Bending exhaust pipe with a chop saw

[enjenjo]

If you are like me, you need a pipe that is bent a little, and all you have is straight sections of pipe. So I figured out a way to make bends with my chop saw, and a welder. It works best with 16 ga. or thicker  tubing, although you can do it with 18 ga. too. Bare steel pipe works better than aluminised pipe

First mark the tubing at 1/2" intervals where you want the bend. this will give about a 3 to 4 inch radius. If you move the marks to 3/4", it will give a larger radius, but will be harder to finish.

Cut the pipe nearly all the way through at each mark with your chop saw. Leave about 1" of pipe uncut. It takes 10 to 12 cuts for a 90 degree bend with 2" pipe.

With one end of the pipe held in a vise, pull the pipe into a curve, closing up the cuts. Tack weld each cut to hold the shape. check that the pipe is bent enough, the finish weld the cuts completely closed. Sand the welds down flush to finish.

It's too time consuming, and labor intensive to do a whole exhaust system this way, although I have on a couple occasions. I hope this helps someone.

[phat46]

Had to do that on my pickup, but i don't have a fancy chop saw so i used my 4/12 grinder with a cutoff wheel, works great.

[Rayvyn]

I've also done this on occasion when I couldn't get to a bender. For a more extreme bend, you can set the saw at a 10* angle, do one side, then turn it around and do the back side of the cuts into a V. But the more drastic the bend, the more the pipe will kink on the sides and flatten on the back. I put pieces of 2"x4" on the bench vise, place the pipe in between with the cuts facing up, and use a pistol grip type of wood clamp to draw the ends towards each other.
Or, get a length of pvc pipe that will slide in the metal pipe snugly, and bend it by pulling the ends of the pvc. The metal will spring back enough to let you get the pvc out, by will be formed on the backside better, so it doesn't flatten out when you bend it back up!

[kb426]

Gee, we have the same exhaust bender.

[donsrods]

I also use this same method when bending square tubing.  Cut a bunch of slits, bend to the shape you want, then weld up the cuts.  After a little grinding you end up with a bent piece of square stock, and no distortion.

Don

[phat46]

I also use this same method when bending square tubing.  Cut a bunch of slits, bend to the shape you want, then weld up the cuts.  After a little grinding you end up with a bent piece of square stock, and no distortion.

Don

Yup that's what i did to taper the front of my home made frame, I made several cuts through three sides of the tubing then put a come along on that side from front to back of the tubing and tightened it till it was bent just the right amount and weled it, then took the other rail, flipped it on top of the first and matched the bend to the first one. Poor mans bender

[Dave]

I usually fill the pipe with sand and weld the ends shut then I just bend it over my knee till i get the radius i want.        Oh ya i usually put a lambswool knee pad on to help protect my knee. A guy from Texas showed me that trick!
Dave    :!:

[EMSjunkie]

A guy from Texas showed me that trick!
Dave    :!:

You ain't seen nuthin' yet Bro

wait till I show ya how to "hobble" them  
that way they can't run away from ya  

I'm sooooo baaaa.....baaaadd :oops:


Vance

[Rayvyn]

A guy from Texas showed me that trick!
Dave    :!:

You ain't seen nuthin' yet Bro

wait till I show ya how to "hobble" them  
that way they can't run away from ya  

I'm sooooo baaaa.....baaaadd :oops:


Vance

I've got a real good reply to both of you sick puppies, but I'm not going anywhere near it...I don't want to get fired from the site...