3 Inch Radius Bend On 1.5 Inch Tubing?

by Shane Smith

I purchased 2 sets of frame plans from your website. The plans are great and very detailed the problem I'm having is that they call for 1 1/2 tubing with a 3 inch radius bend. Even in smaller tubing I can't find a die for any bender that will do a 3 in radius bend. There are no dies that small.

What are your suggestions? The closest I can find is 4 inch. How far would that throw things off?

Comments for 3 Inch Radius Bend On 1.5 Inch Tubing?

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Jul 16, 2015
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Radius bender
by: Seth Tyrssen

I've got a cheapie bottle-jack type tube bender from Harbor Freight. It came with numerous semi-circular pieces to achieve various radius bends; including a 3" bend, if memory serves (haven't used it in a long time.) Look it up and see if that'll do it for ya.

Sep 05, 2013
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Bending 1.5 and 1.25 InchTube
by: Custom-Choppers-Guide.com

Thanks for purchasing the plans from us. Yes, the 3" bend is a very difficult bend and the minimum that is possible on tubes is 2 times the diameter. You can definitely use a larger radius. It will change the aesthetics of the frame slightly but it will not affect the overall strength of the design. Just make sure that the straight parts of the tube align up properly so that you have the correct height and length of the frame. 4" bend radius should be fine. We really appreciate the feedback and will make sure to take this into consideration when developing designs for future frames. Don't hesitate to let us know with any other questions or concerns.

What about bending 1.25 inch tube?

Similar answer. General rule of thumb is that minimum bend radius is 2x the OD of the tube. Bending with a larger radius is not an issue. I like tight bends for the look. The strength of the tube will not be compromised.

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