5 Essential Tools for Tube and Pipe Shaping
Plumbers, welders, and metal fabricators are just a few types of people who make use of pipe-shaping equipment. Some of these tools cut tubes and pipes to make joining them easier, while others help with changing overall tube or pipe shape. Keep reading to discover five essential tools for tube and pipe shaping.
Axis Clamp
Whether you need to hold pipes in position while you weld or hold them while beveling, you should consider getting an axis clamp. This device allows you to hold smaller pipes and tubes while you’re working on them, making it much easier to keep a steady hand. You can also store pipes in the clamp temporarily to let them cool down.
Tube Notcher
Another essential tool for tube and pipe shaping is a tube notcher. This is a special cutting device for tubes and pipes. It allows you to cut a cylindrical object at a predetermined concave angle so you can join one pipe to another without any gaps. Otherwise, if you make a straight cut on the end of a pipe and try to attach it to a curved pipe wall, you won’t get a seamless join.
Tube Bender
Instead of cutting pipes, tube benders are designed to help you put curves in pipes. While some bending tools use pure mechanical force to operate, others may incorporate heating elements to make the pipes more malleable. Need a pipe to move around a support beam inside the wall of the new building you’re constructing? A tube bender is the tool you want to have on hand.
Beveling Machine
When you’re welding pipes together, they don’t always line up perfectly. Even pipes that come from the same manufacturer might have small flaws that lead to something called hi-lo, or misalignment. When you weld misaligned pipes, you’re more likely to end up with a ridge, which can trap bacteria and cause corrosion. A pipe beveling machine can remedy this problem by removing material around the edges of the pipe ends so they match up properly.
Beveling Machine Blades
If you take on a lot of pipe welding tasks, you’re going to need more than one kind of beveling blade. These blades are the interchangeable tips that allow you to create different kinds of bevels. With more options available, you can choose exactly the right bevel for each pipe join.
You can find professional pipe beveling equipment at SEC Industrial. We carry ESCO pipe beveling machines and all the blades you need for different kinds of bevels. Don’t see what you want? Just reach out and ask us—we’d love to help you find the right tools for your next project.
