Useful Tools - Mandrel Tube Bender

Custom Tooling

 

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  • Clamp beading tool in vice, making sure handle can be turned without fouling the vice or bench.
  • Prepare pipe end to be swaged by squaring off and de-burring.
  • If using aluminium alloy pipe, make sure material will form without cracking. It may be that you will have to anneal the pipe before forming a bead. See Useful-tools tube bending web site for annealing information.
  • Release adjusting knob and slide tube end over the small spindle until it touches the t
    • ool body.
  • Spin down the adjusting knob until the tube is lightly gripped between the rollers.
  • Apply a good drop of oil or light grease to the large roller.
  • Holding the tube lightly against the tool body, turn handle until tube has rotated at least one turn. (Note: It may pay to wear a pair of industrial gloves to avoid chaffing the hand holding the pipe if lots of beads are to be formed.)
  • Turn adjusting knob down slightly - say 1/8 turn or so.
  • Still holding the tube lightly against the tool body, turn the handle until the tube has rotated at least one turn.
  • Repeat until the bead has started to form. At this point, the tube should have formed enough of a 'track' to hold itself in position on the rollers.
  • Carry on turning the main crank - turning the adjusting knob 1/8 to 1/4 turn per turn of the crank - until you have formed a satisfactory bead.
  • Release adjusting knob to allow tube to be removed from the tool rollers.
  • Note: If tube ends start to mark during the beading operation, apply a further drop of oil or grease to the outer roller.
  • Clean oil/grease from the tube end and dress with wire wool or lap mop material to burnish end.
  • Finally, check the appearance of the bead formed. If you see stress/crack marks, check with your material supplier on the specification of material they supplied.

 

1.0" x 16swg stainless steel tubing bent on a 2.0" centre line radius.

Useful Tools are a supplier of innovative tools such as mandrel pipe benders and hand beading tools for use in the plumbing and engineering industries. Our useful tools have been supplied to customers all over the UK and worldwide. Contact Useful Tools now for further information about our quality time saving tools.