Need help please bending stuffing tube

[Froggy]

I have brass tubing coming from OSE 1/4 and 9/32, what?s the best way to bend the tubing, I kinked the heck out of the stuff I got from China, after heating it up in rippled when i bent it even though it was a very slight bend it was the perfect size but looked like a piano accordion.

i?m counting on the new tubing from OSE to be better quality, I also noticed that the tubing became very soft probably too much heat and annealed the brass to point that it was like plastic.

I?m trying to make a stuffing tube for a stinger setup using a TFL stinger on a Dominator Hull I purchased from DY Motoshop.

[fweasel]

I prefer to anneal my brass tubes before I bend them. Heat the area that needs to be worked to a dull red with a torch, then quench in water. I make my bends with a cable inside the tube, lying flat on the work bench, going slowly over as large an area as possible to avoid large, single crimps. I use sharpie marks to know where I want bends to start and finish. I bend tubes longer than what I need in the boat, which gives more leverage at each end, and provides some further adjustability on the sizing depending on where I make my final cut afterwards. Once I have the tube, or pair of tubes bent and I'm happy with the fitment, I heat them again and let them air cool.

I've also read about people filling the tubes with sand to futher help eliminate kinking, but haven't needed to do that myself. Some people swear they just bend the tubes by hand with no heating and that they've never had to heat anything to get a perfect bend. That's not been my experience.

[T.S.Davis]

This will sound stupid but I always do it.


I tape the end with scotch tape. Fill the tube with sugar. Tape the other end so it doesn't fall out. Bend away. Sand would probably be better but I never have any laying around.

Annealing makes this even easier but after you get it bent just right you must heat and quench or that tube or it will bend when ever it wants to. Sucks when ya forget to do the last step.

[photohoward1]

I?ve never done that last step. Hmmm. Probably a good idea. The last boat I did it took me three tries till I was happy.


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[longballlumber]

Many ways to skin this Cat. Personally, I don't find a need to anneal.

I start with a tube that is much longer than what I ultimately need. longer tubes are much easier to work with IMO. I always keep spare tubes around as they can get out of shape and I often start over with a new tube if I don't like the shape. I grab the tube with both hands then place my thumbs under the tube and SLOWLY start bending. I also lay the tube on a flat table top as I make adjustments to make sure the tube is being bend flat. Once I am comfortable with the initial shape, I start cutting to length and making final tweaks.

[Froggy]

Thanks for the response lies as soon as I get my tubing I’ll give it a go, I’m going to try the non heating method as I don’t want to soften the brass tube.

[T.S.Davis]

I don't usually anneal but I do fill the tube. At least until I get close. When I get close I fish a cable through to make sure everything slides free and as perfect as I can get it.

[fweasel]

Thanks for the response lies as soon as I get my tubing I’ll give it a go, I’m going to try the non heating method as I don’t want to soften the brass tube.

After you bend the tube, you heat it again and let it air cool, slowly. The tube is hardened again after that. Do whatever method works best for you. I've never had a tube loose it's shape on me after using the heat method. Well, I have, but that was because the cable broke and spun around a 50,000rpm, ripping everything to shreds.

[T.S.Davis]

After you bend the tube, you heat it again and let it air cool, slowly. The tube is hardened again after that.

That's the opposite of hardening it back up. You have to quench it or it stays soft.

I had a tube on a sport hydro where I forgot to harden it after bending. Finished the boat. Ran it etc. The stuffing tube bent all to heck just from a spin out. Realized my mistake immediately. So dumb sometimes. I guess after you build a k'jillion boats ya fergit stuff.

[Froggy]

Thanks for all of the suggestions, I finally got my tubing, on the third attempt I got the perfect bend, I did finally end up using some heat but I got her done.
Now to glue it in place.

[Gottagobig1198]

Isn?t it possible to bend it with the stuffing and shaft?

[ray schrauwen]

Many ways to skin this Cat. Personally, I don't find a need to anneal.

I start with a tube that is much longer than what I ultimately need. longer tubes are much easier to work with IMO. I always keep spare tubes around as they can get out of shape and I often start over with a new tube if I don't like the shape. I grab the tube with both hands then place my thumbs under the tube and SLOWLY start bending. I also lay the tube on a flat table top as I make adjustments to make sure the tube is being bend flat. Once I am comfortable with the initial shape, I start cutting to length and making final tweaks.

That's what I just did for my Pearl.