A pipe bender is a type of rolling mill designed for bending pipes of various sections and diameters under a given radius.
How exactly it works and how you can make it yourself at home will be discussed in this article.
Purpose
Very often, when working with a metal pipe of regular (round) and rectangular (profile) cross-sections, it is necessary to bend them to a certain angle. This need arises regardless of the type of work - whether it is laying a pipeline in a workshop, installing a split system in an apartment, or welding a bench or gazebo from a corrugated pipe at the dacha.
Thin tubes, for example copper tubes, often used in air conditioning systems, can be bent by hand, but manual bending is always non-standard, or, more simply put, crooked. This is unacceptable for serious production. But it is impossible to bend a thick steel pipe, especially a profile one, by hand. This is where pipe benders come to the rescue. They can carefully, precisely bend a pipe along a given radius, preventing ruptures, thinning of the walls and other deformations of the metal. 
Principle of operation
The operating principle of any pipe bending machine, despite the wide variety of designs, is the same:
- The tube is either fixed at two points, let’s call them A and B, and at point B, located between them, a force is applied to it, which leads to the formation of a bend. In fact, this is a type of press.
- Or only two points are used, one of which fixes the pipe in space, allowing it to slide freely back and forth (in one plane), and the second is a rotating roller clamp. The end of the profile is clamped in the clamp, the roller rotates a certain number of degrees, and the profile bends accordingly.
There are many types of pipe benders, but they all have similar design elements: they have one or two stationary fixation points for the pipe and one movable. Its movement in a given plane leads to bending of the profile.
Rollers or rollers are always used as support points. Bending of the pipe in rigid clamps is possible, but can easily lead to rupture of the material. If the profile can slide freely in the rollers, then it is not damaged.
To bend profile pipes with a cross-section in the form of a rectangle and square, the same principle is used as for round section. Only the pipe bender had to be assembled on rollers with a corresponding groove, otherwise this would cause deformation of the profile, and possibly failure of the entire mechanism. 
Varieties
First of all, pipe benders are divided into manual and automatic. The first ones are designed to work with a profile of a small cross-section, up to 40x40 mm, since it is impossible to bend a thicker pipe even with the help of a lever. They are mainly used in everyday life, and there are mobile and stationary devices.
Automatic rolling and bending mills are designed for industrial conditions. As a rule, they are stationary.
They are equipped electric drive from an engine of appropriate power. There are hydraulic or combined - electrohydraulic models.
The main classification is based on the principle of operation:
- jack (or crossbow),
- rolling,
- winding
The first two types are structurally very similar to each other. There are two rollers through which the pipe is pulled. A third roller or semicircular stop is placed on the jack or press, which applies pressure to the profile. The only difference is that during rolling, the profile is driven under a pressing roller at a certain speed, and the roller itself is fixed motionless. And when using a “crossbow” type pipe bender, on the contrary, a descending press applies pressure to a stationary section of the profile. 
The winding type means that the material to be bent is fixed in one roller (or system of rollers) and wound on another. 
Each type of design has its own advantages and disadvantages:
- The “crossbow” is structurally simplest; it is easier to make at home from an ordinary jack. But it is difficult to carefully bend the end of the pipe with its help; in addition, when bending to a large radius, it can lead to metal rupture.
- The rolling machine provides high quality bending to any radius, but requires a motor to pull the pipe. This type is most often found on factory floors.
- Winding can be both stationary and mobile (manual). It is especially suitable for small and medium diameter pipes. Its main disadvantage is the inability to change the bending circumference and vary the radius: they always depend on the winding roller.
Note: CNC pipe-bending machines are actively used in industry, which can make any bent structures from pipes according to the laid down program.
How to make a pipe bender with your own hands?
If you need a pipe bender for repair work around the house or dacha, and the work is planned with small-diameter pipes, then you can not buy an expensive device, but install it yourself using improvised means. There are countless manufacturing options.
Before starting work, you will need to decide on the cross-section and profile shape of the pipes that you will bend. The width and shape of the roller groove must exactly match the diameter and cross-section of the pipe, otherwise it will either get stuck in them or will “walk”, which will lead to uneven bending or other deformations. The pipe should fit between the rollers like a glove and not get stuck or dangle. Or it is necessary to use cylindrical rollers without a groove and control the broaching manually.
The following drawings may also help you in your work: 
Manufacturing of a rolling type pipe bender
- A welded frame is mounted on any suitable base. Two support rollers are installed in it. IN in this case in the figure, the distance between them can be varied due to installation in grooves - the greater the distance, the greater the bending radius.
- The rollers are connected to each other via a pulley bicycle chain, drive belt, etc. so that they rotate simultaneously.
- A structure consisting of a support roller with a holder and a simple screw mechanism is welded or bolted to the frame. Instead of a clamping screw, you can use a regular jack.
The principle of operation is simple: the material to be bent is inserted between the support rollers, and the drive roller is lowered from above, providing the necessary deflection. The stronger the pressure, the more the profile bends. If it is necessary to bend a large section of pipe evenly, for example, to form the base for the roof of a greenhouse, the rollers are driven by a belt or chain (manually or using an electric motor), as a result of which the pipe is pulled and bent evenly.
Manufacturing of winding type pipe bender
If there is a need to bend pipes of a small cross-section, but with a small bending radius, then you can assemble a homemade winding-type pipe bender.
The design is somewhat similar to a twisting machine for home canning. The main part is two rollers with rectangular grooves exactly in the shape of the pipe. The drive roller (large in the picture) is attached to any base. It will provide the radius and rounding of the pipe bend.
The small roller is mounted on the lever. The design works as follows: one end of the profile is inserted into the clamp. The profile is tucked between the rollers. Using muscle force (usually), the lever “winds” the pipe onto the drive roller.
It is necessary to pay attention to the mechanisms discussed in this article. To make a pipe bender for profile pipe do it yourself - explore detailed instructions, video, photo, drawings. Using these materials, it is not difficult to implement the corresponding project.
Read in the article
Do-it-yourself pipe bender for a profile pipe: basic data
Before you study working documentation and algorithms for installation operations, the intended purpose of the product must be accurately determined. A pipe bender for a profile pipe with your own hands must be designed for certain forces, workpiece sizes, and materials. It is easier to establish meaningful criteria after familiarizing yourself with the parameters of devices tested in practice.
What are these devices for?
To create the necessary force, a lever mechanism is installed here. A metal pin is used to fix the free section of the pipe. It is installed in suitable grooves of the “comb” before performing work operations.
Using this factory sample as an example, it is easier to study the design features:
- Handle (1) regulates the automatic stroke of the piston in the opposite direction. This solution reduces the burden on the user.
- Installed inside the case hydraulic system. When the handle is moved up and down, a force of up to 150 kN is transmitted to the working piston (8). This is quite enough for quickly bending workpieces made of durable metals.
- Support rollers (3, 4) are installed in required holes frames open type(5, 9). They do not damage the surface, but provide reliable fixation.
- This removable segment (6) is designed to be bent at an angle of 90°. But with the appropriate configuration, it can be installed on a similar product of a different shape.
- The robust housing (10) is mounted on three supports (7). Rubber pads prevent movement during work operations.
- In addition to cleaning from dirt, you should occasionally check the condition oil filter(eleven). No other regulatory procedures are needed.
This technique uses a workpiece the desired shape. The pipe is pressed against it using a rotating roller and lever.
Important! Before bending a workpiece using a certain radius, you should study specialized reference books. They provide data on the permissible deformations of pipes made of different materials, with different wall thicknesses. If these instructions are violated, visible or hidden defects will form in the finished products.
Relatively small mechanical loads on working tools are created by levers and manual force. To work with durable metals, the equipment is equipped with hydraulics.
Making a pipe bender with your own hands for a profile pipe: drawings and other preparatory operations
A simple device for bending aluminum and plastic blanks is shown in this figure.
To make such a structure you need a strong one. After marking, a round profile is cut out of it. The remaining part is used to make the supporting element. The created parts are rigidly attached to the supporting surface. To ensure the strength of the connections, in addition to screws, clamps are used. Next, the pipe is bent by hand until the desired shape is formed.
Before creating this simple pipe bender for a profile pipe with your own hands, it is recommended to make a basic drawing with dimensions. A template made of thick paper or cardboard on which the markings will be applied will come in handy. It is clear that to produce more complex structures it is necessary to prepare complete design documentation.
It is not necessary to strictly adhere to engineering standards in order to make a pipe bender for a profile pipe with your own hands; a schematic image is quite enough. You just need to indicate all the dimensions, decide on the materials, technological process And components. The project will help solve several practical problems:
- During the preparation process, it will become clear whether it is necessary to use other special equipment.
- A complete list of necessary components will be needed for targeted visits to certain stores.
- We must not forget that the machine must be protected from adverse external influences using wood impregnation, .
- Some parts will be too difficult to make yourself. Appropriate orders should be placed in specialized workshops.
Important! When bending strong metal pipes it takes a lot of effort. In order not to take unnecessary risks, you can use drawings of a proven design, or copies of an industrial design.
Making a manual homemade pipe bender for a profile pipe with your own hands: video and detailed instructions
Here we talk about how to quickly create a pipe bender with your own hands for a profile pipe (video).
The master used available materials, a channel, and part of the drive from an old bicycle. But he had to create the connections himself to ensure the integrity of the heavy structure.
To find out how to make a pipe bender for a profile pipe with your own hands, the drawings and videos are supplemented with descriptions of work operations. Below are the algorithms for several assembly technologies.
Rolling pipe bender
| Drawing | Actions |
 | To create a high-quality one, you can use this drawing as a sample. Here the workpiece is placed between three rollers. The extreme ones (2) – perform supporting functions. To install them at different distances (to obtain required angles bending) grooves are made in the support strips (1). Required pressure created using a screw mechanism (6, 7). The force is transmitted through the central roller (4), which is rotated by the handle (5). |
 | The holes in the lower parts are created according to these dimensions. A channel with a wall thickness of 4 mm was selected for the workpiece. |
 | The upper part is created with cutouts. They must be made level so as not to interfere with the movement of the support screws. |
 | The thread is cut in accordance with this pattern. |
 | For the handle, you can choose a finished product, or use these sizes. |
 | Once assembled, you will get such a cute and functional product. There are no welded joints. But the components are difficult to make on your own without professional skills and specialized machines. |
Hydraulic pipe bender
The screw mechanism performs its functions too slowly.
This design uses a standard jack. It is fixed rigidly to a bar, which is suspended on two springs. This solution simplifies manipulations with a heavy jack when installing workpieces and clamping segments.
The pipe rests on two round pins. They can be rearranged into other holes to create products with the desired radius of curvature. Parts of a durable steel frame (4-5 mm) are fastened with bolted and welded joints. The design turned out to be collapsible. If necessary, it is not difficult to dismantle it. The jack can be used for other operations.
Holes are created at the base of the frame. Through them the machine can be firmly attached to wooden floor nails, screws. This gives additional stability to the stationary structure. Its metal parts are degreased, coated and painted. Besides the good appearance provided good protection from destructive processes.
For your information! When creating a homemade pipe bender for round pipe rollers, stencils and segments with a different shape of contact surfaces are used. The technologies used are the same as for bending profile products. The above drawings with appropriate modifications will be useful.
Article
Profile pipes are used as a material no less often than round ones. When performing installation work with them, you also have to cut, bend, sharpen, and cook. Such work cannot be done without the appropriate equipment.
It is not always possible to buy ready-made equipment for a mechanic or plumber; you often have to make the equipment yourself. For example, anyone can make a profile pipe bender with their own hands. We propose to familiarize yourself with the three most popular options and the technology for their construction.
The use of a special tool that allows you to easily and simply bend pipes, including profile ones, can already be considered a plumbing tradition. Meanwhile, over the entire period of plumbing practice, a number of simplest ways to obtain bends without using a special tool have been invented.
Take a look - maybe you won’t have to build a pipe bender at all. True, it should be said that this approach is not always ready to fully satisfy the needs for bends. Especially if you need to bend a profile pipe in several places at once and under different radii.
The easiest way to bend a profile pipe efficiently and beautifully is to use special devices– pipe benders. But in some cases it is quite possible to bend profile pipes yourself
The simplest homemade methods that help you make one or two folds without using any equipment:
- filling the internal cavity of the pipe with sand;
- filling the internal cavity of the pipe with water and then freezing it;
- using a homemade mandrel;
- trimming the profile wall along the internal radius.
When there is a need to bend a profile pipe at one, or maximum two points distant from each other, it is quite reasonable to use simple methods:
- Fill the inner area of the profile pipe with fine river sand.
- Close the end parts tightly.
- Bend the profile with your hands according to the template in the right places.
Work with a pipe filled with water is done in the same way. But in this option, the water must be frozen. Working conditions do not always allow such a procedure.
To bend a pipe without deformation and to a given radius, it is enough to fill its internal area with ordinary river sand. This method is suitable for working with thin-walled pipes
Another similar method– use of a mandrel – a steel spring slightly smaller than the internal diameter of the pipe itself. The spring is placed inside and then folded.
So you can bend it by hand thin-walled pipes. For profile products with a more powerful configuration, these methods are not suitable.
Profile thick-walled pipe It’s easy to bend using the “undercut” method. As a tool, you can take a hacksaw or circular saw. On a bent pipe, the joints of the sections are welded
Thick-walled powerful profiles can be bent at one or two points in a simple way technological undercuts. The technology involves cutting out small segments of the pipe wall along the internal radius (for example, with a grinder).
Then the profile is bent until the boundaries of the cuts made are connected. The junction points of the undercut boundaries are welded using electric welding.
Image gallery
To every owner of a big garden plot or a small dacha, at least once in your life (at least) you may need a pipe bender - a device for bending a profile pipe.
For example, this could be a blank for a greenhouse frame or canopy, gazebo, or any other metal structure.
Metal sales centers and other industries usually use factory-made devices, but this pleasure is far from cheap. To save your budget for more pleasant expenses, it is more profitable to make the device manually, on your own.
For this design, as they say, “you don’t need a lot of intelligence,” and there won’t be a shortage of parts either; you can actually create the drawings of a pipe bender yourself.
Pipe bender options
You can bend the pipe using the “home” method, fill the pipe with sand, heat it until red blowtorch or gas burner, then bend the pipe. This method is not recognized as a priority among craftsmen; it is labor-intensive and does not provide sufficient accuracy; creases and deformations may also appear.
To get perfect bent pipe, in compliance with the standards and specified parameters, without causing damage to the source material, craftsmen use specialized pipe benders in their work.
Pipe benders have become increasingly popular lever type. This elementary invention works on the principle of a “lever” - the force is concentrated in a certain place, and the bend merges with the shape of the template you created, which can most often be removed and replaced with another.
Most often, a set of such designs includes a couple of additional templates for pipes different diameters. There are units of similar design, manual pipe benders, drone or crossbow benders, they allow you to bend short sections of round steel pipes, subjecting only to cold processing.
Crossbow devices are very compact and are valued in the field of installation and engineering communications.
What is the job of a pipe bender?
The principle of operation is completely simple, it consists in heating the pipe, the pipe heats up red and becomes very plastic, malleable to change. Each type of pipe bender has its own range of capabilities.
The main functions are the quality of bending and the ability to bend pipes different sizes and diameter.
With the help of additional rolling devices, a bend of a larger diameter is achieved. The device operates using shafts, there are three of them in the set.
Guides and pressure. The pipe passes through moving elements, the degree of bending is set by the force of the pressure roller. If the radius of curvature of the finished product is small, the procedure should be repeated.
Bending a pipe according to a template
In most cases, the simplest option, suitable for absolutely all craftsmen, even beginners, is a wooden template. Boards are selected according to the thickness of the pipes being bent; be sure to leave a couple of centimeters of board space.
To prevent the profile from moving off the template during operation, a slope is left at the ends. The template is rigidly fixed to the floor or other stable surface, and a stop for the pipe is installed nearby.
The profile is inserted into the gap between the template and the stop, smoothly and carefully press on its other end, pressing the pipe against the template. A winch or lever will make the job easier.
A huge advantage of this process is cost savings and ease of execution.
Note!
Any device has disadvantages, and this method is no exception. The bend is inaccurate, of poor quality, and the template will be disposable (apply only to one pipe diameter).
Snail pipe bender
When stamping identical blanks in large quantities with a small radius of curvature, a snail pipe bender will become indispensable.
Its advantage is its small size and ease of operation. The disadvantage will be the limitation of the radius of curvature, but not large sizes.
Rolling pipe benders
The niche of versatility and practicality is occupied by hand-made devices - rolling pipe benders (bending machines), on such machines you can make any bending angle.
The configuration is not particularly different from other models; they also have a base and shafts. The movable roller presses the pipe, and it is pulled through by the rotation of the drive shafts.
Note!
Pressure can be increased using a winch, levers or electric drive. However, for the production of a house, such a design is quite complex to implement.
To reproduce such a unit, many turning and welding work. If you decide to make such a model, it will serve you for a long time and will delight you with its functionality.
How to make a pipe bender with your own hands, the question is modern world quite relevant. To make the task easier, you can find a photo of a pipe bender on the Internet to roughly understand what it should look like.
There are also many pipe bender drawings that are easy to use. After reviewing all the information and assessing your strengths and availability necessary components, calmly get to work.
DIY pipe bender photo
Note!
Bending profile pipes is a fairly common procedure for which it is used special device- pipe bender You can make a pipe bender for a profile pipe with your own hands, or you can purchase it at construction market or in the store.
Serial devices differ in their operating principle; they may have different types drives, however, operating any of these devices requires some experience. Restricts the use of devices manufactured in production conditions, and the fact that they are not cheap. A good solution in all such situations would be self-production a device designed for bending profile pipes, for which you can use improvised means.
Required design elements
To make a pipe bender with your own hands, you can use the drawings various designs. Their choice is determined mainly by what materials you have. Most often they opt for front-type pipe benders, the design of which includes:
- three rollers (shafts), which must be metal;
- drive chain;
- axes of rotation;
- a mechanism that will set in motion all elements of the device;
- metal profiles, from which the frame of the device will be made.
To understand how to bend a profile pipe on a homemade device, it is important to understand the technology used for this process. As a rule, pipe benders use the rolling or rolling principle, which minimizes the risk of kinking and damage to the pipe.
To make a bend on a profile pipe using such a device, you need to insert it between and turn the handle. The use of such a simple bending device allows you to obtain bends on a profile pipe that fully comply with the specified parameters.
To make a simple machine for bending profile pipes, you will need the following structural elements:
- ordinary jack;
- metal profiles and shelf necessary for making the frame;
- springs with high strength;
- shafts in the amount of 3 pieces;
- drive chain;
- a number of other structural elements.
When using such a device, the operation of which can be seen in one of the videos below, the pipe is laid on two side rollers, and a third one is lowered on top of it, creating the required force. To give the pipe the necessary bend, you need to rotate the handle that drives the chain and, accordingly, the equipment shafts.
Pipe bender manufacturing process
To make a receiving device, you need to follow the following procedures.
- Prepare a reliable frame, the elements of which are connected by welding and bolted connections.
- Using a previously prepared drawing, install the axis of rotation and the shafts themselves, two of which are located above the third. The bending radius of the profile pipe depends on the distance at which the axes of such shafts are located.
- To operate this bending mechanism, a chain drive is used. To complete such a transmission, it is equipped with three gears, and the chain itself can be picked up from an old car, motorcycle or other equipment.
- To operate such equipment, a handle is needed that is connected to one of the shafts. It is through this handle that the required torque is created.
Instructions for making a pipe bender
Making a pipe bender for a profile pipe yourself is not at all difficult if you adhere to the following technological sequence.
- Gears, bearings and rings are placed on the pressure shaft, which are connected to it using a key. First, a drawing of such a shaft, races for bearings and rollers is developed, then these parts are turned, which is best entrusted to a qualified turner. Total for of this device it is necessary to make three shafts, one of which is suspended on springs, and the other two are located on the sides.
- Then it is necessary to drill holes in the rings, which are necessary for making grooves and threading.
- Now you need to make a shelf, for which you use a channel, in which you also drill holes and cut the threads required when installing the pressure shaft.
- After completing the preparatory measures, the entire structure of the equipment must be assembled, for which welding and bolted connections. First of all, the frame is installed, which also serves as the legs of the pipe bender.
- The next step is to hang the shelf with the pressure shaft attached to it, for which springs are used. After this, you need to install side support shafts on the homemade pipe bender, on one of which a handle is attached.
- The finishing touch is installing a jack on a pipe bender.
Some subtleties of implementation installation work:
- the pressure shaft, fixed with keys, is additionally screwed to the shelf;
- installation of the pressure shaft is carried out according to the following scheme: the shaft is installed on a shelf to which nuts for the springs are pre-welded; after the installation work is completed, the shelf is turned over and suspended on the springs;
- The chains are tensioned using magnetic corner, which is used as a holder;
- when tightening the sprockets, keys are used, which are pre-made from Grover;
- the drive handle for the bending machine is made with a rotating tube;
- jack for this homemade device installed on a suspended platform using bolted connections and welding.
Manufacturing of hydraulic pipe bender
On the Internet you can find many photos and videos of how to make your own device for bending profile pipes with a hydraulic drive. The process of manufacturing such a pipe bender, equipped with a hydraulic cylinder, injection device and pipe stops, is a rather labor-intensive undertaking.
In the drawing and in the design of such a pipe bender, the following elements can be distinguished:
- hydraulic jack with a lifting capacity of at least 5 tons;
- shoe;
- rollers in the amount of 2–3 pieces;
- powerful metal channel;
- thick metal plates and other parts.
To make the required bend of the profile pipe using hydraulic device, you need to insert it into the shoe and fix both ends. After this, you need to use a jack, which, with its rising rod, presses on the roller, which acts on the pipe and bends it. Once the required bend angle is obtained, the process can be stopped and the pipe can be removed from the pipe bender by turning the jack handle several times in the opposite direction.
Methods for bending pipes using a homemade machine
The question of how to bend a profile pipe using a homemade pipe bender is unlikely to confuse you if you read a few more recommendations. Hydraulic machines can be used to successfully bend profile pipes made of different materials, as well as thick-walled products. This operation can be performed using either a cold or hot method, which involves preheating the pipe section.
Thus, a manual hydraulic bending machine can be used to influence the pipe in two ways:
- cold;
- hot.
Cold bending is the simplest bending method, which is used for pipes made of plastic materials. The subtlety of this process is to fill the pipe before the flexible one with sand, salt, oil or cold water. This allows you to get a better bend without significant deformation of the pipe.
If you are interested in the question of how to properly bend a profile pipe with thick walls or made from materials of increased rigidity, then the answer to this question is to use the hot bending method.
The question of how to bend a profile pipe as accurately as possible and without unnecessary labor costs will be answered by several useful tips from qualified specialists.
Removable casters different shapes will allow you to work comfortably not only with profile pipes, but also with round ones
- In manual pipe benders for bending profile pipes, you can not use sprockets, but assemble a structure based on one drive roller. Instead of a pressure screw, such pipe benders often use a jack.
- If you are bending according to a template, then to prevent the pipe from sliding off it, you can use metal hooks as stops.
- If you need to bend a profile pipe under a large radius, it is best to use a pipe bender with three rollers.
- To get a more versatile bending machine, you can make its thrust rollers movable. This way you can change the bend radius of the pipe.
In the video below, the master shares his experience in building a pipe bender from scrap materials.
In order to strictly observe the dimensions of the required pipe bend, it is best to perform this operation using a template made of wood. Even the simplest manual pipe bender using such a template will allow you to bend a profile pipe with precise compliance with the specified parameters. By the way, such templates are mainly made to implement the simplest manual methods flexible.
