Is there a good way to bend small (3/32) square brass tubing into a smooth curve without kinks? I’m familiar with the little spring tubes for round stock, but want to keep the surfaces true and parallel without twisting.
Thanks
Only thing I can think of is to pack with sand and using a jig. Only good for big radius. Tube will want to kink the inside and flatten the outside along with crushing the sides.
Solid stock might be a better solution with light heat around a form.
Solid would be ideal, but I haven’t found a source for 3/32. It’s kind of odd. You’d think it would be easier to make than tube.
Thinking of a woodworking approach, you may want to cut a series of saw kerfs or wedge cuts partially through the tube leaving the outer face of the curve intact. The closer together the kerfs the smoother the bend. Bend & secure in place with glue or solder. Solder may be preferable as it would fill the kerfs and could be filed back flat with the tube surface
[dto:] That is the only way I know of. I’d use the solder route- easier to finish.
You would have much better luck with solid bar of the same dimension.
Bill
Yes. Unfortunately, I can’t seem to locate that product. Checked my online hobby shops, McMaster Carr, etc. Nothing solid that small
The Fact:
You cannot bend Square tube without kinks. Now, Square solid stock should be fine for what you need. Just Anneal the area you want to curve or bend. The tighter the bend the longer the anneal. If you are making curves no tighter than say a 1/96 ship frame you should be good to go. Hollow square tube just won’t allow bends like that without some malformation , in some cases an almost destructive one.
There is a Company called K&S that makes what you want. They supply model railroaders with most of their metal needs.
If you mean K&S that makes the little red packages you see in hobby shops, they don’t have it. I checked their website first.
Oh My;
I am a dummy today. I cannot think, but a friend who owned BaD Shipmodels in Sierra Vista, AZ. Got some in tubes from somewhere. We used them on the 17’ long U.S.S. Wisconsin model that is on Display at Nauticus! In Virginia?
I got a thunder thought. You know those that hit you in a flash? I had never tried this and didn’t know if it would work. Take and make a Jig that will help you form the part. It MUST be fireproof.
Fireproof? Yup, cause we are going to use the pencil torch to do this. Fill the tube with sand and pack it in as tight as you can. Now heat it till it starts to change color. Bend it a little. Keep doing this heating and cooling by cycles and you might be able to do it. I remembered doing just this for s safety cage on a model for an insurance case.
It took over seven hours hit and miss to get it done. The tube was a wee bit larger, but same principle applies. Patience!
You could make your own solid barstock by getting a sheet the thickness of your tube with and cut one to the right width. It’s a lot of work, but if you abosolutely need a bent square profile, this may work. Though I like the kerfing and soldering idea a lot too.
John A
Thought of another way. If you can get a couple of disks of brass or steel, an inch or two in diameter, drill hole the diameter of closest screw size to bend radius, clamp the disks somehow 3/32 apart, bend around screw or rod.