Need advice on tube bending tool for 3/8" line

[schardein]

I need to bend some 3/8" copper-nickel fuel line.  The bender I have is a cheap little thing and the line kinks before I can get close to a 90 degree bend.  Did some searching online and found some suggestions for Rigid brand benders, which are expensive. They are the type with handles and supposedly can do a 180 degree bend.

 

I've done a lot of 3/16" brake lines and some 3/8" steel line.

 

I'm not opposed to investing in some Rigid benders, but thought I would ask for opinions.  Anyone bend 3/8 tubing, what did you use and how  well did it work?

[1987Comanche]

If you're bending the line off the truck you can use a socket with the correct radius locked in a bench vise.   It's not the easiest thing but with mechanic's gloves on, it's doable.

 

[Ωhm]

For manual bending use Tube Bending Springs. Supposedly no kinks.

[87MJTIM]

33 minutes ago, Ωhm said:

For manual bending use Tube Bending Springs. Supposedly no kinks.

I used these for soft copper water lines with success 

[Jeep Driver]

This is the one that I have and it should bend your nicopp just fine.......with a little effort. 

 

https://www.acmetools.com/shop/tools/ridgid-44852?feeds=shopping&cm_mmc=Google-_-PRODUCTFEED-_-Ridgid-_-44852&gclid=CjwKCAjwiLGGBhAqEiwAgq3q_rexQUmd7TKH3U0NLAz9dKJfqAqQ2vh8lHo8PpSCk3hrFfeK-DlUVxoCzIIQAvD_BwE

[JustEmptyEveryPocket]

I have used similar to Jeep Driver with decent success. I found it slightly easier if the line was lubed where I was bending it using some vaseline.

[Eagle]

4 hours ago, Jeep Driver said:

This is the one that I have and it should bend your nicopp just fine.......with a little effort. 

 

https://www.acmetools.com/shop/tools/ridgid-44852?feeds=shopping&cm_mmc=Google-_-PRODUCTFEED-_-Ridgid-_-44852&gclid=CjwKCAjwiLGGBhAqEiwAgq3q_rexQUmd7TKH3U0NLAz9dKJfqAqQ2vh8lHo8PpSCk3hrFfeK-DlUVxoCzIIQAvD_BwE

 

This is similar to the one Eastwood sells. It works well with steel lines, and CUNIFER is much easier to work with.

[Dzimm]

For copper nickel just bend it by hand. start at one end of the bend and do a small bend, move your fingers down a smidge and bend again.  Repeat until you have a 90* bend.  You should only be kinking it if the bend radius you are trying to make is too small.

[schardein]

Thanks for all the feedback so far.  I did order some of the tube bending springs, as I can see a use for those both with my current project and future ones.  Still shopping for an actual bending tool.

 

1 hour ago, Dzimm said:

For copper nickel just bend it by hand. start at one end of the bend and do a small bend, move your fingers down a smidge and bend again.  Repeat until you have a 90* bend.  You should only be kinking it if the bend radius you are trying to make is too small.

I have worked with the NiCopp lines before, and it's a welcome difference to regular steel.  In 3/16" brake line, forming by hand as you mention worked well.  But for this 3/8" line, not so much.  That works for a wide radius, but not for a small one.  I'm sure an engineer could calculate the minimum bend radius of the material, and whatever that is, I'm nowhere close to it just working it by hand.

 

Just for fun, here is a Dana 44 axle with two sets of hand formed brake lines, which was my first time working with NiCopp.  These were also the last lines I formed flares on using the old bar and clamp flaring tools I've had since college (1987-88).  I've since upgraded my flaring tools.

[Kaiserman]

FYI with Nicopp I suggest using brass fittings. I've run into having to undue brakes lines I'd done a year prior with steel fittings. The steel rusts, swells and sticks to the nicopp. Heating the steel fitting almost always ends up with the nicopp cracking. I've done ALOT of nocopp brake lines at work and this have happened several times now.

[schardein]

1 hour ago, Kaiserman said:

FYI with Nicopp I suggest using brass fittings. I've run into having to undue brakes lines I'd done a year prior with steel fittings. The steel rusts, swells and sticks to the nicopp. Heating the steel fitting almost always ends up with the nicopp cracking. I've done ALOT of nocopp brake lines at work and this have happened several times now.

Thanks for the heads up!  Definitely applies as my CJ sees a lot of off road time.

[schardein]

I decided to take a chance on a Harbor Freight purchase today.  30 seconds out of the box, I have this 180 degree bend.  $7.99 well spent.

 

https://www.harborfreight.com/tubing-bender-3755.html

[FrankTheDog]

And at $7.99 not much of a gamble.