Dug up an old Garden Railways article on building lights, which covered bending brass. Re bending brass, did like the article stated...
Heated a 4" length of the brass tubing to red-hot. As I moved back-and-forth, it did not stay red-hot as it cooled down when doing further up the tube - but I would go back-and-forth where it would turn red-hot quickly. Doused it in water. Bent it by hand using a 3/4" pipe as the form. Though it bent easily, it flattened where being bent. Hmmm...try it again. Heated the same, probably hotter this time. Let it mostly cool naturally, but did douse it in water when fairly cool. Packed the tube w/ sand this time (but may not have packed it enough). Upon bending, it did not flatten as much - but did some. I would prefer the tube to remain round throughout the bend. What did I do wrong? Would I be better off NOT bending it against the hard pipe? Is the radii too tight? Would one of those a spring benders - where the tube is slid inside a snug-fitting spring-like thing - make any difference? Bending aluminum of the same diameter was done w/ out heating, and without deforming - but that was formed using a 1-1/2" pipe. Thanks, tbug |