Removing dents in Pipe

[johnkdx220]

I just bought a used Gnarly Pipe with some dents in it. Nothing major.

What is your method for removing the dents. I heard about 3 methods: 1) using compressed air (sounds dangerous), 2) using a pressure washer and 3) filling the pipe with water and freezing it.

What is your preferred technic?

Thanks.

 

[Kaw_Boy_5]

You are really asking for trouble if you are doing anything besides sending it to a place like piperepair.com. 40 bucks is cheap for what they do.

 

[johnkdx220]

Kaw_boy5

Please expand on what you mean by "really looking for trouble". Did you know about horror stories? (Explosion, overheating, pipe splitting). I am personnaly tempted by the expanding freezing water technic. Sounds really simple....

 

[kdxquebec]

you can have some idea here.

http://dirtrider.net/forums3/showthread.php?threadid=42823&highlight=dents+pipe

 

[canyncarvr]

Pacific Crest is a local outfit (piperepair.com). In one day out the next.

Note that his prices are going up 25% the first of the year!

Pipes come out pretty darn good. As good a new? Of course not...but the dings are gone AND the fit of the pipe is 'restored' too. ...not sure how that comes to be.

I have read of a few fires/explosions coming from the pressurize-and-heat treatment. There is likely a good deal of carbon in there that is VERY saturated with things-that-go-boom. No, it isn't a given. I'm sure it's been done successfully more'n once.

Good luck!

 

[Twiztid One]

here's how i do it :
1. drill hole in center of dent
2. pull dent out with a body dent puller
3. weld up the small hole that you drilled

this wont look perfect but if you have a big dent it is better than it being completely collapsed .

 

[Houndog]

I use compressed air and heat :flame:

But... if I had a pipe repair shop handy (this country), that had the reputation that Pacific Crest did I would not bother doing it myself. The drawbacks are that the pipe gets discolored and the metal gets a bit weaker in that area.

If you can send it away it's better than making a 'pipe bomb' :p

 

[canyncarvr]

Mr. brett (pacific crest) is pretty much on my way to work. Well..in a roundabout sort of way.

......and mr. steahly is just down the road!

God Bless the state of jefferson!!

 

[K220]

Go to a few of your local auto body repair shop and locate one that utilizes the newer methods of dent removal. (fuzed-on pulling nail,,attach slide hammer to rivet, pull out dent(s), grind off rivet). Perfomed properly will only leave a very small mark that with enough elbow grease & time may possible be polished entirely out.

 

[Houndog]

Ya but, you can't polish out a nickel finish that has been welded to and then ground off... it will rust.

Has anyone tried painting a plated pipe?

 

[Protozoa]

A long time ago I did this by welding pieces of welding rod to the dented area, heated it up around the dent with a torch and used the welded on rods like T-handles and pulled the dents out. When I was done I ground off the rods. Now it's 25 years later and I'm seriously considering the compressed air method.

 

[enduro400]

there is also someone selling a "tool" on ebay for pipe repairs. It's of the pressure and heat kind. It has safety valves and all. Do a serch and see what you find. i haven't seen one in a while, but I wasn't looking either!

 

[DPing]

I know that to remove dents from a Tuba (the musical instrument) it is common practice to use a large steel marble and a strong magnet. I know pipes these days (at least aftermarket) are getting thin enough that an approach like that might work. One would need a pretty strong magnet though, and deep dents might still be a problem.
I may have to give it a try on my next dent.

 

[FLBob]

I did mine last season - heat and compressed air - 20-30 psi if I remember. No explosion or fire but it did fill my shop with very foul smoke -don't try it without lots of fresh air. It was kind of exhilarating.

Next time I'll send it away-the pipe doesn't fit the way it should-I think it fit better before. Perhaps any hit hard enough for a big dent will probably bend it enough for a poor fit.

 

[know_fear]

The "air pressure with heat" method is dangerous but I've done it with the following precautions. Use a torch to burn out all the oils and flammable crud before you plug the ends of the pipe. Keep the heat on until no more smoke comes out.
The plugs need to be securely fastened. I made an aluminum plug for the cylinder end and held it on with heavy wire running back to a hose clamp around the pipe. 30 or 40 PSI seemed to work with the dented area heated to cherry red. I was wearing my chest protector and welding helmet while doing this outdoors.
Dangerous? Sure but then so is riding.

 

[kx_693]

WE blow dents out at our shop, but just for ourselves and a few sponserd riders. I just plug then one end, and have a plug for the other with and air chuck, and a valve, hook the air up 40psi or less, turn the valve on, make sure nothng is going to blow off and then heat, slowly, and it works great.....We race the GNCC's and the NHS, and blow our pipes out just about every other race, due to some sort of rock, or crash, or foot peg. Ive even had to weld a Gnarly pipe back up for Cole Calkins, when him and Doug Blackwell came together....He wanted that pipe for going to Wellsville, not like he needs it. But any way it is simple and ive never had a problem, besides one pipe blew out, and when they do this it is just a small pin hole. any way be carful and wear a grinding mask.