How to make a profile bending machine with your own hands

How to make a profile bending machine with your own hands

When arranging a site or preparing for the dacha season, the need arises for arches made of profile pipes. They are needed when constructing a greenhouse, assembling a gazebo or canopy. It is expensive to buy already bent arches - the price is twice as high as for the same flat rolled products.

The solution is to do it yourself, and to make the process easier (it’s very difficult to do by hand) you need to make a pipe bender for the profile pipe. You will need channels or corners, rolling rollers and some other details. Tools include a grinder with a metal disc, a welding machine, and a ruler.

 

Profile bender design

The machine for bending profile pipes is structurally different from the usual one. This is due, firstly, to the greater resistance of the profile to bending loads, and secondly, to the fact that the bending radius usually required is large.

Therefore, the design contains three rollers. Two of them are installed permanently, one remains movable. Using a movable roller, the radius of curvature changes.

 In general, there are two types of pipe benders for profile pipes: with a middle movable roller and with an outer one (right or left, as desired).

You can make a pipe bender for a profile pipe in different sizes with your own hands

Pipe bender with middle movable roller 

The two outermost rollers are fixedly mounted on the body. They are raised above the plane of the base. For the middle roller, a special U-shaped frame is welded. A long, large-diameter clamping screw is installed in the middle of its jumper. A third bead is attached to the lower end of this screw (can be welded). By rotating this screw, the roller lowers and rises, changing the bending radius of the profile pipe.

Design of a pipe bender for a profile pipe with a movable middle roller

A cloud is welded to one of the stationary rollers, with the help of which the pipe is rolled through the machine. To make it possible to apply less effort for rolling, two stationary rollers are connected using a chain. To effectively transmit torque, sprockets are welded to the rollers (possibly from a bicycle), and a chain is selected for them. This simple mechanism makes bending a profile pipe much easier.

With extreme movable roller

In this design, the right or left roller is made movable. It moves along with part of the base. This part is connected to the rest of the frame using powerful metal hinges.

Drawing of a bending machine for profile pipes with a lifting platform

You can change the height using a jack, as shown in the drawing. The height of the platform in this case is selected depending on the height of the jack. The bending radius is changed by lifting the movable part of the table.

Pipe bender for profile pipe with lifting platform

Unlike the previous design, this pipe bender for a profile pipe is driven from the central roller - a handle is welded to it. To reduce the required force, you can also weld the sprocket to two fixed rollers and transmit torque using a chain.

What materials and design details are needed?

The base of the pipe bender is made from a channel or two welded angles. The thickness of the shelves is at least 3 mm; select the width of the shelves and the back of the channel to match the existing parts. One rule - the base must be massive and reliable.

Several holes can be made along the edges of the platform. Through them you can fix the machine to some heavy base using large diameter self-tapping screws. Fixation is necessary, since when bending pipes with a thick wall, significant forces have to be applied and it is more convenient to work if the machine is firmly fixed.

This is what the frame looks like with welded racks for attaching the movable roller

A few words about rollers. They must be made of good, high-quality, preferably hardened steel. It is on the rollers and on the axles that hold them that most of the load falls.

It should also be said about the shape of the rollers. They should not be smooth - there should be rollers along the edges that will prevent the pipe from “walking” during rolling. Only under such conditions will the arc from the profile pipe be smooth and not twisted. Ideally, each pipe size needs its own rollers. But then the design becomes more complicated - they need to be made removable, and a reliable method of fastening must be thought out. The second option is to make videos of complex shapes, such as in the photo. Carve several steps for different pipe sizes.

Rollers for bending profile pipes of different widths

In the same photo you can see that the upper part of the bed is not smooth, but toothed. With the help of such teeth, the rollers can be rearranged to different distances and thus also adjust the bending radius.

In general, homemade bending machines for profile pipes are assembled from what is at hand or what they can find/buy inexpensively. Those who have the opportunity grind out the rollers and insert bearings. Those who don’t have such an opportunity use what they have, right down to the bushings from bicycle wheels. In general, you need to understand the design and

Tricks to make pipe bending easier

To make the rollers move better, bearings are used. But, in principle, for a homemade pipe bender, which will be used only occasionally, you can simply make holders from a corner or channel. Make a hole in them that is slightly larger in size than the axis on which the roller will be mounted.

Pass the axle with the roller on through the holes of the holders and somehow fix them (at least weld on a couple of points that will be stoppers). During operation, for better performance, lubricate the rubbing areas with a thick lubricant such as Litol.

This is not suitable for industrial and semi-industrial production, but it’s just right for making arcs for a greenhouse or gazebo with your own hands.

Example of turned beads

There is one more trick that helps reduce the required force when bending a profile pipe. You can use the principle of increasing gears as in a bicycle. By the way, you can use bicycle sprockets. In this case, the handle that drives the rollers is welded to a small star. It is installed somewhere on the body. Larger sprockets are welded onto the shaft axis (but teeth with the same pitch). All this is connected by a suitable chain.

With such a torque transmission device, an electric drive is not needed - it will be easy to work

And one more improvement - if you constantly use a pipe bender for a profile pipe, it makes sense to mechanize it. In this case, they install a motor that operates at low speeds.

The procedure for bending a profile pipe on homemade machines

It is unlikely that you will be able to obtain the required bending radius in one go - too much force is required for this. It is impossible to create it manually. Receive the required bend in several passes:

• First, the rollers are aligned so as to obtain a slight bend, the pipe is rolled in one direction, then removed from the rolls, unfolded and inserted on the other side. It is necessary to unfold in order to obtain an evenly curved pipe.
• With the same position of the rollers, it is pulled several times until the curvature is no longer added.
• If the required bending radius is not achieved, change the position of the roller and repeat the steps again.

Rolling pipe bender with electric drive

The change in bending radius is achieved gradually, otherwise you will not be able to make an arc from a profile pipe using a homemade pipe bender. What to do if you need to repeat the same bend? Make a graduation - note to what height the roller moved, how many times it was rolled in each position. When repeated, the differences, if any, will be insignificant.

The difficulty of bending lies in the fact that there is no scale and it is difficult to obtain the intended bending radius without experience. Sooner or later you will get it, but you can spoil a lot of material in the process.

materials

Explanations and photos are good, but seeing the assembly process or the operation of the finished unit is much more useful.
The first video shows the process of assembling (welding) a manual pipe bender for a profile pipe. The option with a movable middle roller was selected. The second video is about the operation of a simple pipe bender with a moving platform. This option is not suitable for large sections, but it can bend a small cross-section pipe up to 40*40 mm.

How to bend a profile pipe without a machine

There are two ways to make an arc from a profile pipe without a profile bender - using welding and a template. Let's start with welding.

Get an arc by welding

The profile pipe is cut with a grinder on one side. They are made every 15-30 cm, depending on the required radius, cross-section and wall thickness. The cuts should not touch one side - the one that will be on the outside.

Result of bending by welding

The spare part prepared in this way is bent, giving the desired bend. For reliability, the edges of the arc can be fixed by welding a rod to them. Then welding is carried out along all the cuts, welding them. And the last stage is grinding the weld spots and treating them with anti-corrosion compounds.

Using a template

Thin-walled profiled pipes can be bent by hand using templates. If you need a special shape, it can be cut out of a piece of thick plywood or chipboard and secured to the table using clamps. On the workbench where we will bend the pipes, make about 8-10 holes. The template is placed near these holes.

The process of obtaining an arc from a profile pipe using a template

The holes are repeated at one end of the pipe; with their help, the pipe is attached to the workbench. Now the free end of the pipe begins to be pulled smoothly, forming a bend that follows the shape. You need to pull smoothly, without jerking.

The template can also be made on the ground. Pipes-pegs are driven into the ground (at least half a meter deep). They form the required arc. For emphasis, two additional stakes are driven in, which are located to the side of the arc. The distance you need to step aside is slightly greater than the width of the pipe.

Pattern on the ground

Having inserted the pipe, it is pulled towards the arc. Great efforts are required, the work is hard. This can only be achieved with a thin-walled, seamless pipe. The suture has too much resistance in the seam area. It is very difficult to overcome it manually.

Source: https://fasaddomstroy.ru/otdelka-doma-dizajn/kak-sdelat-profilegib-svoimi-rykami.html

Making a homemade pipe bender and profile bender with your own hands

There are many models of industrial pipe benders on the construction market, but it hardly makes sense to buy a professional tool to bend two or three pipes. But making this simple tool with your own hands and using it in the household is within the capabilities of every person who has certain technical skills.

Application of pipe benders

Pipes were and are one of the most popular building materials, used both in households and in industry and construction. In addition to being used in the installation of water and gas pipelines, pipes are also used for the manufacture of fences, greenhouse structures, gazebos, canopies, garden furniture, etc. Thus, having a pipe bender in the household will never be superfluous.

Often, to produce various structures from pipes, it is necessary to bend profile pipes along a radius. For these purposes, a pipe bender is used, which allows bending pipes to an angle of 180 degrees. Pipe benders allow you to easily and accurately change the configuration of pipes made of various materials - aluminum, metal-plastic, stainless steel. The bend is made according to the required shape and dimensions.

Types and models of pipe benders

The industry produces various types of professional pipe benders. To bend pipes of small diameter, hand-powered tools are usually used, but pipes with a diameter of up to three inches are bent using pipe benders equipped with a hydraulic drive.

This type of tool is designed for large-scale work. Industrial pipe benders can be made in both stationary and mobile versions. The most convenient tool is one that connects to the mains.

Electromechanical pipe benders provide the most accurate bending angle and radius. In this case, changing the shape of the pipes does not entail any deformation of the internal profile.

Pipe benders are also divided according to the bending method:

• in crossbow pipe benders, a shape of a certain diameter is used as a bending element;
• manual spring tool is designed for bending metal-plastic pipes using special springs;
• in segmental pipe benders, bending is carried out by stretching the pipe around the segment; mandrel tools bend thin-walled pipes to a small radius using steel, plastic and brass mandrels.

When bending a pipe, one should take into account the permissible bending radii for pipes of different diameters and different wall thickness parameters. Permissible bending radii for products of various characteristics are presented in special reference books. If the radius is violated, the quality of the bend can be significantly reduced.

Let's start production

Despite the apparent simplicity of the process, bending pipes requires a rather serious approach, since with an incorrectly selected tool, various defects and deformations are possible, leading to a decrease in the throughput of pipes and a decrease in their strength characteristics.

Therefore, the selection of tools is carried out taking into account the compatibility of the characteristics of the pipe and the operating principle of the tool.

Pipes made of different materials, having different diameters and different wall thicknesses have a certain minimum bending radius. The following table is used to determine it:

Of course, it is possible to bend pipes with a smaller radius, but it should be taken into account that this will reduce the quality of their bending.

Now let's talk about making pipe benders ourselves and consider several designs of such tools.

The easiest way to bend a pipe is to use a special template. It should be noted that this method allows you to bend not only aluminum but also steel pipes.

To make a template, we will need wooden boards slightly thicker than the diameter of the pipe being bent. To ensure that the pipe does not slip out of the template during operation, the boards are cut with a certain slope.

The boards fastened together must be fixed on a table or other convenient base. In addition to the template, you should also attach a stop here at a certain distance to hold the pipe being bent. The simplest model of a pipe bender is ready.

The end of the bendable pipe is inserted into the space between the fixed template and the stop. Taking the pipe by the opposite end, you need to bend the product with smooth movements. To facilitate the process, you can use a lever by inserting a strong reinforcing rod into the pipe or put a larger diameter pipe on the product to be bent.

Trying to bend the pipe in the center of the template should be avoided, as this not only requires significant force, but may also cause the pipe to break.

A similar template can also be made from metal hooks attached to a sheet of plywood along the corresponding bend line. The advantage of this design is the ability to adjust the bending line by rearranging the hooks.

The simplest pipe benders allow you to bend not only thin-walled flexible pipes, but also thick-walled products. To do this, use a hand winch.

Using this design, even powerful profile pipes can be bent. However, for these purposes, when cutting out a wooden template, you should not make a bevel, and the pipe must be secured with several stops at once.

In various workshops you can often find pipe benders with a similar design:

You can make it yourself. In the process of manufacturing such a pipe bender, the most problematic is the selection or production of the necessary templates and rollers, since the quality of the bend depends on the girth of the pipe.

If the tool is designed to work with flexible pipes, steel rollers and templates can be replaced with similar parts made from hardwood.

The rollers can be turned on a lathe. Also, the roller can be cut with a jigsaw. To do this, circles of different diameters are cut out of hard plywood with an inclination in the required direction, which are then fastened into a single piece. Finally, the roller should be sanded. To give greater strength to the product, it should be reinforced with metal plates.

To obtain a large bending radius, it is optimal to use rolling pipe benders.
These tools, like those described above, are not distinguished by their design complexity. In general, the level of complexity of the design of rolling pipe benders largely depends on the material of the pipes being bent.

If the tool is needed to work with flexible pipes, its working surfaces can be made of wood. Since wooden parts are quite simple to manufacture and do not require large expenses, they can be easily replaced when worn out.

If wooden parts prove to be ineffective, they can be replaced with metal ones. Let's look at several designs of homemade rolling pipe benders.

As you can see, this tool is made primarily of wooden parts. The rollers in this model are made of polyurethane, however, they can also be made of wood. T

Bearings can also be used as rollers. However, in this case, you will need to jam the pressure bearing so that it does not rotate.

Its technical characteristics depend on the distance between the rollers of a pipe bender. The greater the distance between the rollers, the less effort will be required to bend and run the pipe. However, in this case, a minimum bending radius is ensured, and a significant section of the pipe is not subject to bending at all.

In order to produce a more versatile tool, the possibility of installing side rollers in different positions should be provided at the design stage.
It is necessary to fasten steel clamps on the sides to hold the pipe in a certain position perpendicular to the axes of the rollers. Otherwise, the pipe will begin to bend in a spiral.

The pressure roller of the pipe bender should be tightened from below using a metal strip with a thread of the required diameter cut in the center.

By smoothly tightening the pressure roller of the device, the bent pipe is rolled through the pipe bender. When rolling, for every half turn of the fixing metal strip, a pipe is run through.

When bending a small radius, you will need to make from 50 to 100 runs. To ensure that the bending circle does not undergo deformation, it is necessary to roll the pipe at the same speed. If there is a weld on the surface of the pipe, it is necessary to ensure that the seam is always on one side during rolling.

Homemade pipe bender for profile pipe

The author's story of creating a homemade profile pipe bender. 

Spring is coming, rooks are coming, and the greenhouse has been unfinished for many years now). From the very beginning I decided to make a normal greenhouse from a normal profile. To do this you need to bend the frame. You can, of course, look for where it is bent or even buy a ready-made one, but we are not looking for easy ways. We will bend it ourselves, and for this we need to make a pipe bender. It will come in handy more than once on the farm

So, having rummaged through the search for drawings or diagrams for making a pipe bender with my own hands, I collected a small collection of photos. So let's start this manufacturing process with drawings and photographs.

The pipe bender itself:

A little manufacturing process:

Well, when we already have an idea of ​​the design, the drawings themselves:

The most important thing is to grind the rollers and races for the bearings. We select the shaft sizes based on our bearings and sprockets. You can avoid sprockets altogether by making the drive from a single roller, but according to reviews, this can cause the structure to slip.

You can also replace the clamping screw with a jack. In any case, the main shafts.

Well, let's start selecting materials and adjusting drawings? In the meantime, you can look at an even more advanced option. The shafts are machined to fit a couple of diameters of round pipes and a regular profile pipe.

To begin with, I bought bearings. I didn’t buy simple ones, but bought self-centering ones with supports that cost a ruble more. Since the bevel bender will be made of a “premium class”, the gears and chain for it must be premium). In my case, Mercedes ones.

The turner's task was formulated on a piece of wallpaper and he successfully completed the task.

Well, the first fitting

The gears will be secured through a key. You also need to drill holes in the rings and cut threads to secure them.

I drill holes and make grooves for the key to attach the gear.

I drill holes in the restrictive rings and cut threads for clamping bolts. I sawed off a piece of channel to mount the pressure shaft. One shelf was cut off so as not to interfere with the installation of the jack. Holes are drilled and threaded for mounting the bearings.

Now you can proceed to welding work. I lay out the parts on the “welding table”. I assemble the structure and weld the legs.

We fasten the pressure shaft. We touch it and weld the nuts for the springs.

I hang the platform on springs. By the way, the upper stop is bolted on, just in case you suddenly have to remove the pressure shaft.

Well, then I drill and screw the lower support shafts.

I'm making a chain tensioner. Use a magnetic corner as a holder. Great stuff!

I screw the sprockets on, not forgetting to insert the dowels.
The dowels were made by cutting with an engraver. I tighten the tensioner.

The next part is the handle for rotation. Don't forget to make a handle with a rotating tube so as not to rub calluses. And we install the jack, weld a couple of bolts and fix it on the site.

Result

It's time for bench testing! What can I say about the quality of the bend, the bend itself turned out just wonderful. There is a slight crease at the extreme points. There is no way without it. But thanks to the collar on the central shaft, there is no jam along the arc.

In principle, I am more than satisfied with the result. The machine turned out just right. It turns easily, bends well. All that remains is to give it a little presentation, paint is used.

Source: http://gredx.ru/articles/camodelny-trubogib

Manual profile bending, do-it-yourself drawings, dimensions

By making a profile bender with your own hands, you will receive an indispensable tool for performing construction and facade work. Not infrequently, profile pipes are used in the construction of gates, greenhouses, and are widely used for domestic purposes. In order for the profile to receive the desired bend, it is difficult to bend it manually. It's hard to get the required shape. Therefore, the best solution is a special profile bender.

Types of profile benders

Photo of a self-made profile bender

Leafing through the drawings of machines, you can come across a device with different parameters and technical characteristics. Therefore, when choosing a drawing, think about what kind of profile pipes you have to bend. The features of the future DIY design directly depend on this.

The device for bending profile pipes is distinguished by the method of their placement.

1. Stationary profile benders. This is a large device intended for industrial purposes rather than domestic needs. Therefore, they are rarely found on the farm. This machine is characterized by high productivity. Before placing the equipment, a stationary profile bender requires the organization of a foundation or a welded box.
2. Portable profile benders. A medium-sized device used in small businesses or workshops. To install the machine, you will need a base or frame made of durable metal. It is possible to make such a homemade profile bending machine if you rely on the appropriate drawings.
3. Manual profile benders. A wearable device used for bending thin profiles whose main purpose is decoration. The device can be installed on any flat surface. The base of the machine does not require preliminary preparation or reinforcement. The stages of the roll forming process are carried out manually.

Drawing of the profile bending device

Also, profile benders are distinguished by the type of drive used.

• Manual. Bending of products is carried out due to the efforts exerted by the user’s muscles. The disadvantage of such a drive is that it is impossible to control the radius of curvature, as well as create many bends on one workpiece;
• Hydraulic. The force on the workpiece is supplied by a hydraulic jack. If you want to make the device yourself, take the drawings that suit you and follow the instructions. Hydraulic profile benders are the most common among homemade devices;
• Electric. The bending process is carried out due to the operation of an electric motor. The disadvantage of the machine is that it will require connection to the electrical network and will be dependent on it. And these are additional costs for electricity. But this type of machine is connected to electronic controllers that determine the accuracy of bending the workpiece.

Additionally, the profile bending device should be divided into:

• Roller. Here, the desired bend is set by the machine using a rolled product, which is installed between 2 rows of special rollers;
• Slab. Bending by the machine is carried out on pins mounted in a concrete base. Very easy to make, but will require impressive physical effort. It will be almost impossible to bend thick profiles.

Bending methods

Before making a profile bender and choosing a machine drawing, you should determine which method of bending the workpieces you want to use. There are four varieties.

1. According to the template. This is usually a wooden template with stops along the edges of the machine. The profile pipe is placed onto the structure and bent manually. Having a similar drawing at hand, it is not difficult to make a bending device using templates. The only negative is that it is impossible to control the diameter when bending. To ensure that the force is distributed evenly and the pipe itself does not deform, it is recommended to fill the pipe with sand before bending.
2. Extrusion. This is a die-free pressing that uses one punch. Instead of a matrix, rotary shoes or rollers are used. Due to this, bending is more accurate. But you need to work gradually, without making sudden movements.
3. Pressing. Here you can use a vice, pulley and brake drums. To make such a machine, you need to install a matrix and a punch on the lips of the vice.
4. Rolling. On such a machine, the workpiece passes between rollers installed in two rows. Easy-to-use units that allow you to achieve the desired profile curvature.

Making a machine with your own hands

Having chosen your favorite homemade machine from a photo, it is unlikely that you will be able to achieve the desired result. You will definitely need a detailed drawing of the future profile bender. This will allow you to maintain exact dimensions when manufacturing the machine.

We will give an example of a popular model, on the basis of which home craftsmen often create profile bending machines with their own hands. If the price of a factory-made profile bender is 4 thousand rubles and above, then a homemade one can cost almost free of charge. It all depends on whether you have the necessary parts for the machine.

1. Prepare the necessary site for manufacturing the machine.
2. The base for the profile bender can be made of metal or wood. Using a grinder you need to cut out the base components corresponding to the drawing.
3. If you are a professional turner, you can make shafts with your own hands. If you lack the skills and the lathe itself, contact a specialist. Please note that the size of the shaft is directly related to the types of sprockets and bearings of the future profile bender.
4. In the restrictive rings for the shafts, it is necessary to make holes and grooves with a drill according to the drawings.
5. Make a frame designed for the pressure shaft. It is usually fixed to the shelf using a dowel.
6. Install the base frame of your machine.
7. Next, the support shafts should be mounted. After which you can organize the portal structure of the upper shaft.
8. The movable components of the profile bender are connected using a chain.
9. The assembly is completed by installing a handle that will rotate during manual bending. Or the handle is connected to the motor if you are using the appropriate drive.
10. All that remains is to secure the hydraulic jack, and the structure is ready.

Source: https://crast.ru/instrumenty/ruchnoj-profilegib-chertezhi-razmery-svoimi-rukami

How to make a profile bending machine with your own hands: types, production, recommendations

Most home craftsmen who have had to perform a wide variety of tasks know that during the construction and renovation process they often have to resort to the use of steel profiles and pipes. Moreover, before use, these structures have to be bent to give them the required shape and size.

The easiest way to cope with such a task is if you have a bending tool. Not everyone will decide to buy ready-made machines, given their high cost. The easiest way to save money is to make a profile bending machine yourself.

Having such a device in his arsenal, a home master can perform many different operations much faster and with less effort. However, the first thing he needs to decide is whether there is actually a pressing need for this tool.

Next, you will learn about what this manual machine is, what variants it comes in, and how you can make it yourself.

Why do you need a profile bender?

One of the important advantages of this tool is its wide scope of application . For example, to lay a cable or pipeline for gas and water supply networks, you will probably have to bend pipes.

Therefore, you need to immediately take care of the presence of a profile bender, since in its absence, installation work can take a lot of time and require significant physical effort.

Having a similar tool in your arsenal, you can quickly give the required shape to the metal profile that you plan to use to perform a particular job.

During construction and repairs, you can easily change the shape of corners , channels, and reinforcement if you have a profile bender. Quite often, enterprises that manufacture pipes and profiles, regardless of the material used for them, resort to such a tool. The bending tool is equally effective for PVC products, as well as structures made of steel, copper and aluminum.

If a home craftsman has a profile bender on hand, he will give any part the required configuration without exposing it to heat. This is one of the features of such a tool. When working with profile benders, one rolling is enough for the part to acquire the required shape. This tool allows you to create various shapes of workpieces, including circle, spiral, etc., without much effort.

If we take any large industrial sector, be it automotive or energy , then it is mandatory to use profile benders. This machine itself seems to be a fairly simple piece of equipment. The same can be noted about the principle of its operation: to give the parts the required shape, they are rolled between the upper and side rollers, which provide pressure.

Types of profile bending machine

Currently, several types of tools are known for bending steel parts and workpieces:

• electrical;
• hydraulic;
• manual.

Electric

One of the features of such devices is their large size , which necessitates their permanent installation. The use of such a bending tool ensures high accuracy, while this does not in any way affect the strength of the parts being processed.

Hydraulic

Profile benders of this type are most widespread in industry. First of all, they are useful when performing work on the installation of water supply and sewerage systems. Using such equipment, it is possible to deform the workpiece with minimal time and effort. However, the advantages of self-made profile benders are not limited to this. Having such equipment available, you can quite easily bend workpieces of any size.

Manual

Among similar devices offered on the market today, the option under consideration is the most affordable in terms of cost. It is distinguished by its small size , which allows the user to carry it to any place. If you pay attention to the drawings of such equipment, they do not provide any basis.

However, if you decide to use such a tool for bending parts, you should keep in mind that this process is fraught with certain difficulties. First of all, deformation of parts using a profile bender of this type requires a lot of effort.

In addition, it takes a lot of time to give the blanks the required shape.

Among the disadvantages that manual profile benders have, it should be noted that they are not able to deform thick pipes, and they are also unable to provide high accuracy .

But even despite all their shortcomings, such profile benders are still best suited for doing work at home. The fact is that a home craftsman needs to perform small-scale work. For this reason, he will be able to cope with a manual machine.

Types of hand tools

All profile bending models offered on the market today can be divided into several types .

• The first type is the most popular, so drawings for it are quite easy for anyone to find. A special feature of working with such a tool is that the workpiece is exposed to moving rollers, which allows deformation to occur. The procedure itself for bending parts is performed on a stationary part of the machine.
• The second type of profile bending machine is a device in which the frame is directed towards the workpiece. One of the advantages that such devices have is that there are no great difficulties when working with them. In addition, using such a tool, it is possible to avoid creasing the workpiece.

If you have a need to deform parts with a thick section, then the most suitable tool for this purpose will be a hydraulic manual profile bender. When working with it, hydraulics provide high pressure , reaching 10 tons, so you can easily cope with the task.

How to make a profile bending machine with your own hands

Let us remind you once again that for professional builders it is recommended to use functional stationary machines. If you need to perform work on bending small-volume products, then a tool that you can make yourself will be enough for you.

For a do-it-yourself profile bender, the drawing will become the basis that will help simplify the solution of this problem. When deciding on the size of future equipment, it is necessary to focus on the size of the workpieces that will have to be processed. If you plan to bend pipes with a diameter of no more than 20 mm, then you can make the simplest version of a profile bender. The design of such a tool will consist of iron pins that must be fixed to the base.

To deform the workpiece, it is placed between the pins and then begins to press in the required direction. If you have to deal with thicker pipes, then it is better to immediately make a more powerful profile bender with your own hands. You should immediately prepare for the fact that the drawings and design of such a tool will be highly complex . However, with due persistence, you can master this task.

To make such a profile bender you will need rollers. If you make them yourself, then they need to be given a round cross-section. They will have to be installed on the base in the future.

Keep in mind that there must be a correspondence between the radius of the roller and the radius of the workpiece. Next, we take the ends of the pipe, which is located between the rollers, and fix it to the winch. At the same time, on the other hand, its ends must be secured to the base.

Using such a winch, you can easily give the workpiece the required shape.

If the considered option does not suit you, then you can use another method of making a profile bender with your own hands. For this you will need cement mortar. To do this, you need to take cement and sand, keeping the proportions 1:4.

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After this, on the site where the gravel cushion has been previously created, we place fragments of a pipe with a cross-section of 80 mm. Moreover, they should be separated from each other at a distance of 50 mm. Once the pipes are laid, you can begin pouring the solution.

In this case, first you need to make sure once again that the pipe fragments are located strictly vertically. Next, you need to wait for the solution to set.

During work, you need to be prepared for the possibility of cracks and bulging. These unpleasant phenomena can be avoided by pouring quartz sand into the workpiece pipe.

One end of the pipe is plugged with a wooden conical plug, in which holes must be made to ensure the removal of generated gases. Next, we begin to heat the pipe until it changes its original color to dark cherry.

After waiting for the workpiece to cool, pour sand into it again to fill the free space. To prevent voids from forming, tap the pipe with a hammer from time to time.

Recommendations for bending the workpiece depending on heating

Based on the angle at which the bend is made, it is necessary to select the heating time of the workpiece.

• Right angle – heating interval = pipe diameter X 6.
• 60 degrees – warm-up interval = pipe diameter X 4.
• 45 degrees – warm-up interval = pipe diameter X 3.

A clue that heating can be stopped will be the complete disappearance of scale from the workpiece . By this sign you can understand that the part has heated up to the optimal temperature. If sparking is observed on the surface of the workpiece, then most likely the part is overheated.

When bending pipes, it is advisable to do everything in one go. Otherwise, there is a risk of damaging the metal structure. When working with a machine that is planned to be used for hot bending of workpieces, it must be equipped with a template.

Otherwise, the procedure for bending parts will occur with certain difficulties.

Safety rules must also be followed. For example, when deforming a pipe, it is unacceptable to stand in front of a wooden plug. After waiting until the pipe takes the required shape, using the hot method it is necessary to remove the plug and sand from it .

Today, profile bending is a fairly common tool for deforming parts. Therefore, most likely, you will have to make drawings for it yourself. If you decide to do without them, the accuracy of the design will suffer. It would also be useful to familiarize yourself with the theoretical foundations regarding the correct manufacture of a profile bender with your own hands.

Disadvantages of homemade machines

Having decided to make a profile bender with your own hands, you must keep in mind that these tools have their own disadvantages , which you need to be aware of.

• It is extremely difficult to avoid deviations while maintaining the exact bending radius of the workpiece.
• The profile bender allows you to deform the workpiece within a small radius range.
• There are often difficulties encountered when using such tools. For this reason, they are not suitable for large volumes of work.
• It is extremely difficult to deform parts with a large cross-section.
• It is not always possible to give the required shape to the workpiece in its different sections the first time.

Conclusion

A self-made profile bender can significantly simplify the deformation of various metal parts. Therefore, if you have to perform similar work during repairs, you should take care in advance of having such a tool.

Having the necessary drawings and materials, you can easily make a profile bending machine with your own hands. The main thing is to decide for what tasks you plan to use it. In accordance with this criterion, it is necessary to make a choice in favor of a suitable bending tool.

Source: https://stoki.guru/truby-i-fitingi/montazh/kak-izgotovit-profilegib-svoimi-rukami.html

How to make a profile bending machine with your own hands - Metalworker's Guide

Different types of bending machines can be used to bend steel profiles, but the profile bender is considered the most convenient of them due to its special advantages. At the same time, not everyone can buy expensive equipment, but you can design a profile bending machine with your own hands.

Before you start, you need to figure out why you need it. Therefore, we will consider the existing classifications of profile benders, their operating principle and design, drawings, bending process and the main stages of construction.

The main purpose of the profile bender

Now profile bending is widely used in the manufacture of aluminum, copper, steel and PVC pipes, as well as for laying water and gas supply systems, and for laying cables. The profile bender is used for bending various workpieces:

• solid blanks of square and rectangular cross-section;
• beams;
• corners;
• pipes;
• I-beams;
• channels;
• metal rods, etc.

When metal needs to be bent at the required angle, then, as a rule, a manual homemade profile bender .

This machine makes it possible to bend a metal profile with your own hands using cold rolled products without heating the product.

At the same time, profile bending machines make it possible to create products with symmetrical or asymmetrical contours of alternating or single curvature.

The main advantage of profile benders is bending in one roll. In this case, it is possible to process steel profiles in the vertical and horizontal planes, and to make circles or spirals from blanks. The machines make it possible to produce closed and open contours, as well as contours that have a smooth transition.

Now profile benders are very popular in many construction fields: marine, energy, sports, electrical, automotive, furniture, petrochemical industries. The bending process takes place along a radius and has two main stages: the product is rolled between rollers with simultaneous pressing of the side rollers or the top roller.

Structure of the roll forming machine

The design of the bending equipment is an easily transportable machine with a hydraulic, electric or mechanical drive, relatively light weight and compact dimensions, which is intended for bending metal using cold rolling. To achieve optimal curvature, special attachments are often used to help process any product .

There are four types of profile bending systems. The design with an upper movable roller is the simplest type in terms of mechanical operation; in this case, only the upper roller moves. The design of this mechanism may differ:

• hydraulic roller – controlled directly by the hydraulic system of the upper roller;
• upper manual roller – controlled using a gearbox.

This position of the rollers allows you to calculate the possible radius for bending parts with minimal errors due to metal compression or a small gradient during profile deformation. These do-it-yourself profile bending drawings are the most popular today.

Machines with a left roller are more convenient for curling spirals ; they make it possible to perform similar functions as the profile benders described above, with the only difference being the side roller drive mechanism. The models are equipped with CNC, that is, they control the bending gradient: they bend the product from the original drawing, or they are controlled with preset functions.

Machines with lower rollers are used primarily for bending large profiles, since the bending force is evenly distributed over the two lower shafts, and the drive mechanism is completely hydraulic.

Each roller has its own location controller to maintain the possibility of making spirals.

This mechanism is considered the most used, since the rollers rotate along a segment of a circle .

Machines where all the rollers are movable have the most complex mechanism and include all the advantages of the machines described above. These profile benders can do the work that previous devices do separately.

Operating principle of roll forming machine

The main difference between a profile bender and other pipe bending machines is that it deforms metal using rolled metal, and not by bending. Any profile bender has the same operating principle.

The machine is rigidly installed and fixed through holes in the frame with anchor bolts.

Before operation, the device must be grounded and the integrity of mechanical and electrical elements .

Before the first start, the rollers are cleaned of preservative lubricant using a dry cloth, and the network voltage is checked for compliance with that required for the profile bender.

Then the device is run in idle mode for half an hour. If deviations from normal operation occur, the profile bender is stopped and the faults are removed.

The workpieces are cleaned of grease and the elasticity of the metal is checked, which must be the same along the entire length of the product. The rollers are then adjusted to process the part in the following sequence:

• the nuts securing the pressure and support rollers are unscrewed with a wrench;
• install the rollers on the shafts with a key and secure them with nuts;
• using the handle, lift the pressure roller up;
• the part is clamped between the rollers;
• then rolling takes place under high pressure between the shafts.

The level of curvature is set by lowering and raising the upper shaft. In a manual machine, the mechanism operates using a lever that is moved by the operator. The electric profile bender is powered by an electric motor.

Classification of profile benders

In appearance, a classic profile bender has a “T” shape . There are several types of these devices, differing in cost, quality and technical characteristics.

Electric profile benders

Most often, electric profile benders are made in the form of massive and large machines, therefore they are suitable only for stationary work.

But these profile benders are also used for bending profiles with a small diameter, therefore, as a rule, they are installed in home workshops and small industries.

This equipment is distinguished by a high level of accuracy and retains the strength of products well in the bending area.

The camber angle is marked in different ways. With the mechanical method special marks are installed ; they resemble the hands of a clock.

But the most modern method is digital, when the deflection is created using an electronic device and adjusted by the operator through a monitor.

But this tool is heavy and expensive.

Hydraulic profile benders

This equipment is used in industry. They are used in the construction of water supply or sewerage systems, and they are excellent for stationary conditions. Hydraulic profile benders are distinguished by the fact that they can only operate from the network . The main advantage is:

• maintaining mobility;
• high speed;
• no load on the operator;
• ease of operation.

Manual profile benders

This equipment is the most accessible and cheapest; it can be installed in a home workshop for DIY work, since it does not require professional training of the device. But there are also disadvantages:

• inconvenience of performing several bends on one product;
• high user load;
• prolonged arching over time;
• work only with small diameter pipes;
• almost uncontrolled bend radius.

But even with these shortcomings, this profile bender is the most acceptable option for do-it-yourself work in home workshops.

If, when installing plumbing or heating, you only need to bend a few pipes or rods, then there is no point in buying an expensive tool.

A manual profile bender will cope with this task perfectly.

Types of manual profile benders

For home use, a manual profile bender is best suited. If you do not plan to use the profile bender for a long time, then it is better to buy an inexpensive model or make a profile bender yourself. There are several ways to make manual profile benders.

The first method is the most popular. Special rollers move along the part that is being bent , exerting their force on it and bending it. This equipment bends the pipe using a fixed frame. Almost all models allow you to bend up to 180 degrees.

If you need to bend a very thick pipe , then in this case you cannot do without a hydraulic manual profile bender. It is equipped with special pistons that create pressure on the pipe of several tens of tons. This device can bend up to 180 degrees.