Introduction: TUBE BENDER (with Hidraulic Jack)

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About: Metal worker. Lathes, milling machines, flat and cylindrical grinding machines ..... Twitter / instagram @igggv

I have a project for which I need to bend tubes, to make a structure. And for this need I made this tool. In this
video you can see how it works.

It is not necessary to make the entire structure, if you have a hydraulic press. In this video you can see how:

However, it is better to make the structure with a hydraulic jack, because in this way the tube bends upwards and there is nothing to hinder or disturb, as if it happens when bending the tube in a hydraulic press.

Supplies

I understand that you need very specialized tools and that not everyone has, such as a lathe and milling machine.

Step 1: Materials

1 hydraulic jack
4 threaded rod M20 500mm long
12 nuts M20
12 washers M20
2 axes diameter 15mm and 115mm long
1 axis diameter 15mm and 240mm long
4 washers M14

1 piece like the one in photo 2. 300x100x15

I have welded a piece to fit the hydraulic jack spindle and it can be held in place without it falling off.

3 wheels as in photo 3, one large and two small.

4 pieces like the one in the photo 4

1 piece like the one in photo 5

2 pieces like the one in photo 6

Step 2: ASSEMBLY

Thread the M20 rods into the base, place a washer and a nut on each so that they are fixed to the base.

Step 3: ASSEMBLY

Place the hydraulic jack. I have not fixed it to the base .... but I will.

Step 4: ASSEMBLY

Fit the two pieces that support the axis of the main wheel. Use washers and nuts above and below to fix the position. Measure the distance to the base well so that they are at the same height. (The height may depend on the hydraulic jack you have).

Step 5: ASSEMBLY

Assemble the two small wheel using the two short axes and the M14 washers.

Step 6: ASSEMBLY

Assemble the previous two sets on the axle of the big wheel, placing the big wheel in the middle. You will notice that it has lateral clearance, this way it is easier to put it on and take it off, and when bending the tube, it is placed in the centered position by itself.
Sometimes, after bending a tube, it is necessary to remove the larger wheel in order to remove the tube.

Step 7: ASSEMBLY

Place the piece on the spindle of the hydraulic jack.

Step 8: READY TO USE

Now you can easily bend a tube. The wheels are made to bend tube of diameter 16mm. To bend a tube of another diameter, the wheels must be made to adapt to that tube. I have bent 10mm diameter tube with these wheels and it looks great ... but better to have the specific wheels for each diameter. If you want to bend a tube of another diameter you can contact me to calculate the geometry of the wheels ... but I am sure you can do it by yourself.
Greetings and have fun.

Step 9: MEASURE

To know where to bend the tube, make two marks, one will be where it will be folded and the other at 40mm, the one we use to measure (as seen in the photo).
To know how much to bend, it is best to measure the distance between the base and the part that is placed on the spindle of the hydraulic jack. For example, the first time you bend at 90 degrees you write down that measurement, and the following times it will be easier and faster.

Step 10: IN HYDRAULIC PRESS

To use the tube bender on a hydraulic press I have made a part with a recess that has the outside diameter of the large wheel so as not to push directly on this wheel.