How easy is it to bend 8mm microbore?
Question:I've taken my radiator off the wall, but I need to move my rad valves by 7cm in order to dry line the wall. Will the 20yr old 8mm microbore bend, or is it likely to crack?
Answers:
Buy a bending spring or an external bender they only cost pennies. It won't crack
being that old i wouldnt like to bend it too much.
If you are going to use a bending spring, and worry about cracking, anneal the section first. Bring the pipe up to cherry red with a blowlamp, then allow to cool. This will remove all the stress in the pipe, it will bend like putty.
I don't think it's likely to crack Bentyler. The copper used is relatively soft and I'd say you'll be ok with gentle bending by hand, obviously avoiding sharp kinks and flattening of pipe at that point. Other risks are leaks appearing where pipe enters valve, and, limescale or silt being dislodged and accumulating somewhere, (which one depends on whether an inhibitor is in the system or not and how often new water may have been introduced into it over the years). I had 10mm system in house, (with inhibitor) ran for 20years and still ok when I sold the house, excellent. Most of the things we worry about never happen, so give the gentle bending a go, have pipe warm if you can, and keep your fingers crossed, :-)
You are likely to kink it. it migt not leak but will certainly be a weak point fo rthe future.
Can you not solder a few elbows up ? Looks better than wavy pipes
buy an external microbore bender
Plumbing places do them and Machine Mart as well. It's a diddy pipe bender that does 5, 8 and 10mm pipes.
I saw on the market, donkey years back, a plastic thing that looked like a protractor and you bent the pipe around it but when I went to buy one I was given the one I first mentioned.
Bit scary bending the pipe with the valve and water still in.
Free the pipe back as far as you can to allow more room for movement. Might be OK but I would play safe by draining down and re doing the pipe from scratch. Looks better as well.
Sods law needs to b applied here
Bending 8mm old pipe is very hard to do ,you are better getting a new length of pipe with 8mm connectors .
To anneal (soften) copper pipe, heat it until it just starts to glow red, in the section where you are going to make the bend, then quench it in cold water, after which It will bend very easily. If you bend it too often it will 'work harden' so you may have to anneal it again. Easy peasy job if you anneal it, kinked or flattened pipe if you don't. No benders needed just steady pressure and a little care. I do this all the time on fuel systems and the like, with no problems.
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