How to straighten a metal tube?

[Chuck Wintle]

I have this metal tube for my unisaw for the fence and I noticed today it is slightly bent, enough that it should be straightened. What is the best way to straighten a metal tube? Thanks :)

[Brett Baldwin]

Assuming it is flexible enough to be bent with hand pressure, I like the tube benders that look like springs to keep the cylinder round while bending a tube. It makes it very hard to put a kink into the cylinder. (but not impossible):rolleyes:

[Kyle Kraft]

If it's about 1.25" diameter like I'm thinking, sounds like a job for a pair of big v-blocks and a press with a radiused bend form to prevent kinking the tube were you push on it.

[Mark Hubler]

If it's about 1.25" diameter like I'm thinking, sounds like a job for a pair of big v-blocks and a press with a radiused bend form to prevent kinking the tube were you push on it.

The real trick is you need to bend it slightly past straight, because it will spring back a little.

[David G Baker]

Depending on how important the tube is to you and what it is used for, a machine shop or welding shop may be the way to go. Straightening tubes can be an art that does not tolerate too many mistakes with out making it unusable.

[Jude Tuliszewski]

Not to sound rhetorical but let good enough be good enough. What often happens with things like that is people tend to want to fuss with it too much, and wind up with a mess DAMHIK :eek:. So if you do try it your self, do yourself a favor, when you get it close, be happy :) a leave it alone.

[Chuck Wintle]

I placed the tube in a homemade jig and used an ordinary woodworkers clamp to draw the tubes as straight as I could. Not perfect but better. :D