If you don't have many to do, and the tubing isn't too brittle
for bending, and the length is short enough to get into a
freezer, you can fill the tubing with water, freeze it, bend the
tubing, and let the water remove itself afterwards. We make
antenna parts this way around here when we're prototyping. Got
the idea from the way trumpet makers bend thinwall brass tubing.
It works both with bending jigs and with common EMT benders.
73, Eric N7CL
To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
>Date: Sat, 15 Aug 1998 04:58:13 +0100
>From: Mike <no6x@inreach.com>
>
>>I need to put a 90 degree bend in 1/2 inch 1/16 wall antenna
>>element aluminum tubing. Suggestions for applying a reasonably
>>smooth radius without cracking or excessively fatiguing the
>>aluminum will be appreciated.
>
>
>There is some stuff on the market called CERABLEND ( I think is
>how you spell it) It looks like lead and feels like lead however
>it melts at 150 degrees. Just melt some and pour it into the
>tubing then when it cools the aluminum tubing will be like a
>solid rod. Then bend the "rod" as needed when finished just heat
>up the thing with a propane torch and pour out the CERABLEND,
>reusable for another time.
>
>Mike...NO6X
>
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