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Post by DIYDafty on Jun 18, 2023 14:41:40 GMT
I've never had to bend 3/8" or 1/4" pipe before. I think thats 8mm and 10mm in new money. Is it similar or the same as "microbore" ? Pipe is expensive and since the pressures in aircon go to hundreds of psi, soldering is apparently not an option and I think I'm too old to start messing with oxy acetylene and braising should I kink them. So got one of these: www.amazon.co.uk/Arctic-Hayes-Professional-Bender-Pipes/dp/B08DLPTP6Q/ref=sr_1_10Not sure its gonna work tight up to the outside wall as the pipe comes out though. Anyone got any tips on getting a 90 bend as it comes out of the wall? I don't think there will much play as you fix the internal aircon unit first and that has a pipe which should stick out about a foot from the outside wall. |
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Post by joinerjohn on Jun 18, 2023 16:54:24 GMT
Last time I needed some 10mm pipe bending, I went to a local plumbing supply shop and asked them if they could just put the bend in for me. Sadly they said "No, but we can sell you this pipe bender thingummajig for £24:99p."  Luckily a quick call to my mate and 1/2 hr later the pipe was bent perfectly for what I needed it for |
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Post by DIYDafty on Jun 18, 2023 19:21:21 GMT
Well while waiting for the bender to arrive, I've had some practice on a small bit of pipe just using my hands. Could get a fairly nice 90 - definitely good enough to come out of the wall and into trunking.
But without a lot of practice I'd still worry I'd fk it up when doing it for real. If I kink the 50cm of factory pipe coming out of the unit I'm screwed.
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Post by battle1066 on Jun 18, 2023 20:07:46 GMT
Well while waiting for the bender to arrive, I've had some practice on a small bit of pipe just using my hands. Could get a fairly nice 90 - definitely good enough to come out of the wall and into trunking. But without a lot of practice I'd still worry I'd fk it up when doing it for real. If I kink the 50cm of factory pipe coming out of the unit I'm screwed. Like all skills practice makes perfect so just find some scrap and keep practicing until your confidence, exceeds your anxiety. |
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Post by dickpuller on Jun 19, 2023 5:25:49 GMT
Ah Dafty, I cannot leave you to do anything!! You jump right in feet first & fuck up big style😂😂😂
Firstly, that cheap Bender you bought is Metric, Fridge Pipe is Imperial. Mind you, the cheap Chinky ones are sold as Metric but are actually Imperial!!........Confused good!! It’s only going to get worse😂😂😂
Now, as for Line-set pipe bending I always use exterior springs, a tip I got from a Fridge Engineer. But you maybe only have short runs, who knows??!!
As for Brazing Line-sets, you need Nitrogen running through them, Fridge pipes need to be as clean as Nun’s Knickers!!!
Brazing can be done with what we called ‘Tech Rod’, Rothenberger do them & the the name of them escapes me.
These rods & a MAPP Gas torch will do the job, it’s only small pipe.
I don’t understand why you don’t pay someone with an F-Gas ticket to do it??.....But hey perhaps I do, because you’re a Half Shandy tight arsed Englishman.
Wee story about ‘Clive’ the tight arsed Sassenach
Clive was a work college & we were both on this Job miles away from where we lived, we had our own vans & travelled to the job every day.
Clive took his Wife with him one day, she was going shopping while we worked. So come Lunch Time, here’s Clive & his long-suffering Wife, sitting in the Van sharing his Sandwiches & Flask of Tea. The miserable bastard didn’t even take the poor lassie out for her Lunch!!😂😂😂
The half a shandy English, tighter than two coats of Gloss😂😂😂
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Post by DIYDafty on Jun 19, 2023 13:18:48 GMT
I don’t understand why you don’t pay someone with an F-Gas ticket to do it??..... First, he might do a worse job than me if I pick a wrong un. Second, he might do a good job but rip me off like you would  Third, the f gas man might do his job well but I've got risk and cost all over again when getting the fully qualified electrician to do the wiring. Unless you're telling me you work on fixed wiring installations for financial reward ? Fourth, where is the fun in having to rely on everyone else all the time? Your credibility is on the line with this bender Dick ! It arrives today. My money is on the fact that bends don't need to be pulled with sub millimetre accuracy but we shall see. |
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Post by DIYDafty on Jun 19, 2023 13:51:08 GMT
Well I hate to say it but Dick's right of course. Bastard!  It bends the 1/4" pipe just fine but creates very noticeable D profile on the 3/8" so no good in this application. Bending by hand without a spring is quite easy though and produces very nice bend (if a little larger than a bender would do). So with a bit more practice as Battle says, that is what I'm going to do. Now should I pay £4 to send the metric bender back or will it have its uses in time.... |
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Post by battle1066 on Jun 19, 2023 15:30:26 GMT
Well I hate to say it but Dick's right of course. Bastard! It bends the 1/4" pipe just fine but creates very noticeable D profile on the 3/8" so no good in this application. Bending by hand without a spring is quite easy though and produces very nice bend (if a little larger than a bender would do). So with a bit more practice as Battle says, that is what I'm going to do. Now should I pay £4 to send the metric bender back or will it have its uses in time.... Send it back. |
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Post by dickpuller on Jun 19, 2023 15:32:32 GMT
C’mon fess up Dafty, you go down the Pub for a heat in the Winter & nurse a Half of Shandy all night😂😂😂
Any poor bastard you employ for working in your house, you’d stand over the top of them, you’d be a ‘Watcher’, getting under their feet & asking daft questions😂😂
So you think it’ll be cheaper to buy;
A Vacuum pump.
Hoses & Gauges.
Nitrogen & hoses.
Gas scales.
Etc etc etc.
Than pay someone to do a proper job??
You’d buy all the gear, have no idea, for one install??!!
Mate, you need a check-up from the neck up!!😂😂
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Post by DIYDafty on Jun 19, 2023 15:41:35 GMT
Well I hate to say it but Dick's right of course. Bastard! It bends the 1/4" pipe just fine but creates very noticeable D profile on the 3/8" so no good in this application. Bending by hand without a spring is quite easy though and produces very nice bend (if a little larger than a bender would do). So with a bit more practice as Battle says, that is what I'm going to do. Now should I pay £4 to send the metric bender back or will it have its uses in time.... Send it back. You're dead right. I will. |
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Post by dickpuller on Jul 1, 2023 9:33:52 GMT
‘Bend it like Dafty’!!! 😂😂😂😂
How progress my egotistical expert??!!
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Post by tomplum on Jul 1, 2023 18:53:11 GMT
Dafty,, sorry I missed this thread due to wi-fi problems up in wigan, I hope this video helps you
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Post by DIYDafty on Jul 1, 2023 19:37:22 GMT
Dafty,, sorry I missed this thread due to wi-fi problems up in wigan, I hope this video helps you Very useful thanks Tom. I've put my first aircon unit in, piped it up and waiting to collect nitrogen bottle on Monday because the vacuum test with micron gauge showed I definitely have a leak. Hard to tell in the video but looked like both bender and spring put a bit of a flat on one side? Bending it gently without tools has given me a large bend which might not be acceptable a lot of times in heating systems but its ok for me as coming out of the wall it goes into deep trunking so plenty of space to bend. |
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Post by DIYDafty on Jul 1, 2023 19:38:37 GMT
‘Bend it like Dafty’!!! 😂😂😂😂 How progress my egotistical expert??!! Got your F Gas ticket yet? |
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Post by crowsfoot on Jul 2, 2023 6:57:41 GMT
I'm going for a drink with a few of me old work mates in a couple of weeks dd.
One of them is the plumber I mentioned who has the two air con units fitted in his house (so if you've got any special questions about it I could ask him for you; that's if I get the chance).
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