Question - How to bend plastic rod/tube?

[Audi1]

I have a few roll bars to construct and I'd like to get some input from those of you who frequently (or infrequently) have success bending plastic rod/tube.

I have Evergreen plastic 0.093" (3/32) tube and 0.080" (a little more than 1/8) rod. I usually bend them with the flame from a match, but I'm having some difficulty with that approach right now; too hot, deforms too quickly.

So, if you wanted to do (roughly) 90 degree bends with either this rod or tube stock, how would you do it? Thanks.

Allan

[btaylor]

Allan, i use a small butane torch with micro tip. Hold it far enough away till you see the rod droop. Remove the heat and immediately lay on the bench to form smooth round 90,s. Just finished two Trans am cars today using that method. Hope it helps.

Bob

[RazorJon]

I use a lighter, a heat gun or boiling water works, but mostly just wave my lighter under it and bend it, dip in cold water and it will hold shape

[Fitzy]

That's the same tubing I use to make roll bars try straightening out a paper clip and slip it into the tubing makes it really easy to form!

[waaytoomuchintothis]

Both of these methods will work fine, but I wanted to mention that the method you use can help a lot with the ease of getting the shape you want. A smooth round top for a roll bar needs to be wrapped around a mandrel (anything the right shape) to get it right. To do that, heat a wider area on the rod. For a 90 degree, pinpoint the heat exactly where you want the bend. Again, its best to wrap it around the shape you want to make, especially if you are going to want that same shape again.

Just for fun, I made a spaghetti bowl exhaust manifold like the old Lotus Fords had, using 1/8th" plastic rod. Took less than an hour. Its great stuff to work with. Now if I ever build a Formula 1 Lotus in 1/20th scale, I can dig it out of the parts box, and I'm all set!

[noddaz]

[Fitzy]

It does help to keep the tubing from collapsing it also stays where you bend it and is re adjustable!

[Dodgefarmer]

I used Plastruct 90858 0.060" styrene solid round rod on my Cooper Monaco. Very close to a scale 2". Bent around 5/16" dowel by hand no extra heat needed.

HTH
Randy

[Broman62]

Great info...thanks!! :auto-driving: :auto-driving:

[Fathead59]

Those are all good tips , I know I will be using them myself in the future