Pipe Flattening Die

Hec In Omaha

Hec In Omaha

Active Member
#1
#1
Howdy All,

I was messing around and came up with this die to flatten 1/2" Pipe and 3/4" pipe. I don't use tubing much as I have access to a lot of free pipe that is seamless schedule 80:thumbsup:. 1/2" Pipe is .84" O.D. as compared to 7/8" tubing which is .875 and that's close enough for me. 3/4" Pipe has an O.D. of 1.05". I need a way to flatten the pipe and drill a hole in the flattened section (Just like the end of forks.) for making grab bars on a project I am working on. Essentially it is a piece of 1/2" thick steel with semi-circles cut out to accommodate the O.D. for 1/2" and 3/4" pipe. The four 1/2" Dia. holes are for centering guides. I thought I could weld four pieces of 1/2" round stock about 2" long into one of the plates. The second plate would simply slip over the 1/2" centering guides. Slip pipe in between corresponding guides and squash in a press!

What do you think? Will it work?



Hec
 

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Hec In Omaha

Hec In Omaha

Active Member
#5
#5
Manchester1,

Funny you should ask. If I could get enough interest to make a total of 4 sets including mine. That's 8 plates. Then the price per plate would cost me $26.00/plate or $52.00 for each 2 plate set. There is economy in scale so the more I make the cheaper they become. If I made 10 plates including mine, or five 2 plate sets the price drops to $21.00 per plate. Its the initial set up fee that's the killer. Maybe some other forum members would like a set and we can put in a bigger order and all save some $$$$.:deal:

Hec
 
Last edited:
jeep2003

jeep2003

#8
#8
be sure to leave enough clearance between the guide pins because the tube gets wider when you flatten it. maybe you can cut in some shallow groves to keep the tube where you want it at the start of the squish.
 
scootercat

scootercat

Active Member
#9
#9
I have made something like You are doing,I used two blocks of steel 1"x 2"x 4" with a shim in between that was the combined thickness of the tube wall....Tacked together into a sandwich of....1"x 2" x 4" then a .160" thick shim(2 x .080" the wall thickness of the 1" tube I was using) same 2" x 4" shape then the other 1" x 2" x 4" piece... You end up with a weldment 2.160" x 2" x 4"..then I drilled into the sandwich end on center of shim 1" deep with a 1" drill bit then finished it with a 1" ball end mill....after that I cut the tack welds and removed the shim then a few licks with the 90 deg. grinder You have two blocks 1" x 2" x 4" with half round cutouts....Place in a press with tube between them and squash away....Scootercat....
 
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mrpat

mrpat

#11
#11
Hec,

You mentioned you were wanting to use 1/2" plate for your die. I did the same thing and used a 20 ton shop press to squish the tube/pipe. If I had to do it all over again, I would use 1" thick stock because after you use it a few times, the 1/2" plate tends to flex and bend just a wee bit.
 
bikebudy

bikebudy

Banned - Must pay $500
#12
#12
Good advice mrpat, mine are 1" thick as well.

I like his idea though. Mine is for one size, where his could have 4 sizes on it.
 
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