SS tube bending

[Wally]

Someone ran into our boat this past winter while we were not on the boat causing a kink in our bow pulpit SS rail. They hit and ran so now have a repair job. Need to bend 1” SS tubing 90°. Am looking for recommendations for a machine to do the job. Any experience would be appreciated

 

[Lou_tribal]

This type of tool:
https://www.harborfreight.com/12-ton-hydraulic-pipe-bender-32888.html

Many different brands/vendor for the same type so you can search for the one you want.

Also if the length of tube you want to bend is short, fill the pipe with a 50/50 mix of dish soap and water, put it in your freezer if space permit, then bend it. The mixture will result in a jelly that will support the tube while bending and result in a smoother bend.

L

 

[rochepoint]

Talk to your local marine canvas shop, they could do it or tell you who they use.

 

[foggysail]

The Harbor Freight tool looks interesting. But some caution is needed to be sure that the outer diameter of the SS pipe will bend smoothly with the tools provided. I have tried bending SS using an electrical EMT conduit bender. I didn't have good results. The 1" tubing I see on most boats has a very thin wall so it is important that the bending tool match the pipe's diameter. But---- still worth a try for those interested.

 

[toocoys]

I dont know how handy you are, but I am a cheap DIY kind of person. For only 1" tubing, I'd do it myself.

 

[toocoys]

The Harbor Freight tool looks interesting. But some caution is needed to be sure that the outer diameter of the SS pipe will bend smoothly with the tools provided. I have tried bending SS using an electrical EMT conduit bender. I didn't have good results. The 1" tubing I see on most boats has a very thin wall so it is important that the bending tool match the pipe's diameter. But---- still worth a try for those interested.

Tape the ends of the piece you are bending, and fill it with sand. It will allow you to bend the pipe without kinking.

 

[Scratchnsaw]

Someone ran into our boat this past winter while we were not on the boat causing a kink in our bow pulpit SS rail. They hit and ran so now have a repair job. Need to bend 1” SS tubing 90°. Am looking for recommendations for a machine to do the job. Any experience would be appreciated

You really need a solid set up when you go to reshape the tubing. Most canvas shops that do bimini tops have a solid jig with the arm and matching roller to fit the tubing size on your arm long enough to apply the pressure with your surface locked in place. Its best that you will need to make a template out of cheap plywood so that you can check your bend as you go along. Make sure that you buy more than enough tubing so that the bender has plenty to pull on. Then you can use a copper tubing cutter to cut to the right length.

 

[foggysail]

Tape the ends of the piece you are bending, and fill it with sand. It will allow you to bend the pipe without kinking.

Yes, that might work!

 

[Lepke]

If you're only making one bend, why not pay someone with the tooling to bend it. No accidents that way.

 

[BIG CAT]

Harbor freight bender will not work for that. I bought one for doing some roll bar tubing and it still dented the tubes(0.134 wall). Probably better off having someone do it and save your self the aggravation.