So I'm turning out to be a far less successful bender than I'd hoped!

I'm trying to put 90° bends in 22mm copper tube. I've perfectly happily Done loads of 15mm. It a new bender so nothing should be worn out.

However after the first 22mm attempt which was successful the pipe is now kinking every time.


[img]
kinked1 [/img]
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Kinked3 [/img]


It always happens at the start of the bend, it's like the end of the tube is being pulled towards and into the former.

I've tried lubing the former and the slider, i've lubed the wheels so they spin freely. I've cleaned the former and slider and pipe with scotch pad. I've even bought new pipe in case the original had got old and 'brittle' or something. Oh, and I've tried mounting it both ways up in the workmate!

I've done it loads with 15mm but never with 22mm before... What the hell am I doing wrongly?

help!
James

P.s. the panic is because a plumber is turning up tomorrow to fit a new boiler and he's expecting to find a complete heating system to connect it to!

Also, if I just say 'fek it' and use the kinked pipe, is it going to be a weak spot that's going to leak?

This is getting expensive in piles of wasted pipe!

Give up and use Yorkshire fittings?

Copper tube comes in different grades, you have a thin cheap grade by the look of it which buckles and kinks.

Just look at copper pulled out of an old building, difference is night and day.

Could be the tube is not fully annealed or its has started to age harden - Cheaper tube and thinner wall tube also causes problems - could drop a spring in it?

Will one of those plumbers springs work whilst bending it in the bender?

Check your u2u's James.

Fill tube with water or oil, crimp ends, then try again
Tightly packed sand may work, although may be difficult to get rid of.
HTH

I ought to follow this up in case anyone else has the same problem...

Short version:

Turns out the bolt holding the curved former was slightly loose.... the former was then moving as the arm was pulled and 'folding' the pipe around the sharp end of the former. Bolt tightened, problem solved!


Longer version:

I had the day off work so I waited till the plumber got there in the end and asked him to have a go with my bender. Same problem.
So I borrowed his bender with the aim of finishing off my work with his bender while he got unpacked and setup etc.

There was some waiting as his oppo was stuck in traffic with the boiler so I thought I'd wash up.

Turns out, having your hand inside a pint glass when it turns into 3 razors isn't a good idea! So plumber had to take me to A&E where I waited for 4 hours to get my finger put back together!

So I did the bends the following night with his bender, 1 handed with my girlfriend helping!


Don't you just love DIY!



Cheers for the suggestions!
James

DIY clearly wasn't the problem. Proof, should it be needed, that household chores are bad for you!!