reminiscent of working with a wooden template, but in this case there is no need to make a new template for different diameters; just move the distance between the hooks.

Pipe bender made of cylinder and rollers

Video 1. Making a manual hydraulic pipe bender for round pipe rolling with your own hands

Video 2. Scheme - drawing.

Video 3. Do it yourself

It consists of rollers and a cylinder and is a more complex unit. But it allows bending at any angle up to 360˚. In fact, it is possible to create a pipe bender for a profile pipe with your own hands, as similar as possible to technical specifications, for hydraulic equipment.

The sample is fixed using rollers, and a freely moving cylinder gently bends it to the desired angle. To make such a unit with your own hands you will need:

  • two steel plates 30 cm long and no more than 10 millimeters thick;
  • four steel corners with shelves measuring 5x5 cm;
  • a template is knocked out of wooden boards, the thickness of which should not exceed 3 cm;
  • the steel plate is attached to the underside of the wooden template;
  • on the base, in order to give greater strength to the structure, it is advisable to attach corners;
  • a second steel plate is attached to the top;
  • in the latter a hole is made of the same diameter as the screw that will be installed there;
  • the bolt serves as a support for the bent pipe;
  • Angles and rollers are attached to the top plate, which are oriented inside the pipe bender;

This type of design makes it possible to bend any profile product at any angle.

Video 4. Homemade hydraulic pipe bending machine. Bend with a jack

Rules for using homemade manual pipe benders

In order for the manufactured device to perform its job efficiently and correctly, you need to adhere to several simple rules on its operation.

It’s not that difficult to make a homemade or even a professional pipe bender with your own hands in order to be able to bend pipes at a given angle and, importantly, with a given bending radius.

Contrary to popular belief that this device is most often used when performing plumbing work, in such cases, various fittings and bends are usually used - pre-bent pipe sections manufactured in industrial conditions. However, there are restrictions on the use of bends, which are determined by their standard characteristics:

  • rotation angles (can be 45, 60, 90 and 180 degrees);
  • bending radii (bends with bending radii of 1.0 DN and 1.5 DN are available);
  • use of welding.

Not in all situations such parameters can satisfy those who need to give a pipe structure the required shape. It is in such cases that a mechanical pipe bender (or manual pipe bender) comes to the rescue.

Without bending machine steel pipes This is a must-have for those owners of dachas and private houses who are planning to independently manufacture various arched structures, greenhouses, non-standard shaped fencing and much more.

In this article we will thoroughly examine how to make a pipe bender with your own hands. After all, a homemade pipe bender can be used not only at home, but also in semi-professional activities, since its design is not sky-high in complexity, and commercial devices for bending pipes are quite expensive. Therefore, by making a manual pipe bender with your own hands, you will save a lot of money.

Classification of pipe bending devices

Devices for bending steel pipes are classified:

  • by degree of mobility (stationary and portable);
  • by type of drive (manual, electric, hydraulic, electrohydraulic);
  • according to the method of influence (running in (roller), winding, impact with a rod (crossbow), rolling).

The essence of how a pipe bender influences a pipe is as follows.

Run-in

With this method, one end of the pipe is clamped, and a stationary template is used to give it the required bend. Pressure rollers are used to roll the product around the template.

Winding

In such a device, the pipe is pressed against a movable template (roller), on which it is wound, stretching between a rotating roller and a special stop installed at the beginning of the bending point.

Crossbow pipe benders

In such a pipe bender, the pipe rests on two stationary rollers, and bending is performed by a template, which is attached to a movable rod. The template presses on the middle of the fixed section of the pipe, thereby giving it the required bending angle.

Diagram of a crossbow pipe bender: 2 - jack, 3 - shoe (punch)

Rolling or rolling

The required bending radius is obtained using a three-roll device, the basis of which is two support rollers and one central roller. The central roller exerts pressure on the pipe, the position of which determines the radius of its bend. is more universal; in all other machines the bending radius depends on the template used.

The manufacture of a pipe bender operating on the winding principle is not simple, so such a device is made mainly in an industrial way. The crossbow method has another significant drawback: the pressure from the rod with a template attached to it, called a shoe, is concentrated in its upper part. This method of acting on the pipe leads to its significant stretching along the outer radius of the bend, which may be accompanied by a decrease in wall thickness and even its rupture. It is especially not recommended to use the crossbow method for bending thin-walled products.

An example of a homemade rolling (rolling) type pipe bender

A machine operating on the principle of rolling (rolling) practically does not have all of the above-mentioned disadvantages; this technology is used in the production of bends in the factory.

A DIY pipe bending machine can have different design. You should choose its type based on what radius you need. There is a list of recommendations in accordance with which the choice is made specific model devices for bending steel pipes. Important parameters that need to be taken into account are the thickness of the pipe walls and its overall diameter. Before starting to work with a pipe bender, it would not hurt to familiarize yourself with the data in the table showing the maximum possible radii for bending steel pipes.

To obtain a bend radius smaller than that specified in such recommendations, it is necessary to use hot rolling, which is used mainly in production conditions. A device with a mandrel is more difficult to create at home, so they are much less likely to be made independently, giving preference to rolling ones.

In order to independently hot-roll a pipe, you can resort to using a home-made pipe bender, but provided that it is made entirely of metal and its frame is highly reliable. To perform such a technological operation, you will additionally need a blowtorch or gas burner.

Making a simple template-type pipe bender

A simple rolling pipe bending machine can even be made from wood. Naturally, this will be a manual pipe bender, the design of which may not even include a pressure roller if it is used for thin-walled products. The template for such a device is made from wooden board, the thickness of which should be such as to exceed the diameter of the pipe itself.

For ease of work, it makes sense to consider profiling the template from its end in order to avoid the pipe jumping off during bending. For these purposes, you can fold two boards, first sawing one edge at a time, thus creating a kind of gutter. A pre-drawn drawing will help avoid mistakes.

When using such a pipe bender, the template is attached to a reliable base, and a stop is attached to the left side of it (for right-handers). The pipe that needs to be bent to the required radius is placed between the template and the stop and carefully bent, making sure that it does not jump off the template.

With the help of such a pipe bender, made from scrap materials, you can bend along a large bend radius. You can avoid making a wooden template and simplify the device by replacing it with metal hooks fixed to the base, located in a circle with the required bend radius. This device is convenient in that the dimensions of the bend can be changed at any time by placing the stop hooks around a circle with a different radius.

Armed with a manual winch, you can significantly expand the range of work performed due to a noticeable increase in traction force for bending pipes.

Pipe benders with pressure roller

A more complex design is a manual pipe bender, which uses a pressure roller. To make such a device, you can use both wood and metal.

For pipes made of soft materials(for example, copper) the best option rollers are made of wood, since they do not cause metal deformation. It’s not at all difficult to make such videos at home if you use photos or drawings of similar devices, which are posted in large numbers on the Internet. The manufacturing material can be thick boards or several layers of plywood.

A homemade pipe bender of a similar design, which is based on rollers - movable (pressing) and stationary - allows you to bend pipes round section, differing even in significant diameter.

In order to understand that such a device is simple in design and use, just look at its photo or drawing. Depending on what loads are expected for a pipe bender of this type, the base for it is made of metal or durable plywood. The U-shaped holder on which the central and pressure rollers will be placed is made of metal.

Relative to the axis of the central roller, securely fixed to the base, such a holder must be able to rotate. On the reverse side of the central roller, a handle is attached to the holder, which is a lever, so the force created directly depends on its length. This lever pipe bender allows you to perform operations with different bending radii of pipes.

Many people wonder whether it is possible to make a winding-type pipe bender with your own hands. Naturally, it is first advisable to study a drawing or photo of such a device, which does not have a stop on the base. The design of this type of pipe bender is based on two pulleys, a frame with a lever and a pressure roller, and a reliable base. Bending using such a device is carried out due to the fact that the pipe, placed in the groove of a stationary pulley and clamped with a clamp, is wrapped around a template using a lever and a movable roller.

Pipe bender for soft pipes with two different bend radii

For small and soft products (aluminum or copper), a homemade pipe bender is suitable, allowing bending with two different radii. Photos of such a device are easy to find on the Internet. This pipe bender uses one pressure roller and the template is made with two radii at the same time on one plate. Naturally, for each bending option, the pipe bender handle must be reinstalled, for which two holes are provided on its base.

Winding type pipe benders

Examples of such devices are hydraulic pipe benders, which are used to bend round pipes. The design of such a device has a powerful pulley to which the pipe is attached at the bending point. This pulley is fixed on a reliable frame, and at its base there is a rod, which is driven by a jack. A significant force is created on the rod using a jack, which is transmitted to a lever that rotates the pulley and winds the pipe onto it. The lever can rotate freely around the axis of the pulley and is connected to it using holes located around its circumference.

A working example of such a pipe bender can be seen in the video below:

You can also make a similar mechanical pipe bender yourself using a rack-and-pinion jack. More physical effort is required when using this device.

Example of work on video:

Examples of fixtures similar type These include homemade pipe benders, the rollers of which are made of wood. When working with such devices for bending round pipes, it is necessary to apply significant physical effort, which is reduced by a movable rotating roller.

An example in the video below:

Crossbow type pipe benders

These pipe benders got their name because of their resemblance to a crossbow. The basis of the design of such a device is a frame made by welding from corners and channels. Inside such a frame, on which two movable rollers are mounted, there is a jack, which, using a special shoe, creates a force directed at the pipe. Pipe benders with movable rollers and a pressure shoe are used primarily for bending round pipes, since they can simply deform any other type of product.

A rugged, no-frills crossbow pipe bender

The most popular options for homemade pipe benders

The most technologically advanced and versatile are pipe benders that operate on the rolling principle. It is these devices, often equipped with an electric drive, that are used by professionals who are constantly faced with the need to bend pipes from various materials, including from of stainless steel.

The design of such a device is based on three rotating rollers, one of which is a pressure roller. Thanks to the gradually increasing pressure of the pressure roller and rolling repeated for each new position of the roller, bending of the pipe is carried out in the most gentle way, its walls are subjected to tensile manipulations very evenly.

Computer model pipe bender Drawing of the clamping screw Drawings of the shafts
Ring drawing Pipe bender components Assembly process
Motor driven

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How to bend a pipe: more than 10 ways to do it yourself

Hello dear readers. Today I’ll talk about how to bend a pipe without a pipe bender and with a pipe bender, and how to bend polypropylene pipe. The topic is of considerable interest because without bent pipes it is difficult to build a greenhouse, gazebo or canopy over the porch.

Why is the correct choice of bending method important?

Incorrect cold deformation of the pipe, regardless of what material it is made of, negatively affects the strength of the walls.

In the process of bending the pipe, the wall along the outer edge is greatly stretched and the material from which it is made becomes thinner. On the inside of the pipe, if bent incorrectly, the walls are crushed and folds are formed, which negatively affect both the appearance, and on the strength of the product.

In order for the bending of the pipe to be carried out correctly, the walls should not be crushed, while the material is stretched outside should happen evenly.

How to achieve this result?

Methods for deforming pipes without compromising their strength

The choice of pipe bending method depends on the type of production materials. Three types of pipes are commonly used: metal, metal-plastic and completely plastic.

The first two categories can be bent to the required configuration. If the question is how to bend a polypropylene pipe, use an industrial hair dryer with a special nozzle.

By placing the part on the nozzle, you can heat the plastic to a temperature close to the melting point, after which you can carefully bend it. However, when working with plastic, I recommend using corner fittings with soldered or adhesive.

How to bend a metal pipe

Let's take a closer look at each of the methods listed in the diagram.

A hydraulic pipe bender is used to work with thick-walled steel pipes, which require a lot of force to deform.

Instructions for using the tool are as follows:

  • The deformable part is located between metal guides and pressure rollers;
  • By hydraulically moving the pressure rollers, the bend radius and angle are set;
  • the workpiece is rolled through guides and pressure rollers, resulting in the required shape.

The use of a hydraulic pipe bender, by selecting rollers of the required configuration, allows you to work with workpieces with a traditional round cross-section and with modifications.

To increase productivity, the hydraulic tool can be supplemented with an electric drive to the rollers. As a result, you will have to set the necessary bending parameters and monitor the work process without exerting physical effort.

A manual pipe bender is similar in design to a hydraulic modification. The main difference is that the location of the pressure rollers is determined not by a hydraulic drive, but by muscular force.

Due to design differences, a manual pipe bender is used to work with pipes with thin walls and a small cross-sectional diameter. The main advantage hand tools is affordable price and the possibility of making it yourself.

The use of external springs is important when working with thin-walled pipes with a round cross-section of small diameter. To increase the efficiency of deformation, the metal walls in the stretching area can be additionally heated blowtorch.

  • A special spring selected according to the cross-sectional diameter is placed on the surface of the pipe and pushed to the bend point, so that the deformation area is located approximately in the middle of the pipe;
  • The area where deformation is performed on the outside is heated with a blowtorch;
  • The pipe is taken by hand from both ends and gently bent with force until the required angle and radius are obtained;
  • After the metal has cooled, the spring is removed.

Why do you need a spring?

Regardless of whether you use an external or internal spring, it prevents the pipe walls from deforming unevenly. That is, the pipe walls at the bend section will repeat the shape of the spring.

For this purpose, special springs are made of hard stainless steel. In order for the spring to be easily removed after use, its surface is made smooth.

The use of sand backfill is an opportunity to give the pipe a more or less uniform radius and bend angle without severe creasing of the walls.

Using sand backfill, you can bend only individual sections of pipes while at the same time deforming already welded ones structural elements the pipeline will fail.

The deformation instructions are as follows:

  • A plug is installed at one of the ends of the pipe;
  • Sand without heterogeneous inclusions is poured from the other end;
  • The open end is also sealed with a cork;
  • At the intended bend site, the metal is heated with a blowtorch until slightly reddened;
  • Holding both ends, we bend the metal pipe against a round post until the desired angle and radius are obtained.

Methods suitable for working with plastic materials

Pipes made of metal-plastic differ from their metal counterparts in having lower wall strength due to the thinner metal. Therefore, to work with metal plastic, you can use the methods listed in the following diagram.

Let's consider the listed methods in more detail.

The use of a crossbow-type manual pipe bender allows you to set the required angle and radius of a metal-plastic pipe.

Due to the lower degree of pressure, in comparison with the hydraulic analogue, it is possible to deform a metal-plastic product without the risk of damage to the thin walls.

If you need to set a small bend radius, you need to deform the metal-plastic material gradually, moving from a large radius to a small one. Despite the fact that the workpiece will have to be rolled several times, its walls will remain intact.

The use of a steel spring is similar to that of metal pipe. But if on metal it was possible to use a spring of a larger size than the cross-sectional diameter of the pipe, then when working with metal-plastic, the size should be the same.

We bend the workpiece gradually. To make it easier to remove the spring at the end of the bend, it is advisable to lubricate the adjacent surface of the pipe with machine oil.

The use of sand backfill is practically no different from the use of backfill when working with metal. Essentially, the sand backfill acts as an internal spring, which prevents the walls from collapsing.

Since metal-plastic is more plastic than thick-walled metal product, we take the metal-plastic pipe for bending not by the ends, but closer to the deformation area.

Using wire is a type of pipe deformation using aggregate. That is, if the cross-sectional diameter is small, the pipe can be filled with wire scraps to at least 80% of the cross-sectional area. Then, holding the workpiece by the ends, carefully bend it, having first thrown it onto a round post.

The only drawback of this method is the impossibility of making a bend with a small radius, since then it will not be easy to pull out the wire.

Working with profile metal pipes

Finally, I’ll tell you how to bend a square steel pipe using a grinder and a metal cutting disc.

The instructions are as follows:

  • At the site of the intended fold, we mark slots on the inside;
  • We cut the pipe with a grinder so that the disk passes through the inner and two side sides and from the side the cuts look like small hollow triangles;
  • We bend the workpiece along the cuts.

The smaller the bend radius, the larger the angle of each cut needs to be made.

Conclusion

Now you know how to bend a HDPE pipe and how to perform a similar operation with metal and metal-plastic parts. Additional details can be found by watching the video in this article.

Do you have any questions about the text? Ask them in your comments.

July 25, 2016

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

To work with pipes or angles, a special machine called a pipe bender is required. This design allows you to bend metal elements to a given angle. If necessary, you can make a professional pipe bender with your own hands, which is used in the most various industries industry. Unlike the industrial version, a homemade pipe bender is much cheaper. When carrying out the work, you can use available materials, which will greatly reduce the cost of the structure. Let's take a closer look at how to make a pipe bender with your own hands at home.

Pipe bender device

There is simply great amount various types of the device in question. Before creating it yourself, you should develop a drawing of a pipe bender or download it on the Internet.

You can make a pipe bender for a round pipe with your own hands, taking into account the following features of its design:

  1. Run-in. This type of pipe bending machine is characterized by the fact that one end of the workpiece is fixed, and a stationary template is used for bending. Running in is carried out using pressure rollers. This manual pipe bender design has been used for many years.
  2. Winding. A special pipe bender for aluminum pipes is characterized by the fact that the workpiece is pressed against a movable template, which is used as a roller. The broaching is carried out between the roller in motion and a special stop. As a rule, the drive is electric, since the required force is quite high.
  3. Crossbow design. This scheme is represented by a combination of two fixed rollers, as well as a movable template. The force is transmitted to the workpiece through a movable template, which is located between two rollers. By controlling the movement of the moving element, the most suitable bending angle is selected. It is worth considering that the pipe bender punch, which acts as a template, can have a different shape.
  4. Rolling or rolling. In this case, the scheme is represented by a device with three rollers, two of which are supporting and one is movable. The bending radius is adjusted by changing the position of the central roller. It is worth considering that such a device is considered universal, since the bending radius can be adjusted over a fairly large range. The dimensions of this type of pipe bender are relatively small; a homemade design can be compact.

Choosing the most suitable design for homemade, it should be taken into account that the version operating on the knurling principle is often produced industrially due to the high complexity of the main mechanisms. The crossbow bending method is used extremely rarely today, as it has one significant drawback: Pressure is concentrated on the top of the template. When using a crossbow machine, there is a possibility of a significant reduction in the thickness of the pipe wall, as well as its rupture. It is not recommended to use such a device for bending thin-walled workpieces.

The most widespread design is one that operates on the rolling principle. It is practically devoid of all the above disadvantages, has relatively small sizes, can be portable, it is possible to adjust the bending angle.

A homemade machine can have a very different design. When choosing a type, attention is paid to what radius should be obtained. The most important workpiece parameters that can influence the choice suitable design, the thickness of the pipe walls and its diametrical size are considered.

Types of pipe benders

The design in question can be classified according to quite a large number signs. Available for sale universal options execution, as well as for highly targeted applications. The device differs in the following ways:

  1. By drive type. An important element designs can be called a drive, which can be hydraulic, electric, manual or electro-hydraulic. IN Lately The electric drive has become more widespread, as it is compact and very efficient. Hydraulic is more efficient, but it is difficult to operate, takes up a lot of free space and requires periodic maintenance. A manual pipe bender is distinguished by the presence of a mechanism that significantly increases the applied force. If we consider homemade options, then they make a manual pipe bender with their own hands. In addition, you can create an electric pipe bender with your own hands. But it’s almost impossible to make a hydraulic version yourself.
  2. Classification is also carried out according to the degree of mobility. There are stationary and portable design options. In most cases, a universal manual pipe bender is designed as a portable structure. A homemade pipe bender for a round pipe can be attached to the base in various ways. It is worth considering that during the execution of work, part of the resulting stress is transferred precisely to the base. Therefore, when creating homemade version execution, it is necessary to ensure reliable fixation of the device.
  3. According to the method of influence on the workpiece - the main sign of classification. For example, a crossbow-type pipe bender has its own special design, which is suitable for bending metal or metal-plastic pipes. In addition, there is a design that works on the principle of running, winding or rolling.

Homemade pipe bender for metal-plastic pipes maybe the most various types, but most often they create a mechanical type, when due to a special design the transmitted force increases several times.

Instructions for making a pipe bender

Recently, the question of how to make a pipe bender with your own hands has become quite widespread. Such equipment is required when setting up production activities of various types. Most simple pipe bender with your own hands has a template type of design. This is due to the fact that it is quite difficult to make rollers for a pipe bender with your own hands.

Considering the template pipe benders for round pipes, we note the following points:

  1. In the manufacture of structures, solid wood is often used. This greatly simplifies work and reduces costs. However, it is worth considering that the low strength and rigidity of wood determines the use of such a machine only for bending aluminum, which has high ductility.
  2. Applicable wooden block must have dimensions that are larger than the diameter of the workpiece being processed.
  3. The template must have a radius that matches the bending radius. In order to simplify the process, a small groove is created in the central part of the surface that is in contact with the workpiece.
  4. For ease of operation, two handles are created, which have a metal fastening.
  5. Having created a pipe bender at home, it should be attached to a solid base, and a stop should be installed on the reverse side.

An important point is that the design in question is applicable to a greater extent for large-diameter bending. In addition, a shoe for a pipe bender of this type is not required; the load is distributed evenly, which allows processing of thin-walled workpieces.

You can make a pipe bender with your own hands according to other drawings. Before choosing the most suitable design, you should consider how often the work will be carried out, for what type of workpiece the machine is made, and how mass production will be. The template type design is characterized by quite large sizes, however, to manufacture it, it is enough to carry out carpentry work; the materials used are low cost.

Most complex design is considered a homemade roller-type pipe bender. In this case, a pressure roller is used to transmit force. When making a structure, metal and wood can be used, it all depends on how mobile it should be and what force it is designed for.

The features of this design include the following points:

  1. For pipes made from soft materials, wood is more suitable as the main material. It can be used to make a roller. For steel pipes, you will have to use metal, since the magnitude of the transmitted force will be significant. If desired, rollers can be purchased or made with your own hands at home.
  2. Design features determine the presence of a movable and stationary roller. In this case, a U-shaped holder is located in the central part.
  3. The bending radius largely depends on the size of the rollers used. That is why the movable roller must, if necessary, be quickly dismantled to install an option with a different diameter.
  4. The holder you install must also be able to rotate.
  5. A handle is attached to the installed holder; when rotated, force will be transmitted. It is worth considering that the handle acts as a lever. That is why the force that can be transmitted depends on its length.

This type of machine is suitable for production in large quantities, since it is quite difficult to make rollers for pipe benders with your own hands. The device is suitable for working with round pipes.

A common question is how difficult it is to manufacture such a mechanism. When using this type of bending machine, the following points should be taken into account:

  1. First, you should study in detail the drawing or photographs of the equipment in question. Only by understanding the principle of its operation can you create efficient equipment with a wide scope of application.
  2. This design has a relatively small number of main elements. An example is two pulleys, which can be made of wood or steel, a frame with a lever and a pressure roller. It is quite important to create a reliable foundation that will accept part of the effort.

The principle of operation is quite simple:

  1. The workpiece is placed in the groove of a stationary roller.
  2. The pipe is fixed in the desired position using a clamp.
  3. Using a lever, the workpiece is wrapped around a template, which also uses a roller of a certain diameter.

In order to significantly increase the efficiency of the design, an electric drive can be used. However, it is worth considering that when electric drive It is quite difficult to control the rounding diameter indicator. In addition, the installed electric motor must transmit rotation through a reduction drive, since the rotation speed of the roller is low. To do this, install a gearbox or V-belt drive.

Crossbow pipe benders

A crossbow-type machine has a rather unusual design. It got its name due to its similarities with medieval weapons. The crossbow pipe bender has the following features:

  1. The basis of the structure is represented by a frame, which can be made using angles and channels. The connection of all elements is carried out using welding; detachable methods are not recommended, since the resulting structure must have high rigidity.
  2. After creating the frame, two rollers are attached.
  3. A homemade version can be characterized by the fact that the force is transmitted directly through the jack mechanical type. For a pipe of small diameter, the pressure created should be quite sufficient. The force is transmitted through a shoe made of durable metal with a low ductility index.

A crossbow-type pipe bender is more suitable for round workpieces. This is due to the fact that a product with a different cross-section can be greatly deformed under pressure.

Hydraulic pipe bender

When making a pipe bending machine with your own hands, you should decide what type of drive it will be. In most cases, homemade versions have manual drive, since it is easy to manufacture and inexpensive. However, such a design cannot work with workpieces that are made using hard metals. A hydraulic pipe bender allows you to work with workpieces of large diameter and with significant wall thickness, however, the design is quite complex in design and has many features.

When making a machine for a round pipe with a hydraulic drive, the following points should be taken into account:

  1. The force is transmitted through working fluid, which uses oil or water. All highways must have high degree tightness, and also be designed for a certain pressure.
  2. A compressor can be used to create pressure.
  3. Pressure is transmitted to the working element through a hydraulic cylinder.

A do-it-yourself pipe bender for metal-plastic pipes with a hydraulic drive can have a wide variety of designs. An important element in this case is the drive, which allows you to automate the bending process and increase the scope of application of the device.

Pipe bender from a jack

Most often, when making a homemade pipe bender, a jack is used as the main element. It comes in several types. The jack itself is initially made in order to increase and concentrate the applied force, due to which the structure can lift heavy mechanisms, for example, cars.

A homemade pipe bender made from a jack, as a rule, has a fairly simple design:

  1. The workpiece is clamped between two stationary rollers.
  2. The force is transmitted to the gap between the rollers.
  3. The distance between the fixed rollers largely determines the bending radius and the amount of force required to obtain a certain angle.

As previously noted, when using a jack, you can make a crossbow-type pipe bender.

In conclusion, we note that almost any device is a relatively simple machine, which, due to the distribution of the applied force, bends pipes and other workpieces of a similar type. They are often used for bending products made using non-ferrous alloys and steel. The industrial version of the design outperforms the home-made one, as a rule, in terms of the degree of automation of the process. However, the cost of industrial pipe benders can exceed several tens of times the costs associated with the production of a home-made version. That is why a homemade pipe bender is more suitable for household use or small-scale production.