How to bend a short copper pipe - help me please


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Old 03-14-16, 04:16 AM
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Question How to bend a short copper pipe - help me please

Hi everyone.
I have a t-shaped half inch copper pipe.
I need to bend it a bit the way shown on my sketch.
Can you please let me know how I can do it without kinking the pipe.
Thank you.
 
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Old 03-14-16, 04:52 AM
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A tubing bender would be my first choice. It can roll or bend the tubing without kinking if the dies are the proper size for your pipe. If the dies are not the right size but sorta close then I would fill the pipe with water and freeze it. The ice inside helps prevent the pipe from collapsing. Another method is to fill it with sand. It doesn't work as well unless you get the sand packed very tightly but you don't have to work fast before the ice melts.
 
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Old 03-14-16, 05:25 AM
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Old 03-14-16, 02:00 PM
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Unhappy

Thanks for your replies.
My biggest concern is that tube benders are design for longer runs of copper pipes. Mine effectively has two runs of copper pipe on each side of a t junction, each one 8 cm long (~3 inches).
 
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Old 03-14-16, 03:25 PM
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How about a picture of the area your trying to do this.
Guessing your not in the US trying to use that type fitting.
In the Us a section of Pex tubing, two Shark Bite couplings and a Shark Bite Tee and your done.
 
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Old 03-14-16, 03:58 PM
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The old timer way is to pack it with sand and drive wood plugs in to hold the sand. Then bend over a round object of the approximate curve of the bend. However the shortness could be a problem and I'm not sure longer larger diameter pipe slipped over would work.
 
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Old 03-14-16, 04:21 PM
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I have a feeling with such a short pipe section, you will be stressing that fitting too much and you will have a leak. Copper walls can only take just so much stress, and no matter which way you bend this, the hole into which this fitting is soldered will break.
 
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Old 03-15-16, 02:15 AM
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Yes, you're right. I am in Australia.
I tried to refer to US videos on plumbing when I had a discussion with one of hardware store consultants (apparently ex plumber). It always surprises me how people here react when you mention US (or UK). US (and UK) are more advanced than Oz but do not even try to say it to some locals.
 
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Old 03-15-16, 03:40 AM
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Answering a question below, this T pipe will be installed under the washing basin like this :

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Old 03-15-16, 04:33 AM
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Does that copper piece really need to be copper? Can't you use PEX?
 
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Old 03-15-16, 06:37 AM
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That looks like hard pipe as opposed to soft tubing(rolled) Just a guess.
 
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Old 03-15-16, 08:00 AM
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It looks like you made that piece. If so..... make the bend first and then drill the hole.
 
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Old 03-15-16, 08:58 AM
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Buy flexible copper tubing. That's why they make it.
 
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Old 03-15-16, 02:14 PM
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Thanks, guys.
I appreciate your help.
 
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Old 03-27-16, 11:27 PM
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Hi everyone. I managed to get what I want with my own hands ... and a car jack handle.
I just pushed a centre of the T piece against the desk while pushing the end of the pipe down.
Just be careful not to change shape of the end of the pipe, otherwise you will not be able to pull a nut on it.
It worked reasonably well as bending angle is quite small.

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Last edited by Fom22; 03-28-16 at 12:02 AM.
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Old 03-28-16, 08:23 AM
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Neat improvisation. Thanks for showing us.
 
 

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