bending brass is there a right way?

maninblack · 01-11-2007

hi all
is there a proper way to bend brass tube? as i need to make 2 x circular rings but dont want them all over the place!! the brass is 1.5mm thick solid type
many thx
M.I.B

alan2525 · 01-11-2007

I'd just bend the brass around a piece of round bar, roughly the same size as the internal diameter of the ring you want to make. then continue to bend the brass around the bar to make a kind of spring, then saw across to make the separate rings.

bogstandard · 01-11-2007

Hi MOB,
It all depends on the diameter of circle required.
Normally I just do it as Alan suggests but anneal it first, that way it will be almost the same size as what you are wrapping it around, otherwise it tends to spring open too much.
For larger than average I use a set of slip rolls with the round grooves on the rollers designed for doing this sort of job.

John

maninblack · 01-11-2007

hi bog(sorry)
what are slip rolls with the round grooves ?
cheers
M.I.B

bogstandard · 01-11-2007

MIB,
This will show you a piccy of a slip roll. If you look carefully at the rolls you will see some grooves at the end, these are for fabricating rings.
http://www.chesteruk.net/store/slip_rolls.htm

John

maninblack · 01-11-2007

cheers john
not worth buying one to do 2 rings!!
many thx
mick

**Bunkerbarge** · 02-11-2007

There is also the hand held copper pipe bender. I use one of them for pipe work on the steam plant. I'm sure with some annealing it will be OK with brass tube as well.

bogstandard · 02-11-2007

What diameter are you trying to get to?

John

maninblack · 02-11-2007

hi lads thx again for rplys its a wintergarden for a boat tower
the top ring is 3 & half inches measured from the widest part in the centre
and the second is at a rough guess is 3 inches pic included
thx again
M.I.B

bogstandard · 02-11-2007

That is a wrap around paint tin job, but as I said before anneal the brass first. Just heat it to a medium red colour and either drop it into water or let it cool down naturally, if it hardens up before you have finished bending, just repeat the heat process. Not a job for machinery.

John