I have had a couple customers talking about Cerro bend. Claiming they have been pulling of mandrel bends without a mandrel bender. So, I did a little research on Google and contacted a supplier on the internet. He said it is very popular with guys doing small / thin wall tube bending. I asked him is exhaust was a possibility, but he could not give a straight answer. We talked for a while, so he sent me 2 samples. The first sample: "Cerro Bend" It is an alloy that melts at 158 degrees, you coat your tube with oil and pour this Cerro bend in your tube, then you quench it. I guess you are supposed to be able to bend the tube like it was solid rod. Then just heat the tube and drain the Cerro bend and re-use it later. I asked him how large of tubing this worked on, and could not get a straight answer either. The second sample: It is called "Bend Plus Resin WS8." It looks like a large bag of salt or sugar. This stuff is suppose to do the same thing. Anyone ever heard of this stuff? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6barni9f7c
I have used cerrobend for years but not for bending tube. It's kind of brittle and I'm not to sure how that would work out?
I have used it to make a cast of my combustion chamber when having custom pistons made and for holding JT8 fan blades steady when on the tracer mill
http://www.hitechalloys.com/hitechalloys_002.htm I was exposed to this stuff 30 years ago. for machining turbine blades, you melt this stuff all around the blade in a temporary 'box'and it acts as a support. you machine away to the finished blade and melt the stuff out of the machining chips and use it again! interesting to use it for tube bending . and why not? 90% jimmy
Mcmaster.com has small quantities of the Cerro alloys. Larger quantities, you might get a better deal somewhere else.
its pretty expensive , but you can re-use it , there are a couple of alloys that melt around 200 degrees F http://www.alchemycastings.com/lead-products/fusible.htm Beaulieu
Ive used it in aero space for years fill your tube with it bend it then boil it out in hot water and use it agian
We use it in the bicycle industry to bend thin-wall chromoly and titanium. When I say thin-wall I mean around .030-.45".
The company that makes and sells Cerro Bend and other low melting alloys in Bolton Technologies (formerly Cerro Metal Products), in Bellefonte, PA. Some of the companies that you listed are distributors of their product, but you can buy directly from the manufacturer. You can reach them at 814-355-6217, by email at technologies@boltonmetals.com or go to their website at www.boltonmetals.com Special offer they are running now is - Place an order (minimum $150) to ship by June 30th and receiving free shipping (up to $25). You can also mention my name when contact Bolton as I work for the company. Thanks and hope to hear from you.
I have used it in the past to make very nice looking tight radius bends on 7/8" to 1.5" od thin wall cm tubing .045 to .080 wall on sand dragster chassis. Never used the w?? resine
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