Using ice to bend tubing

I saw some advice for bending tubing. He filled up the tube with water and stuck it in the freezer. Next day anchored one end to a cylinder (can't remember how) and quickly wrapped it.

Seems like it would work, though probably not for 1/2"

Seems like you might need a mighty big freezer to fit the pre-bent tubing.

Also, copper becomes less pliable when cold. Ideally, heating it up helps it to bend easily and smoothly.

Filling with salt and using tape to hold it in seems to be the way peope usually go. I imagine sugar might do the same thing.

That sounds like a bad idea, unless you are looking to crack the copper while freezing... then it sounds like a great idea!


The best way I've found to make an IC is to find a round item (like a fat fire extinguisher) and take your time wrapping it with the copper.


Be patient.

I used a concrete form from Home Depot, it was something I needed anyway. You can use a keg, which works very well I hear.

Don't freeze the tubing. I don't get why someone would recommend that, but don't. You can actually get vinyl tubing hot, form it how you wish, then run cold water through it. It basically helps form it and keeps it in form. It's not what you're lookijg for, but I wonder if that's what the guy you're referring to was actually talking about.

they make tube benders, http://www.menards.com/main/plumbin.../1-2-tube-bending-spring/p-1390336-c-8601.htm

It's really not that hard to do. Here's an excellent resource.

I have used sand inside of 1" steal pipe. I packed it in tight and plugged both ends. then I heated the pipe in 1" sections to cherry red and bent them to follow a template I made for the shape I wanted... The sand inside the pipe will hold the pipe open and keep it from pinching. It's allot of work but it gets the job done right without a true expensive bender... I learned this technique while in weld school with the navy..

soft copper rolls have been annealed... "heated" to make the pliable..
hard copper pipe can be annealed "heated" to soften it up as well.
heating and letting it cool slowly softens the metal while rapid crash cooling hardens it. hard metals are often brittle and will crack or break under stress.

take your time and try not to pinch your copper while rolling it. the larger the diameter of your roll the easier it will be...