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Do-it-yourself pipe bender drawings. Machine for bending a profile pipe for a scheme of home-made pipe benders

Sometimes you need to bend metal pipe, but there is nothing to do. Human strength is not enough to evenly make a bend without damaging the structure itself. To do this, you need a tool - a pipe bender, which is sold in stores and the construction market. But it is possible to make it yourself in a garage with a minimum of equipment.


Even budget versions cost more than homemade ones. And if a homemade pipe bender for profile pipe you need for specific work and will no longer be required - it makes no sense to buy.

What is a pipe bender and where is it needed

Before installing a pipe bender for a profile pipe, you need to learn more about the tool. This is an old equipment used for pipe bending. Why can't this be done with ordinary human power? Metal is easily deformed if pressure is applied to it from the sides. The scope of human hands is simply not enough to make it possible to deform the pipe in a particular section of the pipeline.


A machine for bending a profile pipe with your own hands not only bends correctly. It accurately determines the angle of inclination. You can set parameters depending on your specific needs. This procedure does not require much effort.


Equipment can be made of metal. It is advisable to take steel, as it meets the standard of hardness and strength that we need. Aluminum has a shorter lifespan. But if there are no other materials at hand, it will do. You definitely cannot use plastic, since its strength will not be enough to resist the pressure of the metal.


You can make equipment for yourself. Several types are available for the do-it-yourselfer, differing in the type of construction. The angle can be fixed during assembly. Usually, in factory models, it corresponds to a range of up to one hundred and eighty degrees.

Kinds

A bending machine for a profile pipe, even in a garage, can be of several types. You can use materials that are not needed in everyday life.


Structurally, they have the following differences:

hydraulic

A type of machine that works on the power of a liquid. Allows you to bend pipes with a diameter of up to 8 centimeters, so it is often found in production. It is rarely used for the home, since we do not need such indicators. But when installing a metal heating pipeline, it will be useful. Hydraulic pipe bender for round pipe thin-walled is not suitable, since it is characterized by a too rough method of deformation.

Manual

Popular for the home, but cannot be used for bending wide pipes. A simple design based on elementary physics. Everyone has components for assembly in the garage. Suitable for non-hardened steel, low carbon ferroalloys, non-ferrous metals (aluminum, copper, different kinds their alloys).

Electromechanical

In self-assembly are difficult, but have high performance. They create jewelry precision, can bend thin-walled tubes without damaging the walls.

hybrid

They are a combination of electric and hydraulic axles.

Bending Methods

Additionally, the method of bending itself differs:

  1. Crossbow. For bending, a pre-prepared form is used that fits a specific type of pipe. Do-it-yourself crossbow profile bender - a frequent machine in garages.
  2. Spring. The spring mechanism, which provides not only a high-quality bend, in addition, it also does not create destructive deformations.
  3. Segmental. It differs in that bending occurs with the help of a segment that pulls the pipe towards itself.
  4. Bezdornovy. The deformation occurs by winding the profile on the roller.
  5. Dornovy. The mechanism is similar to the previous one. The main difference is the installation of an additional filler, which prevents the formation of corrugations.

Necessary materials

The hydraulic pipe bender for a round pipe is elementary. You can use ready-made drawings that are filled with the Internet. Under They are available for any size garage. There are many designs, the choice of which is determined by the available materials. If you do not want to go to the hardware store and spend money, look in the bins. Some parts can be ordered from turners and millers.


Often, do-it-yourselfers choose a frontal design that is inexpensive and available for assembly.


It consists of:

  • Three rollers - metal;
  • Drive chain;
  • Axes for rotation;
  • The mechanism of movement, which will produce bending;
  • Metal profile to make a frame.

DIYers, in order to save money, install rollers from available materials, such as wood, plastic or polyurethane. The problem here is the cutting theory. Metal is much stronger and denser. Therefore, the roller may not withstand the pressure and crack. No need to save and mount metal ones.


To understand how a pipe bender for a profile pipe bends with your own hands, you need to understand the technology. Often, the usual varieties of rolling and rolling are used. They allow you to work even with thin-walled tubes without destroying them and leaving them suitable for use.


To make a bend, the pipe must be installed between the rollers. Next, you need to turn the handle, after which the deformation will be performed according to the specified parameters.


You can make pipe benders for profile pipes from a jack. If it is in the garage, you already have half of the machine ready. After assembly, the jack can be obtained.


For this you will need:

  • car jack;
  • frame;
  • Springs (necessarily high-precision);
  • Three rollers;
  • Chain for drive;
  • Consumables.

To learn how a manual profile bender works, you can watch the video below. To obtain the result, the installed pipe is bent using rollers. By turning the handle, the drive chain is set in motion, which produces the bend itself.

Pipe bender manufacturing instructions

The manufacture of the flexor is simple if you follow these instructions:

  1. Gears, bearings and rings are attached to the pressure shaft, which are connected to each other with a key. Before assembly, you need to draw up a thorough drawing, with the prescribed indicators of all elements. Often they have to be machined separately. If you do not know how to use a lathe, trust the turner. In total, you will need three separate shafts. 2. Holes are made in the rings. They will be needed for grooves and threaded connections.
  2. You need to install a shelf. A steel channel is best, which will provide sufficient shaft pressure.
  3. After that, you need to assemble the entire structure. If possible, use a welding machine. Welding is the most reliable solution. It doesn't vibrate. If you don't have a welder, you can use bolts. In some places, perforated thick steel plates will be required.
  4. The penultimate stage is the installation of the shelf. A pressure roller is installed on it, through a spring. Residual rollers are mounted on the sides. One of them has a handle.
  5. The jack is installed last.

Separate nuances:

  • The roller is installed on a shelf, to which a nut for the spring is previously welded;
  • Tension is required to be done using a magnetic corner, which largely acts as a holder;
  • The jack is mounted on a hinged platform (if you want to use it separately, use bolts).

Hydraulic work bender - instructions

A pipe bender for metal-plastic pipes with hydraulic traction can also be made independently. The disadvantage is the complexity of the assembly.


You will need:

  • Jack with a lifting capacity of at least five tons;
  • shoe platform;
  • Shafts;
  • Massive channel;
  • Thick steel sheets and consumables.


For the production of the device, you need to install in the shoe hydraulic jack. You need to properly fix it on both sides. To do this, you can use a welding machine or bolts.


After that, the pressure on the jack ensures high-quality bending of the pipe. Having achieved the required angle, it is enough to remove the product and use it for its intended purpose. To make the device, you need to adhere to the following plan:

  1. fabricate detailed drawing. It must describe the dimensions of each individual element. Their production can be ordered from a turner.
  2. The lower platform acts as a platform for the jack. To use it in the future - screw it with bolts, not welding.
  3. Rollers are an important part of the design. Its problem is that they are subject to strict requirements for accuracy. You can make them yourself. The shoe is mounted lower and their ratio determines allowable angle bending.

Making a compact snail pipe bender

Products from the profile pipe "Snail" received such a name because it acts as a power template. This is a stencil that is needed specifically to obtain the correct shape of a flat spiral.

In the process, the tube is pressed tightly against the stencil, forming even spiral shapes. In their design, they resemble machines for seaming glass jars.

A snail is called flat steel plastic (thickness not less than four millimeters). A stencil part in the form of a spiral is installed on it. The problem is that its manufacture requires at least a milling machine or a good manual frezer. You can't do without a propane torch. This is a type of burner that allows you to heat the metal and then bend it.


Factory models are equipped with a pin and bolt system. Each part is interchangeable, which allows you to make different bends.

Types of Methods

A pipe bender for metal-plastic pipes is an elementary machine that works on one mechanics. The machine is indispensable for the pipeline, including thick-walled and metal-plastic. It can work with different types metal (steel, aluminum, copper, zinc and their alloys). For greater productivity, the folds can be reddened beforehand to loosen the metal, relieve internal stresses and make it softer.

cold method

Common in garage craftsmanship. If there is no blowtorch and burner, you can use it. The downside is that it takes more effort. Cold metal is harder and may crack. Therefore, it is only suitable for raw steel and soft non-ferrous metals. It is safer than hot rolled steel, because it does not have to work with high temperatures.

hot method

Requires a torch and blowtorch. Heating removes stress from the metal and therefore it becomes more pliable, but this is only true for thin-walled pipe. Thick-walled tubes cannot be warmed up by more than 300 degrees in a garage.

You learned how to make a pipe bender with your own hands. But it is better to follow a few additional tips:

  1. To work with different pipe profiles, make removable shafts. To bend thick-walled rolled products, hardened shafts are required. Only the outer layer can be processed.
  2. If the pipe slips when working with the template, install the fixing hooks on the sides.
  3. To bend large-diameter thick-walled tubing, install at least three rollers, which will be enough for comfortable work. It is desirable that they be harder than the material being bent. To do this, you can harden the surface of the steel roller.

The need to bend profile pipes in household arises quite often, whether it is the preparation of blanks for the construction of a metal frame of a greenhouse or a canopy, or the manufacture of pipeline parts of complex configuration. Devices are often used for this. industrial production, however, purchased products are not cheap pleasure. It is much more profitable to make a pipe bender with your own hands, especially since no scarce parts are required to manufacture the unit, and its design is available for repetition in any garage. Homemade fixture will allow you to get a pipe with the desired radius of curvature and at the same time avoid deformations and creases on its surface.

Purpose and types

The pipe bender is an indispensable device when you need to delicately and accurately bend a round or shaped metal pipe.

The bending of metal profile pipes is directly related to their diameter, wall thickness and material of manufacture, therefore, metal-roll manufacturers always indicate the minimum deformation radius in special tables.

Table for calculating the bending radii of steel pipes depending on the diameter and wall thickness

It is not easy to bend a hollow pipe without creases and deformations. At home, for this, it is filled with sand, heated to redness. gas burner or blowtorch, after which they bend "by eye". Of course, this method, with high labor intensity, is not ideal due to low quality and low accuracy.

To obtain a bend of the required curvature and not damage the part, special devices - pipe benders - allow. Depending on the length of the fragment to be bent, two types of devices are used:

  • lever pipe benders;
  • rental units.

The most common products are lever-type pipe benders. In such devices, the force is applied in the right place, and the bend itself repeats the shape of the segment (template), which in some devices can be removable. As a rule, the package of such units includes several segments for pipes of various diameters. In addition to segment devices, the industry produces mandrel and crossbow pipe benders, the bending shape in which is set by two guide rollers and a pressure template (mandrel). This design allows cold working of round steel pipes in short sections. By the way, compact crossbow pipe benders are the most popular tool among utility installers.

Simple, fast and high quality - these are the advantages of crossbow pipe benders that attract professional installers

Depending on the design of the lever bending device, it can have any type of drive:

  • hydraulic;
  • pneumatic;
  • electric.

Often the principle of operation of the unit provides for heating the pipe (external, or with the help of heated air passed inside the rolled product), which increases its plasticity, and, accordingly, the quality of the curved section.

If it is necessary to obtain a bend of a large radius, rolling fixtures are used. Their design includes two guides and one pressing shafts (rollers). The pipe is pulled between the moving elements, setting the degree of bending by the force of the pressure roller. If it is necessary to obtain a large radius of curvature of the workpiece, the procedure is repeated.

The rolling fixtures can have an electrical transmission for the guide shafts, as well as a hydraulic, mechanical or pneumatic drive of the pressure roller.

Designs of homemade devices

The simplest option available to most novice craftsmen is to bend pipes according to a pre-made template. A similar method is used when it is necessary to obtain a large number of the same type of blanks.

Bending a pipe on a wooden template is the easiest way to solve the problem

As a template, you can use a structure made of wooden boards. The thickness of the wood is chosen based on the diameter of the pipes to be bent - the board should have a margin of 2–3 cm. So that the metal profile does not slide off the template during operation, the ends are processed with a slight slope.

The structure is fixed to the floor or other surface in any way, mounting a stop for the pipe nearby. Having inserted the profile into the gap between the template and the thrust element, gently and gently press on its other end, pressing the pipe against the template. In order to lighten the pressing force, you can use a suitable size lever or adjust the winch.

The winch can facilitate the process of bending pipes using a template

In a similar way, a metal profile of small diameter can be bent. If it is required to change the configuration of the pipe by more than 1 inch, then the template is equipped with pieces of powerful reinforcement. To do this, holes are made in the concrete slab along the required trajectory, into which guides are inserted in the form of pins from pipe sections, fittings, etc. Bending is performed by fixing the edge of the metal profile by welding.

The advantage of this method is its cheapness and simplicity, however, the accuracy of the obtained blanks and the quality of their processing leave much to be desired. In addition, the template will have to be made every time you need to get a bend of a different radius.

Factory-made snail pipe bender

For the manufacture of a large number of the same type of workpieces with a small radius of curvature, you can use a snail pipe bender. This unit consists of two pulleys (wheels) different diameter mounted on shafts. Having fixed the end of the pipe on the impeller, a smaller-diameter roller (driving wheel) is pressed against the workpiece, while rolling it along the workpiece. As a result, the pipe goes around the surface of a large pulley, repeating its shape. The only drawback of this method is the impossibility of obtaining roundings of large radius.

The most versatile and practical are home-made rolling pipe benders (bending machines), in which you can set any angle of deformation of rolled metal. The simplest design rolling unit is a base with drive shafts fixed at a certain distance from each other. The pressure on the pipe is carried out by a movable roller, and its broach is carried out due to the rotation of the drive shafts. As a power drive of such devices, screw devices, jacks, winches and electric motors are used. The rolling machine is the most difficult to replicate at home, as it requires turning and welding work. However, there are many variations of its design made by amateurs, which indicates the high popularity of this solution. With the help of such a device, a bend of any configuration is obtained, and the process itself is often automated. The only thing such a device cannot cope with is obtaining the minimum radius of curvature of the metal profile in a small segment.

Video: Homemade rolling type bending machine

We make a pipe bender with our own hands

For the manufacture of a pipe bender, you can use the drawings of finished structures. After looking at several options and commensurate the complexity of the units with their capabilities and the availability of the necessary parts and materials, you can choose the most optimal scheme. For your judgment, we present two models of pipe benders for self assembly- a manual unit for small pipes and a semi-automatic type bending machine.

Manual volute bender for small radii

To correctly bend a profile pipe, you need to understand the physics of the process well. In manual pipe benders, the circular bending method is most often used, which avoids the risks associated with creases, cracks and other damage to pipes. To bend rolled metal in such a unit, it is enough to fix the workpiece in the fixture and press the lever. Bending occurs when a roller is rolled through the pipe, pressing the part against the main wheel.

Materials and tools

To make a manual pipe bender you will need:

  • metal sheet with a thickness of at least 6 mm;
  • Working wheel;
  • pressure roller
  • steel corners 50x50x2.5 mm;
  • piece of thick-walled pipe Ø25 mm;
  • axis of rotation (sleeve or bearing assembly);
  • piece of square bar 20x20x40 mm;
  • nuts and washers;
  • angle grinder;
  • welding machine;
  • a hammer;
  • measuring tool.

In the process of work, do not forget about safety precautions. This is especially true when working with cutting and welding equipment.

Calculation of a pipe bender and drawing up a drawing

Before starting work, it is necessary to decide which bending radius of the profile pipes will be most in demand. Depending on this, the size of the impeller is selected. It is this value that will correspond to the inner radius of the resulting knee.

Pipe bender-snail assembly

The drawing is designed for profile pipes with a diameter of up to 1 inch. The bending radius that can be obtained with this pipe bender is 125 mm (half the diameter of the impeller). If you need a bending unit with other parameters, use the method for calculating the dimensions of the pipe bender.

The main dimension of the pipe bender fork is the distance between the axes of the impeller and the roller (indicated by the letter a=200mm). In our case, the center gap is chosen taking into account maximum size processed profile pipe d = 25 mm, however, it is desirable to add a couple of millimeters “in reserve” to this value.

The center distance can be determined by the formula a = d + r1 + r2 + 2, where d is the diameter of the profile pipe, and r1, r2 are the radii of the impeller and roller, respectively.

If a roller and a wheel with a groove (a kind of brook pulley) are installed in the design of the bending device, then the measurement is carried out starting from the bottom point of this part.

Fork pipe bender-snail

To determine the size of the fork, the gap between the roller and its base is assumed to be 10 mm, and a 30 mm margin is added to fasten the impeller axle.

Fork length c = a + r1 + 10 + 30 (mm).

To determine the internal clearance between the side legs of the fork (b), add 1 to 2 mm to the wheel thickness.

You can make the pipe bender more versatile by drilling several holes in the side surfaces of the fork. By rearranging the roller axis, the distance between the working surfaces of the rotating parts is changed.

Step-by-step instructions for making a manual pipe bender

According to the drawing of a manual bending unit, it can be seen that it consists of several main parts:

  • base in the form of a thick metal plate;
  • Working wheel;
  • video clip;
  • fork.

Our instructions will help you perform the work consistently, avoiding mistakes and inaccuracies.

  1. Make the impeller and roller. Of course, it would be a huge plus to have lathe in your workshop, but even if you do not have such equipment, these details are not a problem. Any turner will be able to carve pulleys at a very reasonable cost.
    In the manufacture of moving parts, you should not save. Be sure to make a groove in them for a pipe of maximum diameter, and also carve a nest in the roller for any suitable rolling bearing. If there is a need to change the configuration of the knee surface, the trough of the impeller or roller is made curly. When rolling, the roller will leave the required imprint on the outer surface of the knee, and the wheel on the inside. To facilitate the task of the turner and further reduce the cost of the device, instead of a roller, you can install a pair of ball bearings of a suitable size.

    Pipe bender impellers can be made with a chute of any configuration

    The image clearly shows the ball bearings installed instead of the roller.

  2. On the same machine, it is necessary to make axles for the impeller and roller. The thickness of the parts is taken equal to the inner diameter of the selected bearing. The length of the axle for the roller is equal to the width of the fork in terms of the outer dimensions. The axis of rotation of the impeller will be slightly longer, since the thickness of the base plate of the bender will also have to be taken into account. By refusing to mount bearings, the design can be greatly simplified. In this case, long bolts with nuts can be used as axles. However, it should be understood that it will be more difficult to bend pipes with this device.

    For the manufacture of a fork, you need metal with a thickness of at least 6 mm

  3. The side surfaces and the back wall (base) of the fork are cut out of sheet metal, as well as a piece of thick-walled pipe as a lever.
  4. According to the drawings, holes are drilled in the fork for the wheel and roller axles.
  5. Weld the fork parts. Particular attention should be paid to all right angles of this structural element.

    Attaching the lever to the fork end-to-end will be unreliable due to the large applied force. It is best to make a hole in its back wall, into which the edge of the pipe will enter. Having scalded this joint by welding, the most durable joint is obtained.

  6. Using a grinder, the base (frame) of the device is cut out and a hole is drilled in it for the stationary axis of the impeller.
  7. If necessary, a bearing is pressed into the roller.
  8. The roller is inserted into the fork, after which it is fixed by welding or nuts.

    Fork pipe bender-snail assembly

  9. The fork assembly is installed on the base, fixing the impeller axle in the same way as when mounting the roller.
  10. A piece of square section is welded as a clamp of the processed pipe.

Holes are drilled in the corners of the base of the pipe bender for attaching the fixture to the workbench. In order for the device to be not only functional, but also aesthetic, in the process of work, the places of welding joints must be cleaned and the sharp edges of the workpieces are treated with a roughing wheel. In order to protect against rust, the finished product is painted with enamel.

Bending machine for profile pipes

Bending long shaped pipes requires not only effort to deform them, but also a mechanism for pulling parts to the desired distance. Often, in the design of home-made bending machines, not a screw is used, but a jack or winch, and the drive includes an electric motor.

Drawings of homemade devices

Bending machine. Side view Tube bender with top roller drive Tube bender with adjustable roller spacing
The simplest broaching type pipe bender

In the bending machines shown in the drawings, a threaded gear is used to press the roller. In our design, we will use a hydraulic jack, as well as a manual drive using parts from the gas distribution mechanism of automobile internal combustion engines.

Tools and materials

In order to get started, prepare the following parts and materials:

  • corners for the machine bed;
  • round or shaped pipes for the frame;
  • working and broaching shafts (rollers);
  • jack;
  • springs;
  • chain transmission;
  • tensioner;
  • bearing supports assembled with bearings;
  • a pen;
  • channel for fastening;
  • bolts and nuts.

In work, you will need manual and electric metalwork tools:

  • angle grinder (grinder);
  • welding machine;
  • electric drill and a set of drills for metal;
  • a hammer;
  • set of wrenches;
  • measuring tool.

Do not neglect personal safety equipment. When working with a grinder, be sure to use a protective shield or goggles, and carry out welding processes in tight overalls and special gloves. It should be remembered that it is forbidden to work without a welding mask and carry out electrical work on a wet surface and in the rain.

Instructions for making a bending machine

Dividing the pipe bender manufacturing process into several stages will help to organize the work more clearly.

  1. Make broaching (support, drive) and pressure (working) shafts. In the absence of skills in working with a lathe, you will have to contact a specialist. Be sure to remind the turner to turn the rollers with shanks to install the sprockets. It is best if you take these items with you.

    The design of the working shafts should provide for the possibility of installing drive sprockets

    Any sprockets and chain can be used. For example, from the gas distribution mechanism of passenger car engines.

  2. Mount the bearings on the shafts and install the drive gears on the keys.

    In the design of the machine, you can use drive sprockets and bearing supports from automotive equipment

  3. Craft with welding machine bending machine frame. To do this, first make a square frame with support legs, and then mount a structure on it, along which the plate with the pressure roller will move.

    Making a bending machine bed

  4. A steel U or H-shaped channel is used as a plate. To mount the pressure shaft along the edges of the plate, holes are drilled along connecting dimensions bearing supports.

    Fabrication of a frame for the installation of a base plate

  5. A section of the channel with a roller is suspended from the upper part of the frame on four springs, for which nuts are welded at the corners of the plate and frame as mounting loops. After that, a hydraulic jack is mounted.

Bending profile pipes is a fairly common procedure, for which a special device is used - a pipe bender. You can make a pipe bender for a profile pipe with your own hands, or you can buy it on the construction market or in a store.

Serial devices differ in principle of operation, they can have different types of drives, however, certain experience is required to work on any of these devices. Limits the use of devices manufactured in a production environment, and the fact that they are not cheap. A good way out in all such situations will be the independent manufacture of a device designed for bending profile pipes, for which you can use improvised means.

Required structural 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 the 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 home-made device, it is important to understand what technology this process uses. As a rule, pipe benders use the principle of rolling or rolling, which minimizes the risk of fracture and damage to the pipe.

To make a bend on a profile pipe using such a device, it must be inserted between and turn the handle. The use of such a simple bending device makes it possible to obtain bends on a profile pipe that fully correspond to the specified parameters.

To make a simple machine for bending profile pipes, you will need the following structural elements:

  • ordinary jack;
  • metal profiles and a shelf necessary for the manufacture of 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 placed on two side rollers, and the third one is lowered on top of it, creating the required force. To give the pipe the necessary bend, you should turn the handle that drives the chain and, accordingly, the equipment shafts.

Pipe bender manufacturing process

To make the device receive, you must complete the following procedures.

  • Prepare a reliable frame, the elements of which are connected by welding and bolting.
  • According to a previously prepared drawing, install the axis of rotation and the shafts themselves, two of which are placed above the third. The distance at which the axes of such shafts are located determines the bending radius of the profile pipe.
  • To drive such a 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 bring such equipment into action, a handle is needed, which is connected to one of the shafts. It is due to such a handle that the required torsional force is created.

Pipe bender manufacturing instructions

It is not difficult to make a pipe bender for a profile pipe on your own if you follow the following technological sequence.

  • Gears, bearings and rings are placed on the pressure shaft, which are connected to it with a key. First, a drawing of such a shaft, a cage for bearings and rollers is developed, then these parts are machined, which is best entrusted to a qualified turner. Total for 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 it is necessary to make a shelf, for which a channel is used, in which holes are also drilled and threads are cut, which are required when mounting the pressure shaft.
  • The entire design of the equipment after completion preparatory activities must be assembled, for which they use welding and bolted connections. First of all, the frame is mounted, 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 that, it is necessary to install side support shafts on a home-made pipe bender, on one of which a handle is attached.
  • The final touch is the installation of a jack on the pipe bender.

Some subtleties of implementation installation work:

  • the pressure shaft, fixed with dowels, is additionally screwed to the shelf;
  • installation of the pressure shaft is carried out according to the following scheme: the shaft is installed on the shelf, to which the nuts for the springs are preliminarily welded, after the installation work is completed, the shelf is turned over and suspended on the springs;
  • chain tension is carried out using a magnetic corner, which is used as a holder;
  • when twisting the stars, dowels are used, which are pre-made from the grower;
  • the drive handle for the bending machine is made with a turning tube;
  • jack for this homemade device mounted on a suspended platform, for which bolted connections and welding are used.

Production of a hydraulic pipe bender

On the Internet you can find a lot of photos and videos on how to independently make a device for bending profile pipes with a hydraulic drive. The manufacturing process of such a pipe bender, equipped with a hydraulic cylinder, an injection device and pipe stops, is a rather laborious undertaking.

In the drawing and in the design of such a pipe bender, the following elements can be distinguished:

  • hydraulic type 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 details.

To perform the required bending of the profile pipe using a hydraulic device, it is necessary to insert it into the shoe and fix both ends of it. After that, you need to use the jack, which, with its rising rod, presses on the roller that acts on the pipe and bends it. After the required bending 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.

Pipe bending methods using a homemade machine

The question of how to bend a profile pipe with a homemade pipe bender is unlikely to confuse you if you read a few more recommendations. On hydraulic machines, it is possible to successfully bend profile pipes from different materials, as well as thick-walled products. Such an operation can be performed both cold and hot method, involving preheating pipe section.

Thus, a manual hydraulic bending machine can be used to act on a pipe in two ways:

  • cold;
  • hot.

Cold bending is the simplest bending method and is used for pipes made from ductile materials. The subtlety of such a process is the filling of the pipe before the flexible 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 of materials of increased rigidity, then the answer to it will be the use of the hot bending method.

On the question of how to bend a profile pipe as accurately as possible and without unnecessary labor, several answers will be given. useful tips from qualified professionals.

Removable rollers of various shapes will allow you to comfortably work 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 a single drive roller. Instead of a clamping screw, a jack is often used in such pipe benders.
  • If you are bending according to a template, then so that the pipe does not slip off it, you can use metal hooks as stops.
  • If it is necessary 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. So you can change the bending 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 such an operation using a template that is made of wood. Even the simplest manual pipe bender using such a template will allow you to bend a profile pipe with exact observance of the specified parameters. By the way, such templates are mainly made to implement the simplest manual ways bending.

Do you have a familiar turner who can carve shafts for a pipe bender? If not, then this article is for you. We propose to make a profile bending machine of the simplest design without the use of turning operations. It will be clearly not for the exhibition high technology, but it will definitely fulfill its function of bending profile pipes at home.

This pipe bender is also called a profile bender, since it is mainly intended for bending profile metal - a profile pipe, channel, angle and strip. In the presence of special rollers allows bending round pipes. It differs from a standard pipe bender in that it bends pipes not just at a given angle, but bends them into an arc or ring.

Important technical points in the manufacture of profile bending.

  • When bending, the profile pipe is deformed, and its sides are squeezed out. Moreover, the smaller the bending radius, the more extrusion of the side walls of the pipe is observed. Also, creases form on one side of the pipe. These creases do not affect the strength of the bent pipe in any way, they just look ugly. To eliminate creases on the pipe, it is necessary that the roller has a small rib exactly in the center. This rib will press the side of the pipe during the bending process, thereby eliminating creases. The height of the rib depends on the bending radius of the pipe. The smaller the bending radius of the pipe, the greater the height of such a rib should be. On average, a rib with a height of 3-5 mm is sufficient. As a rib, you can weld a wire of the desired diameter onto the roller.

Bending profile pipe with creases.

  • If you bend a profile pipe on rollers without a side flange, then there is a possibility of bending the pipe with a screw. This is due to the fact that during bending the pipe can move and its position relative to the axis of the roller will not be perpendicular, but under some degree. To avoid these problems, you need to bend the profile pipe on rollers with guide flanges.

  • The force that must be applied to bring the bender rollers together and thereby bend the pipe depends on the distance between the rollers. In other words, the smaller this distance, the more effort must be applied to bring the rollers together. This is especially noticeable if the pipe bender is structurally made with a central movable roller and its clamping is carried out by a screw.
  • The distance between the rollers also affects the length of the pipe that can be bent on a given profile bender. Short pipes cannot be bent on a pipe bender that has a large distance between the rollers. For these reasons, the rollers on the profile bender are made so that they can be rearranged.
  • The smaller the diameter of the pipe bender rollers, the smaller the contact patch between the pipe and the roller, and the greater the likelihood of the pipe slipping during bending. On professional pipe benders, rollers are made with a diameter of 100-200 mm, and they allow you to bend profile pipes of large cross section. For home use suitable rollers with a diameter of about 20mm.
  • The more drive rollers, the less likely the pipe will slip. If you are going to bend a profile pipe of large sections, then it is advisable to make two drive rollers.
  • If the central movable roller is pressed with a screw, then to facilitate its rotation, it is necessary to place a ball from the bearing under it. Then the contact patch between the screw and the supporting part will decrease and it will be much easier to turn the screw. It is better to choose a screw with a trapezoidal thread, and not a metric one. Trapezoidal threads can carry a much greater axial load than metric threads.

  • For bending round pipes, you need special rollers with a semicircular profile. If you bend a round pipe on straight rollers, then it will flatten and instead of a round pipe you will get an oval.

How to make rollers for a profile bender.

Rollers can be made different ways, even at first glance the most unusual. For example, bicycle hubs can be used as rollers. Such hubs will not withstand heavy loads, but they will be quite capable of bending a pipe with a section of 20x40 mm.

As rollers, you can use ordinary scrap. We simply cut it to the desired length and put a bearing of a suitable diameter on such a roller. For example, scrap with a diameter of 30 mm, bearings No. 306 GOST8338-78 are well suited for it. So that the bearings do not move along the axis of the roller, it is enough to drip welding near the bearing race.

Rollers can be made from a pipe and purchased washers. The figure below clearly shows the design of the roller.

If you do not have suitable washers, then you can make them yourself. How to make them, see below in the article under the heading “how to make rollers for bending a profile pipe by running in”. Instead of a bolt, a metal circle of the desired diameter can be inserted into the roller and scalded.

Profile bending roller from a pipe, washers and a metal circle.

How to fix the bearings on the profile bending frame.

The best option is if the bearings are used in a ready-made housing. If there are no such bearings, then we use any suitable ones without a housing. They do not have to be rigidly attached to the frame of the pipe bender. You can make stands for them from a profile pipe or corners. The photo below shows various mounting options for bearings.

Design features of profile benders.

A pipe bender can be made from almost any scrap metal. The frame must be rigid enough, no matter what it will be made of. It is mainly made from a channel, as it is quite rigid and has a wide surface for installing pipe bender shafts.

In the manufacture of a profile bender, you need to build on the materials that you have available.

One of the main components of the pipe bender is the power unit. It is made either from a jack or from a threaded screw. If there is a screw available, then you can make a pipe bender with a central movable roller. The screw, by the way, can be taken from an old non-working jack or from a clamp. The screw must be powerful, at least 16mm in diameter.

If there is a jack, then you can choose what type of profile bending machine to make. You can make a pipe bender with an extreme movable roller and a breaking frame or with a central movable roller and extreme fixed rollers.

The design is in principle unimportant, the pipe will bend anyway. If sprockets and a chain are available, for example, for bicycles, then it makes sense to connect the two shafts with a chain and thus make them both drive shafts. This will greatly help when bending large-section profile pipes, for example, 40x60 and more. Pipes of small section bend well and on one drive roller. If the rollers slip when bending the pipe, then you need to slightly loosen the pressure of the movable roller and then the slippage will stop.

The handle of the drive roller can be made from a regular bicycle pedal or you can make a round steering wheel.

If it is intended to bend the pipe into a ring, then it should be possible to remove the upper roller, otherwise the ring will not be able to be removed from the pipe bender.

Below are some photos with different design features.

Profile bender with removable top roller and movable edge roller.

How to make a manual profile bender with a rolling roller.

This type of pipe bender allows you to bend profile and round pipes at an angle of 90 degrees or more.

The principle of such a pipe bender is based on rolling the pipe with a roller. The roller profile must match the pipe profile. This condition prevents unwanted deformations of the pipe at the bend. That is, the protrusion of the walls of the pipes and creases are excluded. This pipe bender allows you to bend profile and round pipes.

To bend round pipes, you will need rollers with a semicircular profile. Here, unfortunately, it is impossible to do without turning. But for bending pipes of a profile section, you can make rollers yourself.

How to make rollers for bending a profile pipe by running in.

These videos are pretty easy to make. You will need sheet metal, a drill, an angle grinder (grinder) and a bolt.

  1. We take sheet metal and mark the circle.
  2. We cut the metal around the marked circle with a grinder.
  3. We drill a hole for the bolt in the center of the workpiece.

4. We insert a bolt into the hole, clamp it with a nut and fix the structure in the drill chuck.

5. We process the edge of the workpiece with a drill and a grinder. A cleaning disk must be installed in the angle grinder.

6. We collect the processed blanks into a roller. Please note that the roller in the center has a protrusion of approximately 5 mm. If you have read the entire article, you should already know its purpose. Such a protrusion in the center of the roller should be made only on the central fixed roller, it is not needed on the running roller.

Roller for a pipe bender of five circles.

Important points in the manufacture of a pipe bender with a rolling roller.

In the swivel bracket of the pipe bender, it is necessary to provide holes for installing rollers for different pipes.

The holes must be a certain distance from the center of the fixed roller. To make them correctly, you must first install the central roller, insert the pipe into it, then press the rolling roller against the pipe. And now the most important thing is that the running roller should be moved so that a gap is formed between the pipe and it by about 4-6 mm. This is where the hole should be. We drill a hole on the swivel bracket in this place.

Why is this gap needed? The fact is that the gap between the rolling roller and the workpiece in the initial position reduces the deformation of the pipe wall from the outside of the bend. In other words, the pipe will be pulled out of the clamp less during bending and the bending quality will improve.

You also need to understand that each pipe has its own minimum bend radius. If you try to bend the pipes less than this radius, then with a high probability it will bend with creases. Therefore, the diameters of the central fixed rollers must be selected according to the minimum bending radius.

In the household, a profile pipe bending machine is not used so often as to buy expensive factory-made equipment.

If such a need arises, a simple pipe bender can be made privately, having previously decided which type of this design is suitable for the task.

This article details the types of pipe bending machines, describes the principles of their operation and methods of construction.

There are many equipment modifications to change the configuration of profile pipes. This is due to the minimum bend radius. If this important parameter is neglected, the strength characteristics of the material will change for the worse at the bending point. You also need to know some technological subtleties and take them into account when working.

When choosing a design, the workpiece material, diameter, wall thickness are taken into account.

Classification of bending machines by drive type

Depending on the type of drive, machines designed for bending any pipes are manual, electromechanical and hydraulic.

Manual. These are extremely simple mechanisms, available for self-production even to a person who is not privy to the intricacies of working with metal.

Manual, hand-made, a machine for bending a profile pipe is an indispensable assistant in the manufacture of frames, decorative elements, self-installation of the ventilation system

Electromechanical. Such a machine has a drive in the form of an electric motor - stepping or conventional, connected through the lower gearbox. The latter solution provides high quality bending due to proper stress distribution.

The device of the mechanism is not easy to make, you need special knowledge and at least a little professionalism.

The electrically driven roll forming machine in most cases has the appearance of a 3-shaft structure. The profile pipe is passed between the rollers. An element located in the center can change its vertical coordinates. When the central shaft rotates, the profiled pipe changes its geometry

Hydraulic. The drive in this model is manual. Unlike simple handmade design, here a hydraulic cylinder is included in the circuit, which significantly reduces the muscular efforts applied during bending.

Rollers make it possible to bend the profile pipe in any desired direction. Manual profile bender with hydraulics, with its low weight, it can bend pipe assortment up to 10 cm wide.

The hydraulic cylinder of the roll forming machine exerts pressure on the surface of the pipe by mechanical action. This causes the cylinder rod to move. As a result of the resulting load, the product is deformed. The pressure in the piston can be increased in two ways - manually and with the help of an electric pump.

Types of pipe benders by installation method

There is a division of profile benders and depending on the installation method. Distinguish between stationary, portable and wearable equipment. Stationary machines can look like a simple concrete slab with rods, and solid equipment.

The compact portable benders have a support stand, while the portable model does not have a support, which is picked up every time the equipment is used.

Classification of machine tools by bending method

The design of the profile bender and its performance will depend on the bending method. There are 3 main bending methods. The first is extrusion, when the geometry of the profile pipe is changed using a deforming roller that acts as a punch. There is no matrix in this case.

To perform the operation, 2 strong supports are required on opposite sides of the bend, which act as a matrix. Swivel shoes or rollers are used as such supports.

Since the force builds up gradually and is always perpendicular to the pipe, the method makes it possible to obtain a good end result. We apply the method only for work in a small amount.

The second is pressing. To obtain a bend, the principle of a bench vise is used - a pipe segment is placed between the matrix and the punch.

The profiles of the latter, in order to obtain a high-quality bend, must exactly repeat the geometry of the part. And also in the calculation it is necessary to take into account the residual deformation of the metal. At home, this method is applicable when high accuracy is not required.

The machine for changing the shape of a profile pipe by rolling consists of three cylindrical rollers, a chain, a drive and a base. The diameter of the rollers must correspond to the parameters of the deformable profile pipe

Third - rolling - universal way used for bending both thin-walled and thick-walled pipes. The bend is obtained by pulling the workpiece between the rollers - one rotating and two supporting.

In addition to those mentioned above, pipe bending can also be carried out by the following methods:

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Bending of a pipe is carried out by means of three rotating rollers. In this case, the bending radius determines their location in relation to each other.

When bending the pipe with a crossbow pipe bender, it rests against two rollers, and the template that is located on the rod of the device bends it between the supports

The principle of operation of this pipe bender is to bend the pipe in a cold state by rolling it with a roller around the bending block

Using a clamp, the pipe is tightly fixed to the roller of the device. Passing between the roller and the template, the pipe acquires the required shape

Rolling pipe bending method

Crossbow pipe bending method

Pipe bending by rolling

Pipe bending by winding

Regardless of the design chosen, when self-manufacturing a pipe bending machine, it is necessary to take into account the recommendations of specialists. When choosing a material for the bed, one must proceed from the fact that the thickness of the metal should be at least 1/6 of the width of the profiled pipe.

So, if you have to bend a pipe that has a rectangle in cross section with parameters of 50 x 25 mm, then in order to avoid deformation of the bed during the bending process, you need to take a channel or a corner with a thickness of at least 10 mm. The base plate and punch with a matrix should be 2 times larger in thickness.

The optimal diameter of the rollers is at least three times the cross-sectional dimensions. The shelf of the channel and the corner taken for the manufacture of the bed should be 2 and 3 times the width of the pipe, respectively. If you have to work on bending profile pipes of rectangular section 50 x 25 mm, you need a channel 100 x 10 or a corner 150 x 10.

Manufacture of hydraulic pipe bender

Consider the scheme of a machine with a hydraulic drive, where the bending occurs due to the punching of a profile pipe in the center by a punch fixed on a rising rod. As a result of close contact of the workpiece, based on two stationary rollers, with a movable punch, the latter takes its shape.


Such a machine is called a crossbow because of the similarity of the shape of the punch with the shape of a crossbow. Its main parts are the base (1), hydraulic jack (2), punch (3) and fasteners in the form of bolts. The layout of the machine components is performed according to the sketch

To mark the working surface, lay a vertical axis and, at the distance indicated in the drawing from the edge and axis, mark the location of the lower holes. Then mark the location of the upper holes, stepping back the desired distance from the edge. Connect the center of these holes with a straight line and lay equal segments on it.

The axes of the intermediate holes will be at the intersection of the marks made with the inclined axis. Holes on the working surface are needed to be able to adjust the bending radius of the profiled workpiece. Since the work surface consists of two mirrored parts, the second is marked in the same way.

The height of the machine is determined by the parameters of the jack and the distance indicated in the drawing by the symbol "a". To bend a profile pipe 15 mm wide, this gap in the inoperative state of the jack should be approximately 20 mm.

In this design, the force transmitted by the punch is concentrated in its upper part. As a result of such an impact, the outer radius of the pipe is subjected to tension, which can cause thinning of the wall, and in some cases, a rupture. Therefore, this machine is not recommended for deformation of thin-walled workpieces.

Do-it-yourself rolling pipe bender

On such equipment, the workpiece acquires a given shape by rolling. In a home workshop, it is easier to make a 3-roller design with a manual drive. Consider two options for such machines.

Machine variant with turntable

The principle of the device of such a machine for bending pipes with a cross section other than round is as follows:

  1. The main frame is connected through a swivel with a turntable, which sets the bending angle.
  2. The platform is driven by a jack resting against it with a working rod.
  3. Profile broach is carried out by rotating the handle located on the intermediate shaft.

For the manufacture of the base of the machine and the racks, you will need a channel with a wall height of 150 to 200 mm in an amount of about 3 m. As a holder for bearings, the base of the rollers, a steel pipe with an inner diameter equal to the outer diameter of the bearings is suitable, which is divided into 6 short segments.

The turntable is not the only option for adjusting the bending parameters of the profile pipe; this can be done using the outer rollers. To do this, holes are made in the base plates and the channel so that the elements are movable. You can raise the extreme platform with any jack that is on the farm

From the channel, a base and two platforms are made. Stepping back from one of the sides about 0.5 m, a vertical stand is welded from the same channel. To do this, two segments are paired to make the stand strong.

Strictly observing horizontality, a stationary platform is mounted, and a rear rack is welded to it. Further, a section of a profile pipe is taken and limiters are increased with a height not less than the thickness of the profile pipe, the deformation of which is supposed to be performed on the machine being manufactured.

The guide platform is connected to the main frame by means of door hinges. On the extended limiters and the edges of both platforms, bearings are mounted by welding and the structure is reinforced with corners. The shafts are inserted into the bearings, and a handle is attached to the middle one.

A jack is installed under the edge of the guide platform and fixed to the base with a bolted connection.

The pipe bender with a turntable is assembled in the following sequence:

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For the manufacture of a pipe bender, you will need the following materials: pipe, channel - 2.5m, bearings, jack, hinges, rollers

It is necessary to cut the channel into two parts - one of them will be the main platform, and the second - the guide. They are connected with metal loops.

The next step is to cut 6 pieces of pipe 2 cm wide and bend them to mount the bearings

Having cut the rollers of the required length, they must be connected to the bearings and the structure welded to the working platform

The central roller must be welded at a height of 8-9 cm above the platform. This is necessary so that a profile pipe can pass under it.

Using welding, we connect the working platform to the base and check the reliability of all connections

At the last stage, we paint the product, wait until the paint dries and check our homemade work

Step 1 - preparing tools and materials

Step 2 - assemble the working platform

Step 3 - cut the pipe for the bearings

Step 4 - connect the rollers and bearings

Step 5 - Weld the Center Roller

Step 6 - building the base for the ice rink

Step 7 - connect all the parts of the product

Step 8 - checking the machine's performance

Rolling machine with three rollers

On this machine, the pipe is laid on rollers located on the sides. The upper movable roller is lowered onto the product from above and in this way it is fixed. Next, the handle is rotated and the movement is transmitted to the shafts through the chain. The pipe is stretched and changes its geometry.

Gradually increasing the pressure by tightening the clamping bolt, and pulling the workpiece, the pipe is bent at the required angle.

The three-roller roll forming machine is equipped with three rolls. By connecting a 1.5 kW electric motor to such a machine, it is possible to bend pipes with a cross section of up to 8 cm at a time

To make a machine that works according to this scheme, it is necessary to prepare a shelf and profile metal for the frame, shafts, 4 strong springs, a chain, bearings, fasteners, and other parts. To mount the bearings, you will need 3 shafts with parameters corresponding to the sprockets and bearings.

Two shafts are designed for lateral placement, and the third (pressure) - for suspension on springs. These elements, most likely, will have to be ordered in the workshop, and the rest can be done with your own hands.

The pressure roller consists of bearings, gears and rings. The rings are threaded for clamping bolts and grooves are made. In the shelves from the channel, seats are made for the pressure roller. At the final stage, the structure is assembled starting with the installation of the frame.

After that, the pressure roller on springs, attached to the shelf by means of a key connection, is suspended. The support shafts are installed on the sides and the chain is pulled between them, using a magnetic corner as a holder.

Attaching a handle with a rotating tube to one of them, then they perform work on mounting the jack. Attach it to the platform with bolts and welding.

When mounting the suspension shaft, a certain sequence is observed: first, it is installed on a shelf, nuts are welded to it under the springs, the platform is turned over and connected to the springs. It should be noted that as the distance between the rollers increases, the forces applied for bending decrease.

To assemble a rolling type pipe bender, you will need:

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First you need to purchase or order shafts of the required size in a turning workshop. To ensure the mobility of these elements, gears and bearings are fixed on them.

Armed with a grinder and a welding machine, a frame of the future pipe bender is made from profiled rolled metal.

At this stage, the pressure shaft must be screwed to the frame of the product and the nuts for fastening the springs must be welded.

At the very top of the structure, a piece of profile is welded with a welding machine to fasten the springs.

The device is powered by a chain. It is pulled between the shafts and fixed in such a way that it does not sag.

To facilitate the use of the machine, a handle is attached to it to rotate the shaft - this will save the user's hands from the formation of corns

At the last stage, it is recommended to paint the pipe bending machine, and after drying, you can start testing the device

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