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How to Make a Square Tubing Bender for Free

Bending tubing is necessary for many projects, such as building a motorcycle, electrical or plumbing work and artistic metalwork. But a commercial bender can cost hundreds of dollars. To bend tubing more cheaply, you can create your own jig in one of a couple of different ways. Either method will require a bit of elbow grease.

Things You'll Need

6-foot length of threaded 2-inch pipe
Threaded 2-inch T-connector
2 3- to 6-inch lengths of 2-inch pipe
4-foot by 6-foot sheet of 1-inch MDF
Jigsaw
Heavy-duty shop table
4-5 heavy-duty C clamps

Instructions

Quick and Dirty
- 1
  Screw the T-connector onto the end of the six-foot pipe, which will be your handle.
- 2
  Screw shorter sections of two-inch pipe onto the sides of the T-connector. Use longer ones for wider bends and shorter ones for tighter bends.
- 3
  Slide the tubing you want to bend through the short sections of pipe. Make sure you're on a firm surface, such as asphalt or concrete.
- 4
  Brace yourself and pull back on the long handle to bend the tubing until you've reached the angle you want.
More Precise
- 5
  Measure the curve you want your tubing to be. Trace the outside of the curve onto the MDF and cut it out with a jigsaw.
- 6
  Clamp the MDF curve onto the edge of a heavy shop table with the C clamps.
- 7
  Place the tube you want to bend at one end of the MDF curve. If the table is against a wall, brace it against a wall. If not, clamp a spare piece of tubing or MDF on the other side of the tube.
- 8
  Grip the free end of the tubing and pull it against the MDF to match the wood's curve.

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