Miniature hardline coax bender source in the US?

[Cubdriver]

Hi All -

I have a need to make bends in some miniature hardline (RG 405), and am looking for a tool to do so.  I found something that would be perfect:

https://www.rfshop.com.au/tools/for-semi-rigid-cable/cable-bender-semi-rigid-rg402-0-141-rg402bender.html, unfortunately for me it seems to be available in Australia and the UK.  Does anyone know of something similar that might be available in the US?  My searches thus far have been fruitless; have looked at Mouser, DK, Rio Grande (jewelry tools) and various other places that have turned up in searches using various combinations of terms.  Nothing like it shows up.

Before I go trying to make something similar, does anyone have any suggestions as to a US source for something like this?

Any suggestions would be most welcomed.

Thanks.

Best

-Pat

[langwadt]

Hi All -

I have a need to make bends in some miniature hardline (RG 405), and am looking for a tool to do so.  I found something that would be perfect:

https://www.rfshop.com.au/tools/for-semi-rigid-cable/cable-bender-semi-rigid-rg402-0-141-rg402bender.html, unfortunately for me it seems to be available in Australia and the UK.  Does anyone know of something similar that might be available in the US?  My searches thus far have been fruitless; have looked at Mouser, DK, Rio Grande (jewelry tools) and various other places that have turned up in searches using various combinations of terms.  Nothing like it shows up.

Before I go trying to make something similar, does anyone have any suggestions as to a US source for something like this?

Any suggestions would be most welcomed.

Thanks.

Best

-Pat

Damn at that price I should make some, I thought Swagelok tube benders were expensive

[T3sl4co1l]

Is that not simply a tubing bender? e.g. http://www.mcmaster.com/#2492a12/=13l02sz

Tim

[langwadt]

Is that not simply a tubing bender? e.g. http://www.mcmaster.com/#2492a12/=13l02sz

Tim

I don't think mcmaster has one that'll work on 2mm

[Cubdriver]

The smallest tubing benders that seem to be readily available are for 1/8" diameter tubing, and this stuff is 0.0875" dia.  It's important to keep the cross section as even and round as possible because if it bends out of shape it buggers up the cable's impedance.  Unfortunately no joy at McMac - they were my first stop.

-Pat

[David Hess]

Hobby or model shops may have tubing benders for small diameter brass tubing.

If you get desperate, you might be able to do it by snaking a tight steel spring around the tubing.

http://www.micromark.com/5-piece-spring-type-tube-bender-set,7048.html

[Cubdriver]

Thanks for the suggestions, folks.  Yes, EVB, supporting it in a groove as it's bent so it doesn't distort is the key.  I'll look into the Winton Machine tool, which looks like a baby version of the Swagelok ones I have at home for tubing and is doubtless as frightfully expensive as they are.  I suppose if all else fails there's a simple one piece one made by Tyco that DK and Mouser both stock.  That RFShop one looks like it would be perfect - perhaps I'll try to cobble something like that up.

Appreciate the input.

-Pat

[radar_macgyver]

I have a rigid cable kit at work that includes a couple of dies (more correctly, forms) to bend the cable. I'll take a picture next time I'm in. It's very simple compared to the pipe/conduit benders linked to above - no rollers, just a rounded groove cut into a piece of steel. It shouldn't be too hard to machine with a 2.5D mill.

I still use the kit, even though we've moved on to using RG-402SR and RG-405SR "semi-flex" instead of the rigid stuff. Much easier to work with.

[Cubdriver]

I have a rigid cable kit at work that includes a couple of dies (more correctly, forms) to bend the cable. I'll take a picture next time I'm in. It's very simple compared to the pipe/conduit benders linked to above - no rollers, just a rounded groove cut into a piece of steel. It shouldn't be too hard to machine with a 2.5D mill.

I still use the kit, even though we've moved on to using RG-402SR and RG-405SR "semi-flex" instead of the rigid stuff. Much easier to work with.

Cool, thanks.

-Pat

[cncjerry]

I've made things like this for a hell of a lot less than that price.  All it takes is a few rollers of varying size with grooves in them.  The grooves can be 'V' shaped or filleted, preferred.