Rolling ridgid copper tubing

[TheSilentChamber]

Anyone know if you can roll ridgid copper tubing? (the hard kind, not the soft kind). I'm wanting to roll some 1/4 or 3/8ID on a 6" inner radius, not sure how the tubing will respond to it though.

[mike@af]

My suggestion would be to do it in two halves, then weld the two halves together with TIG and copper filler rod. Find a brake rotor, or round weight for bench pressing the correct diameter. Weld it to a table. Take a bolt, and weld it about .5" away from the disk onto the table. Stick the tube in, use some heat from an o/a torch, and bend one half. Rinse and repeat.

[TheSilentChamber]

I was going to run it though a ring roller.

[mike@af]

Originally Posted by TheSilentChamber

I was going to run it though a ring roller.

I thought about mentioning that, but after speaking with you I chose to suggest the most interesting method.

[astroracer]

Originally Posted by TheSilentChamber

I was going to run it though a ring roller.

A ring roller will just flatten and kink the tube. You need to run it through a real tubing bender like this...

I don't know if dies will be available in the diameter you need though.
Does it HAVE to be copper? Galvinized conduit is easy to bend and it can be done with a hardware store tool.

[TheSilentChamber]

I have a tubing bender, but I'm not going to buy a die for 3/8" pipe for it. I'm going to buy some and run it though my ring roller, It has dies for 3/8" bar, if I keep running it though I dont think I'll have a problem with kinking.

[astroracer]

Keep us in the loop...

[TheSilentChamber]

Sure thing, If it doesnt work I can allways use soft copper tubing. As for the question "does it have to be copper?": it doesnt have to be, but the only reason I'm trying to do this is because I like the look of copper.

[customandsound]

Originally Posted by astroracer

A ring roller will just flatten and kink the tube. You need to run it through a real tubing bender like this...

I don't know if dies will be available in the diameter you need though.
Does it HAVE to be copper? Galvinized conduit is easy to bend and it can be done with a hardware store tool.

i have one of them made me a ton of cash and took a lot of guesse work out i have used it to bend exhaust pipe to

[TheSilentChamber]

If you know how to calculate degrees and know how to mark your dies at where the bends accually start they are pretty easy to use.

[customandsound]

i bend dom tube for cages it got simple to use after 4 years of doing it

[TheSilentChamber]

OH MY GOD YOU BEND DOM TUBE!??!?!?! Will you be my hero, no wait... will you be my god?

[customandsound]

what are you going to use them for.... Has anyone used Eastwoods ring roller ?