crimping/bending aluminum tubing?

I need to crimp and bend some aluminum tubing in various places. I might want to crimp the aluminum tubing and then bend it at the crimped point.

I'm going to use those points for drilling and connecting to either small diameter metal rod or connecting two aluminum tubes together.

I'm planning to buy a reasonable size vice and maybe attach half of a steel pipe to each jaw.

Thank you.

Reply to
John Doe
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If you have a hyrdaulic jack, the bottle type, if you put it into a metal frame so that the base of the jack can be brought to bear on the aluminum tubing. you could also use a steel block between the jack and the aluminum to achieve the desired shape.

It may also come in handy for all other applications such as bearing pressing etc..

PL

Reply to
lciengineering

John Doe wrote in news:Xns97058F7959053follydom@

207.115.17.102:

Don't use a vice. It's not designed for that. One of my students tried crimping the end of a 3/4" aluminum tub. Royally screwed up the a vice. The vice jaws are a "lever arm" that extends several inches out from the center of force, the screw. Mechanical advantage is the wrong way around. Better to buy a cheap hydraulic press at HF or Northern Tool.

Reply to
Ken Moffett

Vice jaws are a lever arm? However true your terminology, force is force is force. I mean, what difference does it make if you aren't putting any more force on the vice than you normally apply for any other function. While practicing today, I crimped the aluminum tubing until it was flat and the aluminum sides broke while applying less force than I have often put on the vice many times before.

You're not supposed to put a lot of pressure on a vice? I always thought too much pressure was like when the key/arm was bent out of shape.

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Reply to
John Doe

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