Bending leadpipe
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- Deletedaccounts
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Re: Bending leadpipe
You have to first anneal, then fill the pipe with something to keep it from collapsing when you bend it (think of trying to bend a drinking straw). I like lead, but there's different alloys nowadays: Cerrobend, Bendalloy, "Wood's metal", etc. Pour the melted material into the pipe, let it cool, check for bubbles, bend to the desired shape, and the melt the metal back out. Simple!
- Dan Schultz
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Re: Bending leadpipe
I still rely on plain old pitch to fill leadpipes before bending them. The pipe MUST be dead-soft before filling it with pitch. You can form the pipe around a pattern or just bend it by hand. Once the bend is started.... do not attempt to go backwards as the tube will kink on the outside where the brass has been stretched.
Bending a leadpipe is not difficult once you destroy a few and learn what you can and cannot do.
Bending a leadpipe is not difficult once you destroy a few and learn what you can and cannot do.
Dan Schultz
"The Village Tinker"
http://www.thevillagetinker.com" target="_blank
Current 'stable'... Rudolf Meinl 5/4, Marzan (by Willson) euph, King 2341, Alphorn, and other strange stuff.
"The Village Tinker"
http://www.thevillagetinker.com" target="_blank
Current 'stable'... Rudolf Meinl 5/4, Marzan (by Willson) euph, King 2341, Alphorn, and other strange stuff.
- edsel585960
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Re: Bending leadpipe
Since I know what you're trying to bend Terry, I used a piece of stiff, appropirate size piece of automotive rubber hose inside the pipe to prevent kinking and bent SLOWLY by hand. Luckily the 103 pipe is pretty straight with one big curve to get it over the bell. If ya mess it up I have more pipes.
Conn 20-21 J
Conn 10J, Conn 26 K, Martin Mammoth, Mirafone 186, Soviet Helicon, Holton Raincatcher Sousaphone, Yamaha 103, King 1240.
Conn 10J, Conn 26 K, Martin Mammoth, Mirafone 186, Soviet Helicon, Holton Raincatcher Sousaphone, Yamaha 103, King 1240.
- roweenie
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Re: Bending leadpipe
+1Dan Schultz wrote:I still rely on plain old pitch to fill leadpipes before bending them. The pipe MUST be dead-soft before filling it with pitch. You can form the pipe around a pattern or just bend it by hand. Once the bend is started.... do not attempt to go backwards as the tube will kink on the outside where the brass has been stretched.
Bending a leadpipe is not difficult once you destroy a few and learn what you can and cannot do.
Off-the-shelf generic mouthpipes come filled with pitch.
After you thoroughly anneal the pipe, do not quench it in water - let it air cool (thanks, Dan! )
"Even a broken clock is right twice a day".
- Tubajug
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Re: Bending leadpipe
The generic, pitch - filled pipes come ready to bend don't they? I bought one for a project years ago and just bent it without any annealing. Did I do that wrong?
Jordan
King 2341 with a Holton "Monster" Eb bell
Eb Frankentuba
Martin Medium Eb Helicon
If at first you don't succeed, skydiving's probably not for you.
King 2341 with a Holton "Monster" Eb bell
Eb Frankentuba
Martin Medium Eb Helicon
If at first you don't succeed, skydiving's probably not for you.
- roweenie
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Re: Bending leadpipe
I just re-read my previous post, and it's a little confusing.
No, the generic ones are annealed before filling them with pitch. I was saying that if you are going to attempt to bend an already installed-bent one, it must be annealed before filling it with pitch, or whatever material you choose to use.
No, the generic ones are annealed before filling them with pitch. I was saying that if you are going to attempt to bend an already installed-bent one, it must be annealed before filling it with pitch, or whatever material you choose to use.
"Even a broken clock is right twice a day".