caterhamnut Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 Anyone in the Surrey/Berks etc area able to bend metal pipe? I want to design and make myself one of these: here like this chap has done - so basically need basic metal fabrication...all it really is is two bits of bent tubing welded together with spacers - approx. 600mm radius, 90 degree bend. www.mycaterham.com here Videos here 102,000 miles car Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LesG Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 I'd try ringing around your local plumbers, buy your pipe and show them the pics, see what they say? Shouldn't cost the earth either? P.S., you ok with people knowing you frequent the 'Ford Transit forum'? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caterhamnut Posted October 7, 2008 Author Share Posted October 7, 2008 😬 - welding forum....(is that worse still?!) Bought a Clarke Pro 90 Gas MIG welder - great forum for advice! Good idea re. plumbers www.mycaterham.com here Videos here 102,000 miles car Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I.Mupferit Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 Angus, I doubt a plumbers would bend heavy wall pipe to the radius you are after there. There is/was a company in Woking, near McLarens old place, I used to deal with a lot in a former life and who specialise in tube bending. I guess you are probably wanting to do it on a budget so it is entirely possible they may have some kicking around that perhaps wasn't up to spec but would do the business for what you are after. They are T & T Tubecraft Ltd on 01483-773208 As I said it was a long while ago that I dealt with them and I don't even know if they still exist but might be worth a try. If T & T can't help/no longer exist, I may be able to ask around a few of my old colleagues to put you in touch with someone who can bend tubing. As an alternative, I use a company who roll steel angle and whilst this isn't ideal as the toe of the angle would sink into tarmac or soft ground when you roll the bus, I could have a flat bar rolled and welded to it in my factory that should do the job. Brent (aka Arfur Nayo) Toyota power It's the future! Edited by - Brent Chiswick on 8 Oct 2008 08:22:58 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Plato Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 Try a search in yell.com for metal fabricators Taffia rear gunner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackb_ms Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 There is a company here you bended some tube for me, not to far from you Angus, in Uxbrdige. Comapany is called tube tech Jack Emily, The Very Yellow 21 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willie. Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 Angus, Keep your eye on eBay for a while, those rollers are quite common, and you'll just need to make a decent bracket if you can get yourself a set second hand. Personally I don't like them one bit. I doubt if plumbers will be able to help, as they generally work with soft tube (As stated above) and also they tend to bend around a mandrel, so its a constant radius, which is quite tight. What you really need is somone with a bender that works with three wheels, and the radius is adjusted by moving the central wheel up and down. Don't buy the tube until you've got a bender sorted as you'll need to use a tube diameter that the can fit the bender (The owner will likely only have a few sizes of wheels). I have made in the past, a bracket that bolts on to the front of the car, and another for the rear, with what looks like a stub axle sitting out. I then lift the car up, and put a tripod type thing with a length of tube that fits over the stubaxle, and a clamp to tighten it (Like a headlamp bar clamp). So you can rotate the car right upside down if necessary. Infact, it works like an engine stand at each end if that helps you picture it. Willie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leadership Team SLR No.77 Posted October 8, 2008 Leadership Team Share Posted October 8, 2008 Have you enquired with Frosts to see whetehr they do rental on one of these? Stu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caterhamnut Posted October 8, 2008 Author Share Posted October 8, 2008 Thanks all - its nothing too complicated, so shouldn't be too hard to find someone amongst those various contacts/numbers - cheers! Willie - know exactly what you mean - in my case, it would have to be pretty high to turn the van upside down - I know you can just turn through 90 degrees with what you are suggetsing aswell - more a case of finding a suitable place to bolt a frame too! I'm not 100% about those rollers either, but people seem to have sucess with the working on vw campers, and I have a decent amount of stuff I want to do on the underside...but if I make my own I can improve upon the ones you can buy and tailor for my own use a bit more... I have already emailed the Frost supplier to see if they hire or have any 'used' examples for sale! - CJ Autos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Plato Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 what about the airbags that the fire brigade use ? you roll the van onto the side of one Taffia rear gunner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metal mickey Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 Low pressure airbags work very well but be careful, they are very unstable and any load needs careful chocking as you raise and lower. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative Paul Richards Posted October 9, 2008 Area Representative Share Posted October 9, 2008 Angus I used to hire (or borrow) a hydraulic pipe bender when making roll cages. HSS do them here Seems quite a bit more expensive than I recall, but perhaps someone else does them a bit cheaper. Paul Richards Area Representative - L.A.D.S. (Lancashire and District Sevens) LADS Website Growing old is compulsory - Growing up is optional Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richardm57 Posted October 10, 2008 Share Posted October 10, 2008 hi, try gartrac 01428682263 richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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