Cranbrook Springer Forked BTR YD100 Replica Build (without fabrication)

A company I used to work for had a drawn over mandrel tubing bender that was completely covered up with junk an dirt/ grease. Nobody knew what it was or how to use it. It was a monster of a machine, but I got it cleaned up and put into service. I was the head of research and development and I was sending all kind of parts out to get bent before I discovered we had the bender. You could make really nice tight 90deg bends with no deformity. Company was split up years back and I’m assuming the bender was probably scrapped.
 
This is a bit over the top but here's an Idea of what it looks like.

Steve.

That don’t help much with Concept since this pipe is much thicker, but I appreciate the concept. I get the same part, I just haven’t seen the advantage yet although I know it’s there. I still need more practice, lol. I’d rather have screw some stuff up and learn, then do it correctly. I’ve been spending more time on this site reading threads and I see there’s a lot of people here that know what they’re doing, I’m a beginner. So I’d very much appreciate any interest anybody is taking in my project.
 
If it's 1/8" tubing you may need a helper bar to slip over it to add leverage but unless you pack it with sand it will still crush and kink the tubing.

Steve.
That’s a good idea, I’m willing to experiment for a good final product.

However my first attempt with sand still provided a crimp. That’s OK, still learning still experimenting I’ll get this
 
One warning I forgot to mention. You can heat tit up to help the bend but make sure the sand is dry. When I was in school a shop teacher showed us how to do this. In the late 1950's Go Karts were just starting and 1/4 Midget track cars were their predecessors.

He told us he had a student who was bending some pipe a couple of years before for a 1/4 Midget at home and he used sand that wasn't completely dry. To make things even better the young mechanic welded bolts into the ends of the pipe to hold the sand in leaving no place the resulting steam could escape from.

Fortunately his welding wasn't up to standards apparently and one bolt came off the end of the pipe, went through the side of the garage and embedded it's self in the wall of the house next door. He suggested a hole be drilled next to the end of the pipe if we were going to weld up the ends so any steam could escape. If the bolt hadn't come loose the pipe would have split open.

Steve.
 
One warning I forgot to mention. You can heat tit up to help the bend but make sure the sand is dry. When I was in school a shop teacher showed us how to do this. In the late 1950's Go Karts were just starting and 1/4 Midget track cars were their predecessors.

He told us he had a student who was bending some pipe a couple of years before for a 1/4 Midget at home and he used sand that wasn't completely dry. To make things even better the young mechanic welded bolts into the ends of the pipe to hold the sand in leaving no place the resulting steam could escape from.

Fortunately his welding wasn't up to standards apparently and one bolt came off the end of the pipe, went through the side of the garage and embedded it's self in the wall of the house next door. He suggested a hole be drilled next to the end of the pipe if we were going to weld up the ends so any steam could escape. If the bolt hadn't come loose the pipe would have split open.

Steve.
I did use wet sand, oops

Fortunately I want that diligent about sealing my pipe lol
 
Dry sand is best but it's a must when when heat is used. We had a long discussion about steam and it's power before we were shown how to bend pipe or tubing. Difference between the two is that pipe if measured on the inside and tubing is measured on the outside.

Steve.
 
Got my chromoly tube!!!
 

Attachments

  • 82BD7800-5D80-48DE-8D67-765C81400446.jpeg
    82BD7800-5D80-48DE-8D67-765C81400446.jpeg
    48.3 KB · Views: 109
Lol ok very primitive and I still got 2 small creases. Not sure whether to work with this piece or try to bend another. Have enough pipe for another try if I like.
 

Attachments

  • 7FE701BE-F10E-4708-BC19-19D74F718E61.jpeg
    7FE701BE-F10E-4708-BC19-19D74F718E61.jpeg
    105.9 KB · Views: 126
  • 8F0DEB92-88A5-4B67-A41F-F5D384FA0914.jpeg
    8F0DEB92-88A5-4B67-A41F-F5D384FA0914.jpeg
    116.9 KB · Views: 129
  • 2AC7432B-FF7C-49E0-AE90-E90EF7F1A283.jpeg
    2AC7432B-FF7C-49E0-AE90-E90EF7F1A283.jpeg
    75.6 KB · Views: 116
Back
Top