It was important to my design to have a graceful arch of copper suspending the shower head. Trouble is, bending copper pipe isn't easy. It's soft and kinks the moment you try to coax it into even the slightest curve.
I'd seen springs designed to slip over the pipe to prevent it from collapsing during a bend, but these were too short for the 24"-diameter curve I had in mind. My solution was to pack the pipe with sand (to support it from the inside) then cap the ends (to prevent the sand from squeezing out). Next, I cut two 12"-diameter circles from 3/4" plywood and screwed them together to make a bending form. I then screwed this form to my workbench and added a small, rounded hardwood block next to the plywood circles, leaving a 3/4" gap.
By inserting the sand-filled copper pipe into the gap between the block and the discs, I was able to lever the curve into the pipe without too much trouble. Start with small bends at first, working your way back and forth along the length of the pipe until you reach the desired radius. Multiple small bends work much better than trying to do the big bend all at once.
My first attempts used a 24"-diameter form, but since the copper springs back a bit from each bend, it is impossible to get the correct bend unless the form is smaller than the desired radius. A 12"-diameter form worked just right.
Read more in Home Reno & Design and Outdoor
You might also enjoy:
0 Comment