Paul, you recently posted a link to a tubing beading tool. How in the
heck does
one get one? there are no prices, and linkes to dealers, like
autozone, don't even carry the thing. How did you get yours, and how
much did they cost?
C. Smith

I think I bought it at the Earl's retail outlet in Hawthorne CA but I
forgot how much I paid.

It does not work that great. I am considering building one
of the geared type as people want $400 for them.

This one looks great. I think I will buy one.
http://www.tubebeadingtool.com/

I am going to call them first thing in the morning.

Paul Lamar

     I saw a tubing beading tool in that catalog that Paul was
pushing. I think it was limited to one inch tube.

     Check out this device:

    http://www.harborfreight.com/18-inch-sheet-metal-fabrication-kit-
34104.html

     It's a multi-tasker that you can do a lot more with than just
roll beads.

Mark LaPierre

Woodward Fab out of Michigan  $139 +27

http://www.woodwardfab.com/woodward_fab_bead_rollers.htm

<http://www.woodwardfab.com/woodward_fab_bead_rollers.htmMade in USA

BrianG

The long one is too big in diameter (greater than 1.5 inch) already shot
down. The small tube beader will only do .028" thick material. Most
water and intake plumbing tubes are .065 thick.

Brian, you need to read all the messages before commenting.

Paul Lamar

Paul,

Did a bit of web surfing today looking for a cheap beader tool and
ran across this site. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=137858
Not especially cheap, but very cool.

Mark

That is OK for beading sheet metal but 1.5 inch tube would probably
be a problem.

Micheal Hart found some Earl's EZ Beaders on Amazon and had them drop
shipped to me..

2" OD $70.56 1.5 OD inch $57.74

Paul Lamar

I went to all the trouble to building a beading tool like the WW II
type and it did not work on 6061 T6 two inch .065 wall tubing. It
merely bent or distorted the tube  out of round.

This outfit claims it is making something similar. I called them and
they said they were not ready to ship.  http://www.tubebeadingtool.com/

I think they could not get it to work either :)

Back to the Earls Supply tube beader. I found something on the Internet
about a trick to soften T6 aluminum. You put it in the kitchen oven
and set it on self cleaning mode for 4 hours. Worked like a charm.
Made beading the 2 inch OD .065 wall tube 10 times easier with the Earls
beader.

Normally kitchen ovens do not go higher than 500 F but apparently in
self cleaning mode it goes a lot higher as it takes 750 F for 10
hours to completely soften aluminum. See the jpgs. It takes about
two people to do this quickly.

Remember this oven trick. It will come in handy someday.

Why do we need to bead tube? Lets say the pressure in the turbo
intake system is 15 psi boost. That means there is 3.14 square
inches in a 2 inch tube ruffly. R = 1.

Pi X R squared = 3.1416 square inches. Times 15 psi is a force of 47
pounds trying to separate the tube from the hose. That could ruin
your whole day. Now you see why I spent so much time on this problem.

A water cooling system is worse as a 30 psi pressure cap is typically
used to raise the coolant boiling temperature.  However the typical
coolant tube is only 1.5 inches in diameter. R = .75 times .75 times
pi is only 1.75 square inches. 1.75 square inches  times 30 psi is
53 pounds. That means the force is 53 pounds trying to separate the
coolant hose from the coolant tube.

Paul Lamar


Paul,

The quick and simple way to anneal Aluminum is to set the acetylene torch for
a carburizing flame. Heat a bit around the Al enough to coat it with carbon.
Then set the torch for a neutral flame and heat the area just until the carbon
is burnt off. Now it will be soft enough to bead. Also used for working as in
wheeling sheets. As the material is worked it will harden again and may need
to be annealed again. Beading a tube end will be no trouble as it is complete
before it is work hardened.

Dale Davies

I did not have a working torch. I bought one today however at Harbor Freight
on sale for $112 US with discount.
http://www.harborfreight.com/oxygen-and-acetylene-welding-kit-98958.html
The oven trick is a lot less messy.

Paul Lamar