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Hi do you have a tip how to expand a stainless steel pipe

Janger

(John)
Administrator
Vendor
Have it 3D metal printed by a service bureau. Just the short part. Then braze it on?
 

Susquatch

Ultra Member
Administrator
Moderator
Premium Member
you said the wall thickness was .065?

He did say that. But I'm not sure that's what he meant. He later said that the ID difference was 0.065. That math is correct. It seems like a big coincidence that this is also the thickness of the pipe. French translation may be an issue here.

@Marc Moreau - can you please provide dimensions for the pipe you want to expand so we know what you need?
 

phaxtris

(Ryan)
Premium Member
Premium Member
@Susquatch, I agree there are some translation issues going on, and it does seem like a coincidence,

Here are my thoughts on why it happens to be a coincidence, .065 is a common wall thickness, the photo also looks like pipe could be thin enough to be .065, also as an aircraft part I could easily see that thickness of tubing for weight reasons, I have a feeling he may be trying to slip this pipe over another same size pipe

We will have to wait for some clarification
 
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little ol' e

Jus' a hobby guy
I forget to say it must be expand for about 2 inch deep to be at the write place.

Have you checked out Powermaster Industrial Supplies ? They would be the closest to you I would think.

You will find what you need, they are a great to deal with (613) 764-0572 in Casselman, On

I would assume that to be 316SS pipe with the higher nickel content over the 304SS for your application?
 
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Susquatch

Ultra Member
Administrator
Moderator
Premium Member
Here are my thoughts on why it happens to be a coincidence, .065 is a common wall thickness, the photo also looks like pipe could be thin enough to be .065, also as an aircraft part I could easily see that thickness of tubing for weight reasons, I have a feeling he may be trying to slip this pipe over another same size pipe

That makes perfect sense to me. Let's see what @Dan Dubeau says......

If that is the case, then why not shrink the other end instead of expanding it? That's a LOT EASIER to do!
 

Marc Moreau

Marc Moreau
He did say that. But I'm not sure that's what he meant. He later said that the ID difference was 0.065. That math is correct. It seems like a big coincidence that this is also the thickness of the pipe. French translation may be an issue here.

@Marc Moreau - can you please provide dimensions for the pipe you want to expand so we know what you need?
I know the wall is .065 thick and the inside now .875 and must be open to .940 so I say .940 -.875 = .065 is that correct ?
 

Susquatch

Ultra Member
Administrator
Moderator
Premium Member
I know the wall is .065 thick and the inside now .875 and must be open to .940 so I say .940 -.875 = .065 is that correct ?

Yes Marc, that is correct.

Are you trying to expand the pipe so another piece of the same size pipe can be inserted?

If so, wouldn't it be easier to just make the pipe smaller instead of bigger?
 

Marc Moreau

Marc Moreau
I have an impact Snap-On deep socket 15 mm that fit perfect inside the original bar. I want to try to heat the tube and use my hammer to push it inside ?
 

little ol' e

Jus' a hobby guy
I have an impact Snap-On deep socket 15 mm that fit perfect inside the original bar. I want to try to heat the tube and use my hammer to push it inside ?

You can heat it up and try that, however, its best to know what material you are working with for the application.

For example;
316, 304 type SS's will create some scaling and oxidization, where as 330 resists this to a point when heating.
If you have a smaller cutoff to test, that is where I would start.

I'm sure the guys at Powermaster would swage that pipe out for you if you brought the pipe to them @ a minimal charge.
IMO, that would be your best bet if heating what you have doesn't work out due to scaling.
 

phaxtris

(Ryan)
Premium Member
Premium Member
You will probabaly destroy the tube trying to hammer a socket in the end, it doesn't take much to kink a pipe that thin
 
A lot of Aircraft tubing is 0.058 wall. Why it is a slip fit.

0.065 or particularly 0.062 while it should does not.

I use all three sizes in my business and all the 0.058 comes from the USA.
 

Dan Dubeau

Ultra Member
Ya, sorry about that.
No worries. Got the notification then read, re read the thread a few times wondering if I had posted something, and it got deleted, or if I deleted it. Wasn't drunk posting so I ruled that out, and haven't hit my head in a while, so I ruled that out too :D.
 

fixerup

Super User
Would it be possible to put a threaded rod through the tube, lock the side opposite of the swage with a washer and nut. Swage side with the swage socket, washer, nut and use an impact driver to drive the swage socket.
 

Marc Moreau

Marc Moreau
Would it be possible to put a threaded rod through the tube, lock the side opposite of the swage with a washer and nut. Swage side with the swage socket, washer, nut and use an impact driver to drive the swage socket.
No you can't because of the shape this is made like bicycle handle. I will go the way a member say before weld a sleeve over and grind the inside after.
 

fixerup

Super User
Oooops!
Sorry, I forgot about your picture in the first post. maybe a plastic threaded rod would fit. Lol
I had just glance at the latest post and thought a threaded rod might offer a better control of the expansion than using a hammer. The sleeve over the existing tube sounds like a better idea.
I sometimes prefer using a threaded rod with some washers, sockets or sleeves instead of my using my hydraulic press to install or remove bearings, bushing....... I have a better feel of what is going on with the threaded rod than the hydraulic press.

We once made a 1/4" expansion tool to swage 1000's of copper tube into a flange. We used an electric pop rivet machine, screwed a home made four finger expansion collet on the end. The rivet tool would pull a conical mandrel and expand the collet finger and expand the copper tube in small lip featured in the flange. But this tool would never be able to expand a stainless steel tube, let alone 2" long. This is were hydraulic expanding mandrel have enough power to accomplish such a task. But $$$$ for doing just one tube.
 
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