Alright guys.. just bought 3 metres of 2.5" Stainless Steel piping for £42- it's about 2mm thick.

How do you bend this stuff? use a blowtorch and heat the outer-side of the bend then bend it once it's hot enough?

Any info greatly appreciated. I've tried a search but couldn't find a thing.

Cheers.

 

Ain't gonna happen Sorry.... unless you happen to have access to a mandrel bending machine you're better off to just buy pre-bent sections.

 

Unless you have a $20,000+ mandrel bender than you would be best off buying some stainless U bends or J bends. There is no way to bend thin walled tubing without it crinkling or kinking in half without a very expensive machine.

 

so would it be benificial to get some angled silicon hose for the bends and just cut the pipe and use it straight?

if so, where can i get all sorts of angled hose?

cheers

 

you could do that, but why not just buy some mandrel bent pipe? It would be cheaper I think.

Rob

 

well i'm going to work out exactly what i need done then i'll take it to the place i got the SS from, they make exhausts so it wont take much for them to bend it. That way they wont charge much if i get it pre-cut and just ask them to bend it.

I was hoping to bend it myself but i think that's what i'll do. hmm..

Well cheers guys, yous saved me from spending a day tryin' to bend the stuff lol.

 

why not, buy some u bends and then cut and weld?

 

Unless they have a mandel bender, i wouldn't recomend having them crush bend the pipes. Your better off spending the money buying some u-bend pipes...

 

well i've seen some of their piping, doesn't look crushed.

I'm thinking of doing that for the really dodgy bits and just using angled silicon hose for the easy bends. i should be alright then i think.

 

You know any electricians.......larger companies should have electric benders that can bend your pipes nearly perfect.

 

You wont want to cut the pipe if you are having them bend pieces afterwards. you'll need to leave it in one long stick and have them do one bend at each end. the machine will need some extra length to hold on it.