Tube rolling help please

What is this for? 8" collapsed X 3 sections would give you a usable extension of about 21" allowing 1" overlap. With that thickness of tubing that won't be very strong.

How are you planning to stop the extension?

Wouldn't take much force to mash it between two flat plates in a hydraulic or arbor press. Use blocks to control the squeeze, and experiment with the springback until you are happy with the shape. I've done it with 6" pvc pipe to make water tanks, so I know the shape will come out close to what you want.

Greetings All, I need to make a bunch of 3 secftion telescoping handles that will be about 24" expanded and about 8" collapsed. An ovoid cross section is what I want. I have so far not been able to find the tubing shape I want and it looks like I'll need to roll my own. Pun intended. So I think I can start with round thin wall tube and by passing it through several rollers end up with the shape I want. Anybody here done anything like this? I'm looking for any suggestions on how best to do this. My thought is that I can use sets of plastic rollers arranged in line and pass the tube through each set once or use one set and pass the tube through several times. The material will most likely be 6063 aluminum with a max wall thickness of .062. The finished size of the largest handle section should be about 1.25" x .440". The cross section doesn't need to be a true ellipse, it just needs to be comfortable to hold and look pleasing to the eye. Thanks, Eric

Greetings Steve, Can't tell you what it's for. Beyond my pay grade or something. That about 8" should read about 9". The handle will not need to be very strong. The extension will be stopped by some sort of spring detent. I dunno exactly what it is gopig to look like. Cheers, Eric

Do the simple experiment with two flat plates first - you will be surprised at the amount of spring back and how oval the final shape will be, guessing from your target dimensions.

Greet>Wouldn't take much force to mash it between two flat plates in a hydraulic

Just want to remind you that pulling the right shape thru the tubing will also make it oval.

Dan

Please post pictures of the process and the final product unless prohibited.

This sounds interesting.

technomaNge