Bending Square Tubing?

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Hello, I need to bend a piece or inch and half square tubing for an arch on a gate. Can i do this using a torch and maybe a jig on a table, or do i have to take this to someone that has some kind of bender. The arch on the top is not actually going to be that severe of a bend. I would really like info on how to do this myself because i run into this problem all the time. Thanks in advance, Nick
Reply:I just happen to be selling my square tubing bender.  It's mentioned in the Papua New Guinea thread in the For Sale forum on this site.Also, you should post your location in your profile.  It's these types of questions which really allow someone near you to offer personal help.Also, you don't always need a real bender.  Sometimes you can make all sorts of things work.  You just need the ability to hold one end while you wrap the tube around something.  I've even bought a piece or two of 3/4" plywood, just to cut it into an arc and use it as a template for some projects.  Clamp the template and one end of your tube to your table.  Just remember to bend into a slightly tighter arc than you need to allow for springback.
Reply:Nice reply MAC702.. Very slick!!!...zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:Mac, I pmed you about your bender for sale. Also, the plywood idea would work good for this project i have going right now. Do you ussually heat the the tube while your bending? If so do you try to heat more on the inside of the bend or on the outside since the outside would actually be stretching. Sorry if this is a dumb question but I have little experience bending square tubing. Thanks, Nick
Reply:NO, NO, NO; do not heat the tubing.  You'll never get an even heat along its length and that will mean you won't get a perfect arc.  Just experiment with the springback.  Once you get the first one perfect, they'll all be perfect.Here's a project I built with a plywood template. Attached Images
Reply:It depends on the radius and the quantity of tubing. I have a band roller (manual) and I cut two new dies to accept one inch square tubing. It's a bit tricky to match the radii for each subsequent piece but it is a perfect radius, no kinks at all. Will get to about 3' radius on the 1" tubing. 1.5" might work. I like the plywood jig idea or tack posts to your welding table "line" them with a piece of flat bar and use a come along to wrap the tubing. To be honest, I often just get a shop to do it for me with a tubing roller. Their machine is a Tauring ($30k).Man invented metal, he can do whatever he wants with it.KMAC
Reply:What size tubing are you bending?  Have you thought about using channel? A couple other methodsIf you are bending 1 in sq or smaller and your bend is not severe, then you can bend it between forks mounted on a secured welding table.  Just bump it at 2 inch increments.  Mark it with chalk and compare it to a pattern.  Repeat until it fits.  I have two 2.5 inch sched 40 pipe peices mounted on a small plate to make up my forks.  I tack it to my table or trailer when needed.  Since I built a roller, I mostly use my forks for making pattern channel for curved railing.If tubing is larger, then heat will be involved.  Again, mark intervals on your tubing then heat the marks.  I have usually heat the outside and sides.  You can cool the inside with water.  The contraction from cooling is very strong.  You can also place metal on horses and hang a weight in the center of the tubing while heating the marks.  I have never done this. I saw a show on NPT where a company was making a large walking bridge use this method.Remember you need a lot of small bends to make a smooth arc, hence go slow.  TPnTX does bridges where bend a lot of tubing.  PM him.Reread your post 1.5 in square tube.  Heat will be involvedLast edited by tapwelder; 04-09-2007 at 12:35 AM.
Reply:Hey Kmac i pmed you again, I am interested in your bender but i would like to know who makes? Thanks, NickNick