shimmy Posted April 9, 2006 Report Share Posted April 9, 2006 (edited) Hi, as some of you know, Ive been looking for a means to heat a pipe to make a bending iron. Im in australia so I cant find a lightbulb compact and powerful enough to do the job. This morning I stumbled across this website...elements I emailed them to see if they have something suitable (im sure they do)...So I thought Id post this link incase anyone else is looking at making a home made bender.... Also partly because I thought somebody who knew their way around electrical sort of stuff might have a look at this and either find something that would work or break the bad news that none of it would Cheers Shimmy Edited April 9, 2006 by shimmy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fryovanni Posted April 10, 2006 Report Share Posted April 10, 2006 Shimmy-a-ling-a-ding-dong, Those ceramic elements look like they will cost a bit. I know the light bulb style are used for reptile cage heaters and are a bit pricey. Take a look at this. BBQ Starter.. See if a local store may have this available, and compaire prices. Peace,Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shimmy Posted April 10, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2006 Thanks friovani... That does look great I actually went to a appliance repairer and got this old " freezer defroster" basically just a perfect sized element with set into a simple aluminium frame....I pulled the frame off and it looks perfect...gets red hot... Problem is is that i think it gets too hot..Im going to look for a way to hook a simmerstat up to it to control the heat but the element is real simple..jst an element with a lead coming out of it to plug into the wall......only cost me $10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fryovanni Posted April 10, 2006 Report Share Posted April 10, 2006 Thanks friovani... That does look great I actually went to a appliance repairer and got this old " freezer defroster" basically just a perfect sized element with set into a simple aluminium frame....I pulled the frame off and it looks perfect...gets red hot... Problem is is that i think it gets too hot..Im going to look for a way to hook a simmerstat up to it to control the heat but the element is real simple..jst an element with a lead coming out of it to plug into the wall......only cost me $10 Cool, Sounds like a good price. My element is actually just setting in the pipe. The pipe I am using is heavy cast iron though, so it acts as its own temp regulator. Good luck! Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwigeo Posted April 28, 2006 Report Share Posted April 28, 2006 (edited) Hi, as some of you know, Ive been looking for a means to heat a pipe to make a bending iron. Im in australia so I cant find a lightbulb compact and powerful enough to do the job. Shimmy Shimmy, try some of the herpatology suppliers. Theres a few with websites here in Oz. I sourced ceramic bulb holders for my side bender from a place in Queensland. Out working on an oil rig off the NW Shelf right now so dont have the details on me. Will post website URL in about a week if youre interested. Nice to see someone else working on a hot pipe. The Fox benders are great but I love working up a sweat and burning the cr*p out of my arms and hands on a pipe. Cheers Martin Edited April 28, 2006 by kiwigeo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fryovanni Posted April 28, 2006 Report Share Posted April 28, 2006 Martin, Nice to see someone else working on a hot pipe. The Fox benders are great but I love working up a sweat and burning the cr*p out of my arms and hands on a pipe. You are not supposed to hold the pipe while you bend the wood . You must be a pretty tuff fella . Peace,rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwigeo Posted April 29, 2006 Report Share Posted April 29, 2006 Martin, Nice to see someone else working on a hot pipe. The Fox benders are great but I love working up a sweat and burning the cr*p out of my arms and hands on a pipe. You are not supposed to hold the pipe while you bend the wood . You must be a pretty tuff fella . Peace,rich Well the instructions mention maintaining good posture while working on the pipe and bending your arms was one suggestion they make to achieve same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclej Posted May 8, 2006 Report Share Posted May 8, 2006 i just completed my first side bender and being the cheap rascal that i am i was looking for a heat source that i already owned..and found it. i drilled a 2" hole through thick piece of rock maple..mounted my pipe to that and then clamped the handle of my heat stripping gun into a jergensen clamp and aimed it at the hole..works like a champ. my only expense was the 2" pipe, a cap and a floor flange. i polished the pipe up and drilled 5 holes into the bottome of it and two into the cap to allow air flow. works like a champ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shimmy Posted May 9, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 haha yea... I went very cheap as well....Ended up going to a car exhaust place and getting an off cut....I picked up what used to be a freezer deffroster back in the 80's by the looks of it but its just a element shaped long and skinny.... fits perfectly in the pipe and heats it really well.. Im about to try it out tomorrow and Im terrified..... Any last minute tips anyone? what not to do;s? Cheers Shimmy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erikbojerik Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 You do have a rheostate (dimmer switch) in the circuit to adjust the amount of current, right? You don't want to just plug it in and go "full on" all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shimmy Posted May 9, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 Well I have done a few tests and it seems to be a pretty good temp...at the hotest part of the pipe, the water bounces off, further toward the end the water just steams Im hoping I can find a happy medium part of the pipe that works well... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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