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Straightening brake pipe - what's the trick?

jps - 18/10/17 at 03:18 PM

I have a coil of kunifer which I am shaping into my brake lines. Are there any tricks to getting the straight bits REALLY straight when I uncoil it? I'm doing all the bends by hand - which seems to work really well with no kinking - but just can't smooth out the straight sections nicely...

gremlin1234 - 18/10/17 at 03:27 PM

lay it on a table and roll it with your hands

jps - 18/10/17 at 03:33 PM

quote:
Originally posted by gremlin1234
lay it on a table and roll it with your hands

Damnit - I was hoping for somehting that can be done *after* i've put all the necessary bends in a piece already...

nick205 - 18/10/17 at 03:37 PM

Had the same issue with my brake lines. Got them reasonably straight, but ruler straight would have been ideal!

Rolling on a flat table seems a good enough suggestion, but before you've done the forming work.

designer - 18/10/17 at 03:57 PM

I drill a hole, a little larger than the tubing, in a thick piece of wood and then pull the tubing through it. The thicker the wood the better. Works well.

jps - 18/10/17 at 04:15 PM

quote:
Originally posted by designer
I drill a hole, a little larger than the tubing, in a thick piece of wood and then pull the tubing through it. The thicker the wood the better. Works well.

The one thing I had thought of - but not tried yet. So basically a like a wire pulling die then... I should have known that school trip to http://www.wintwire.co.uk/ in the late 1980's would prove useful after all!

loggyboy - 18/10/17 at 06:14 PM

Just work your way along curving it the opposite way to the current curve. Do about 40-50cm at a time, and just do it bit by bit.
Did my larger radi by hand, and tighter ones with a tool.

mackei23b - 18/10/17 at 08:09 PM

As above with loggyboy

here are some of mine

Rescued attachment 2nd Jan 06 (Brake line).jpg

Cheers
Ian

owelly - 18/10/17 at 08:28 PM

Have a look for pyro straighteners.

nick205 - 19/10/17 at 07:55 AM

"loggyboy" and "mackei23b" - very neat looking pipework!

Mine didn't look quite so neat, but did work perfectly well.

Front brake pipe routing

shindha - 19/10/17 at 08:02 AM

The easy option or alternatively a hole through a piece of wood and pull through.
Sealey Brake Pipe Straightener VS5056

Irony - 19/10/17 at 11:13 AM

Doesn't CBS sell a straightener?

stevebubs - 19/10/17 at 12:01 PM

toolage...

https://www.frost.co.uk/catalogsearch/result/?q=pipe%20straightener

jps - 19/10/17 at 12:42 PM

I'm going to try a locost method to make a suitable die first - two blocks of wood clamped together and as close to a 5/16 hole drilled through at the join using the pillar drill :-D

coyoteboy - 19/10/17 at 02:45 PM

I suggest cognitive behavioral therapy to reduce the effects of your OCD and let you get on with building a car

loggyboy - 19/10/17 at 03:30 PM

quote:
Originally posted by jps
I'm going to try a locost method to make a suitable die first - two blocks of wood clamped together and as close to a 5/16 hole drilled through at the join using the pillar drill :-D

Suspect the 'memory' will make it curve back slightly. Might be good to start it off, but finish off will most likely need to be byhand/eye. Also if its that bent (beyond the loops it came in) it will have already work hardened and if too many movements are put through it will kink or loose roundness.

Theshed - 19/10/17 at 05:17 PM

quote:
Originally posted by coyoteboy
I suggest cognitive behavioral therapy to reduce the effects of your OCD and let you get on with building a car

Harsh but true....

Description

Charlie_Zetec - 20/10/17 at 09:26 AM

quote:
Originally posted by stevebubs
toolage...

https://www.frost.co.uk/catalogsearch/result/?q=pipe%20straightener

I've got two of the KwixUK straighteners as listed on the website above, and they're brilliant bits of kit. I've done a handful of Land Rover Defender brake runs for myself and friends, larger clutch pipe, as well as some brake bits for the kit.

They're not cheap, but they do make the job look professional when you stand back and admire.

And yes, I also agree with the OCD thing - but I wouldn't have it any other way!

jps - 20/10/17 at 11:13 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Theshed

quote:
Originally posted by coyoteboy
I suggest cognitive behavioral therapy to reduce the effects of your OCD and let you get on with building a car

Harsh but true....

Description

Yeah - probably I should have said " getting the straight bits ANYWHERE NEAR straight" to be honest - although I do like to measure thrice cut once...! I'm pretty sure my slow progress with the car is actually down to the (lack of) available time I have rather than actual diagnosable psychological problems!

rdodger - 20/10/17 at 03:41 PM

I did see a Locost way. It involved a vice, a hammer and some brake pipe!

coyoteboy - 22/10/17 at 06:56 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Theshed

quote:
Originally posted by coyoteboy
I suggest cognitive behavioral therapy to reduce the effects of your OCD and let you get on with building a car

Harsh but true....

Description

To be fair, that's beautiful. I have similar tendencies but less patience.

Mike Bentley - 1/11/17 at 04:11 PM

As said earlier beware of work hardening.

johnH20 - 1/11/17 at 06:41 PM

I have not seen it mentioned but recommended to me by someone on here. Straighten as best you can by hand and then roll between two planks of wood. Becomes truly straight quite quickly. Belated thanks to whoever came up with the idea.