Das Forum rund um die Honda NX Baureihe

Bending steel tube properly is one of those jobs that seems so easy until you actually try to do it. In the UK you can hire 'conduit benders' designed for steel tubing. Standard 'Pipe' benders won't do the job very well (even the heavy duty ones) since the steel tends to flatten out...I struggled with some modified pannier rack mounts for my CB 500 X...ended up having them done professionally

Bending steel - the old-fashioned way

what you need:
- the tube - must be considerably longer than what you actually need because it's difficult to pinpoint the exact position of the bend
- fine sand
- something to close the ends of the tube for example 2 longish bolts
- a sturdy vice on an equally sturdy bench
- gas burner; a small handheld one will do
- a tube whose diameter will allow to slide it over the other tube as a lever

how it's done:
- prepare a guide with the desired angle so you can check on progress while you are bending
- close one end of the tube with a bolt and some insulating tape which you tap in with a hammer. There should be a reasonably tight fit.
- fill in the sand as densely packed as possible and close the tube same as above
- clamp the tube into the vice best with aluminum protectors to the jaws about 2 inches from where you want the bend
- heat up the tube all around the intended bend. This will take several minutes
- slide the lever tube over and bring it closely to the intended bend
- start bending and check with your guide. Usually you will need to heat up again while you are bending and checking

Using this method I did a couple of skid bars for a friend's NX. Nothing as elaborate as the Degree version but they will do the job.

Martin

i tried the sand technique years ago when attempting to make a spare wheel carrier for a campervan...sort of worked but there were still a few flats in it. Don't think I packed the sand in as tight as necessary

check out this guy from yoshimura...old school exhaust wrangling! not a kink in sight....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8mMQbEkr8w

I guess you're right. Jam packing the sand is paramount. I used a rod to do this. Another factor might be the quality of the sand. I believe grain should be small and of more or less even size - no big lumps in it. I'm happy to say that there were no flats at all.
The Yoshimura guy would be very welcome to do a snake manifold for my SJ. This work is beyond me.

jonathan hat geschrieben: ↑Do Okt 24, 2019 4:11 pm i tried the sand technique years ago when attempting to make a spare wheel carrier for a campervan...sort of worked but there were still a few flats in it. Don't think I packed the sand in as tight as necessary

check out this guy from yoshimura...old school exhaust wrangling! not a kink in sight....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8mMQbEkr8w

Cool! One of them wears safety flip flops - in red colour ...

walli777 hat geschrieben: ↑Fr Okt 25, 2019 3:47 am

Cool! One of them wears safety flip flops - in red colour ...

He's protected by Zen