How to Make a Square Two-Pipe Bender

Cut a metal plate at least 1/4-inch thick to a size that is larger than one large pulley and one small pulley placed side by side. Drill four holes for the flat-head screws at the four corners of the plate. Weld a 6-inch by 4-inch piece of metal plate upright at the top left corner of the metal plate. Position this piece about 2 inches from the edge. Weld a steel bolt or rod centered one-third of the way up from the bottom of the plate. The bolt or rod should be wide enough to pass through the hubs of the two larger pulleys stacked one on top of the other.

Cut two 3-inch-wide strips from the 1/4-inch-thick metal plate to about 10 inches long. Bend both at the center into a U-shape. The side arms, or cheeks, should be long enough to encompass the hubs of one large and one small pulley placed side by side. Cut four metal strips the width of the larger and smaller pulleys’ grooves. Bend the metal strips around the hub of the pulleys as far down as they will go in the groove. Weld the strips into place.

Place one of the smaller pulleys within one of the U-shaped arms close to, but not touching, the inside top of the U-shape. Drill a hole on both arms where the hub of the small pulley is located. Place one of the larger pulleys within the U-shape arms but about 3/4 inch from the smaller pulley. Drill holes on both arms where the hub of the larger pulley is located. Repeat this procedure for the second set of pulleys.

Stack the two U-shaped arms one above the other with the holes aligned. Weld the arms together but keep the holes open. Weld a 3-foot-long handle to the outside top of the U-shaped arms. Insert a metal pin made from a rod the size of the hub hole through the upper arm and through the hubs of the smaller pulleys. Weld cross pins at both ends of the pins to hold it in place.

Place the larger pulleys within the U-shaped arms and insert the arms and pulleys through the pin on the metal plate. Weld a cross retaining pin to the top of the pin.

Screw the metal plate to a heavy work table. Insert the two pipes to be bent between the small and large pulleys and aligned in the grooves. Brace the ends against the metal piece on the plate. Pull the handle toward you slowly to bend the pipes.