180 Degree water pick up

[Jeff Barnhart]

I'm looking for tips to build some 180 degree water pickups for a few boats (type that picks up water in the propwash).

I will be using stainless steel for them. Whats the trick to getting a nice bend in the tubing without putting a crease in it?

 

[moparbarn]

KD sells spring benders. what it sounds like, a long springs that goes over the tubing. work great, no kinks, comes off easily. they sell a set that includes most of the sizes we deal with. not too sure about annealing stainless? does it help like annealing brass?

 

[Ken Webb]

Cut the end of the tubing at an angle and don't worry about bending it. Pickups made this way have been used for years with good results. I think in exhaust terms the angle cut is called a bolonga cut.

 

[john schultheis]

i crimp one end of the tube shut with a wire cutter fill the tube with water after its full of water i crimp the other end shut then throw it in the freezer for awhile once the water freezes its real easy to bend after i get it bent the way i like it i just cut the ends off works good with brass tubes but not sure about stainless

 

[Walt Barney]

i crimp one end of the tube shut with a wire cutter fill the tube with water after its full of water i crimp the other end shut then throw it in the freezer for awhile once the water freezes its real easy to bend after i get it bent the way i like it i just cut the ends off works good with brass tubes but not sure about stainless

Just go to an auto supply and buy a break line tube bender there is one that will do different sizes down to 1/8" You may have special oreder the bender but it wiil bend the tubbing without crimping the tube.

Walt Barney

Tanks 2 U

 

[Mark Anderson]

Jeff

I use an old K&B 21 flywheel and a pair of channel locks. Put the tube in the starter belt grove and hold the tip in the groove with the pliers and bend the tube aroung the flywheel. I have done it this way for years.

Mark

 

[Jeff Barnhart]

KD sells spring benders. what it sounds like, a long springs that goes over the tubing. work great, no kinks, comes off easily. they sell a set that includes most of the sizes we deal with. not too sure about annealing stainless? does it help like annealing brass?

It depends on the alloy, how much heat it gets, and how fast it is cooled. Austenitic and ferritic stainless steel alloys are not heat treatable and they must be strengthened and hardened by cold work.

 

[moparbarn]

Thanx for the info/explanation, Jeff. btw, i put kd for the spring benders. should have said k&s, the tubing folks. for what you're doing, walt's brake line tool or the flywheel trick would do well. the spring benders excell when you need to make different bends close together/compound bends.

 

[Jeff Barnhart]

Not a problem. Thanks, will keep that in mind if I ever need to bend anything complicated.