Bending Square Hollow Section

Awesome! Always wondered what a milling machine was good for, now I know.....bending 1" tube. LOL, just kidding :)
 
My guess is you may be trying to make to tight of a bend for the size tubing you are using. you can't get a 2" radius on 1" tube without some kinking and some high end equipment. Not even sure if you could do it then.

Mark
 
MozamPete said:
I've been experimenting with bending square hollow section for a small project but not having much luck. I welded a nice radius and a couple of stops to some plate as a jig, heated the section and tried to bend it (like I would do for a solid bar) but it just pinched and buckled on the sides.
I was planning to use them as the 'shelves' (I'm sure there is a proper word but can't think of it) for a steel stock rack and just wanting to put a small kick in the end to stop any round section rolling off, maybe 30 degrees for the last 50mm. Section was 20mm x 20mm, 2mm wall.
I could just weld them on at a angle but I would prefer them to be horizontal with a turn up at the end if possible. I figure I'm going to have to go for a more elaborate jig, something with a radiused channel to support the sides of the section (should be easy enough to turn up on the lathe) and maybe a moving guide to bend it around like a proper pipe/tube bender.

Has anyone here done this and/or have any plans/photos of simple benders that have used for square tube?
Is hot bending the way I should go or would I be better to try cold bending them?
Any suggestions/comments appreciated.
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the web is full of suggestions and plans for bending tubing. bottom line is this, square tube needs to be supported on the sides to prevent bulging. and the minimum radius is determined by the size,wall thickness and material. look at the chairs in restaurants and you will see a kink in the inside of the bend this is because the metal needs some where to go. most dies for square tubing have a small rod in the bottom of the die to induce this kink. without it you cant get the tube out of the die without beating it to death. yes there are techniques like using sand and heat but they dont work well with square tubes. without the proper equipment i would resort to cutting and welding.
 
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