When building your custom cooling system with hardline tubing, you may have to cut and bend the tubing to better fit into your system. This article has a video and instructions on how to cut and bend hardline tubing.
Required tools
You will need the following tools, which you can buy as a kit from our Webstore:
- Tube cutting jig
- Hand saw
- Deburring tool
- Silicon bending insert
- Bending mandrel
You will also need the following, which are not sold as part of the kit:
- Heat gun
- Bowl of warm water
- Distilled water
Cutting and bending the tubes
First, you want to cut the tube into your desired size:
- Secure the tube in the tube cutting jig.
- Use the hand saw to saw straight down the tube.
- Make sure to avoid excessive force when sawing.
- Use the deburring tool to remove any sharp edges from the cut.
If you want to bend the tubing:
- Wet the silicon bending insert in a bowl of warm water.
- Insert the silicon into the tube you want to bend.
-
NOTE: Make sure you do not completely insert the silicon into the tube.
- Place the heat gun on your work area and power it on.
- Hold the tube with the silicon insert about 10 cm. above the heat gun and then slowly move it side to side while rotating the tube.
- The heat intensity and the time needed to heat up will depend on your heat gun model.
- Once you have heated the tube, insert it into the bending mandrel.
- Bend the tube in using a smooth motion and hold it for around 60 seconds.
-
NOTE: Avoid repeatedly bending the tube as it cools, and do NOT use water to cool the tube.
To finish up:
- Cut the tube to its final length.
- Use the deburring tool to remove any sharp edges from the cut.
- Use distilled water to flush the tubes and remove any debris inside.
- Your tube is now ready to be installed into your cooling system.