Hi, I'm redoing my loop and was doing some pre-routing scenerios just to see how it will go. I'm using McMaster's 1/2" ID 3/4"OD tubing. The problem is the bend off the vid card. There's about 2-3" clearance between the top of the vid card and the side of the case and the bend off both barbs causes the tubing to flatten out. I've read many posts saying to use the 7/16" tubing cause it bends so well. According to the specs of both, they both have a 1 3/4" bend radius so I'm not sure if going to that will help. Does it really bend more than the 1/2"? Will zip ties or coolsleeves work without putting too much tension on the blocks? Appreciate any suggestions. Thanks.
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Tight bend problem
- Thread starter kenny_k
- Start date
- Joined
- Mar 21, 2006
- Location
- Eindhoven, The Netherlands
coolsleeves will work
- Joined
- Oct 31, 2002
Its ok if it flattens a little bit, to the point of being an elipse, as long as it isnt completly flat. you can heat up your tubing in boiling water to make it more bendable and yes, coolsleeves will work but i would prefer to use the metal hose clamps, gives you adjustability. you might consider rethinking the path to your video card too.
show us what you got so far.
show us what you got so far.
- Thread Starter
- #4
I don't have any pics as I haven't really started cutting tubes etc. I was just bending the tubing trying different angles. Nothing is hooked up, I was holding the tubing and sort of hand routing it to get an approximate idea. That's when I noticed how it was flattening out in the bend off the vid card. It's an Apogee/cpu and MCW60 for the vid card. Path would be from cpu to gpu to rad. Both the bend from cpu to gpu and gpu back to rad cause the tube to flatten when I try to bend it. Do you think it would it be worth trying the 7/16"?
- Joined
- Aug 29, 2006
- Location
- Agoura Hills, CA
You should be fine with the coolsleeve or smartcoils here are pics of my tight bend in my current rig.
Tygon 1/2"id 5/8" od tubing with smartcoils. same bend as you i suppose?
Tygon 1/2"id 5/8" od tubing with smartcoils. same bend as you i suppose?
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2006
- Location
- OKC
OCnewbee said:
- Joined
- Dec 14, 2006
there are no cool sleves for your tubes but you can use wire to bend that tube into the shape you want...
My suggestion is to use a long sweep copper elbow (mcmaster #5520K603) with short pieces of 1/2" copper soldered in each end attached to your tubing to make the bend. I use one for my GPU and it offers no more restriction than a tight tubing bend but works much better.
- Thread Starter
- #11
Thanks for the suggestions/help (this forum is great). The sweep elbow is interesting, unfortunately I don't have a torch for soldering pipes. I imagine using the 3/8 with 1/2 female would be too restrictive plus possibly leak if I just stretched the tubing over the 1/2 female ends.
- Joined
- Aug 23, 2006
I second the vote for a 90degree elbow. They don't hurt flow that much... AFAIK.
- Joined
- Jun 2, 2006
- Location
- Chicago
I have 3/4 od tygon and just used the 5/8 smartcoils. They fit fine.
kenny_k said:
Just for clarification, this is a 1/2" long sweep elbow. You can stretch the tubing over the female end, but it is a lot harder to do than just over 1/2" copper. Surely someone you know has a torch you can borrow. Not to mention that a torch, cutter, flux, and solder will only set up back about $15.
Using a long sweep elbow is really the best way to go for tight turns without being restrictive IMHO.
QuietIce
Disabled
- Joined
- May 7, 2006
- Location
- Anywhere but there
Personally, I like the thin-walled Tygon and Coolsleeves/Smartcoils as well. No extra fittings involved and works just as well. I use copper for my T-lines so if I thought copper was better I'd use it.voigts said:
To each his own ...
