All,
I am thinking of ways to make a nice looking, but strange shaped shower
curtain rail for my odd bathroom (see post from a few weeks ago...)
Anyway, how easy would it be to take some 14mm (ish) chromed pipe and bend
it into a strange shape with a pipe bender ?? Would the result look OK, or
would there be alsorts of nasty marks on the pipe ??

Anyway, how easy would it be to take some 14mm (ish) chromed pipe and
bend it into a strange shape with a pipe bender ?? Would the result
look OK, or would there be alsorts of nasty marks on the pipe ??

It should look OK. However, on a tight bend, the bender seems to reduce the
pipe radius a bit, so it isn't entirely smooth. I've never actually tried to
bend chromed pipe myself, but my parent's house has some bent chrome for
some surface mounted pipe in the bathroom which obviously had been bent just
fine. I assume the plumber used a bender.

I'm thinking of doing the same for some bay window curtain poles. A 3m
copper pipe bent to fit exactly the outline of the window, but painted matt
black rather than chromed. Cost? 3 quid, instead of about 60 using "proper"
poles and bay corner piece, and you get a continuous rod, rather than 3
sections with two nasty looking angle pieces.

Christian.

hmm - is there anything I can do to prevent it happening ?

"in2minds" wrote in message
...
"how easy would it be to take some 14mm (ish) chromed pipe and bend it
into a strange
shape with a pipe bender ?? "
[..]

the chrome would almost certainly peal off

LJ

"in2minds" wrote in message
...

"how easy would it be to take some 14mm
(ish) chromed pipe and bend it into a strange
shape with a pipe bender ?? "
[..]

the chrome would almost certainly peal off

It would not. If it is being used a curtain rail then if metal curtain
rings are used the top section of pipe will have the chrome scraped off
eventually. As this is out of sight, then it will probably be OK.

I thought that people in this group would have tried Speedfit.



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"NC" wrote in message
...

hmm - is there anything I can do to prevent it happening ?

Use plastic curtain rings.


"in2minds" wrote in message
...
"how easy would it be to take some 14mm (ish) chromed pipe and bend it
into a strange
shape with a pipe bender ?? "
[..]

the chrome would almost certainly peal off

LJ






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Thanks for the reply.
Now, my next quesiton - how do I attach the pipe to the wall, and where's
the best place to get it ?!

"IMM" wrote in message
...
"in2minds" wrote in message
...

"how easy would it be to take some 14mm
(ish) chromed pipe and bend it into a strange
shape with a pipe bender ?? "
[..]

the chrome would almost certainly peal off

It would not. If it is being used a curtain rail then if metal curtain
rings are used the top section of pipe will have the chrome scraped off
eventually. As this is out of sight, then it will probably be OK.

I thought that people in this group would have tried Speedfit.



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NC wrote:
I am thinking of ways to make a nice looking, but strange
shaped shower curtain rail for my odd bathroom (see post
from a few weeks ago...) Anyway, how easy would it be to
take some 14mm (ish) chromed pipe and bend it into a strange
shape with a pipe bender ??

Quite easy, BUT.....

Would the result look OK, or would there be alsorts of nasty
marks on the pipe ??

the chrome plate will flake off. You would do much better to
use cupro-nickel or stainless tube, bend it, and apply brasso
and a small amount of elbow grease.
--



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the chrome plate will flake off. You would do much better to
use cupro-nickel or stainless tube, bend it, and apply brasso
and a small amount of elbow grease.

More than likely a good bet. But would the stainless tube require almost
constant cleaning to keep it looking shiny and nice ?? 'Stainless' is never
as stainless as I imagine it....

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C wrote:
jerrybuilt wrote:
the chrome plate will flake off. You would do much better to
use cupro-nickel or stainless tube, bend it, and apply brasso
and a small amount of elbow grease.

More than likely a good bet. But would the stainless tube
require almost constant cleaning to keep it looking shiny
and nice ?? 'Stainless' is never as stainless as I imagine
it....

It just needs wiping over every so often, to get rid of water
marks, that's all. Chrome needs this too!


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the chrome would almost certainly peal off

"It would not."
[..]

do you ever read posts before you jump in and give the wrong advice ?

read the post again...

"how easy would it be to take some 14mm (ish) chromed pipe and bend it into a strange
shape with a pipe bender "

if he bends the pipe the chrome will crack

Les

if he bends the pipe the chrome will crack

However, I have definitely seen bent chrome pipe. Some was fitting to my
parent's bathroom. I didn't see it done, but am assuming a bender was used.

Christian.

"in2minds" wrote in message
...
the chrome would almost certainly peal off

"It would not."
[..]

do you ever read posts before you jump in and give the wrong advice ?

I don't need to as I have been dealing with chrome pipe for decades. Nothing
like being given misinformation by an amateur.


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IMM wrote:
"in2minds" wrote...
the chrome would almost certainly peal off

"It would not."
[..]

do you ever read posts before you jump in and give the
wrong advice ?

I don't need to as I have been dealing with chrome pipe for
decades. Nothing like being given misinformation by an amateur.

You've just made a mistake and mis-read the OP, that's all.
Everyone does, sometimes. Nothing to get het up about!


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NC wrote:
All,
I am thinking of ways to make a nice looking, but strange shaped
shower curtain rail for my odd bathroom (see post from a few weeks
ago...) Anyway, how easy would it be to take some 14mm (ish) chromed
pipe and bend it into a strange shape with a pipe bender ?? Would the
result look OK, or would there be alsorts of nasty marks on the pipe
??

Apart from the bending damaging the chrome, how are the curtain rings going
to get around the support you're going to need when it changes direction.
The commercial kits that do this have a slot in the bottom, why not just buy
one of those?
I saw one in John Lewis that could do a variety of shapes, I think it was
~£40.

I was hoping that it wouldn't need a support in the middle.
When you say a slot in the bottom, what do you mean ??

"BillR" wrote in message
...
NC wrote:
All,
I am thinking of ways to make a nice looking, but strange shaped
shower curtain rail for my odd bathroom (see post from a few weeks
ago...) Anyway, how easy would it be to take some 14mm (ish) chromed
pipe and bend it into a strange shape with a pipe bender ?? Would the
result look OK, or would there be alsorts of nasty marks on the pipe
??

Apart from the bending damaging the chrome, how are the curtain rings
going
to get around the support you're going to need when it changes direction.
The commercial kits that do this have a slot in the bottom, why not just
buy
one of those?
I saw one in John Lewis that could do a variety of shapes, I think it was
~£40.

"NC" wrote:

Hello NC

N| I am thinking of ways to make a nice looking, but strange
N| shaped shower curtain rail for my odd bathroom (see post
N| from a few weeks ago...) Anyway, how easy would it be to
N| take some 14mm (ish) chromed pipe and bend it into a strange
N| shape with a pipe bender ?? Would the result look OK,
N| or would there be alsorts of nasty marks on the pipe ??

You can't bend chromed finished, the chrome just flakes off at the
slightest pressure and change in the pipe. These things exist, but
only because they've been chromed /after/ bending.

Might get away with normal copper pipe, then using a car spray paint
to colour it silver afterwards. Best practice on a scrap first,
though.

--
Simon Avery, Dartmoor, UK
uk.d-i-y FAQ: http://www.diyfaq.org.uk/

NC wrote:
I was hoping that it wouldn't need a support in the middle.
When you say a slot in the bottom, what do you mean ??

Have you ever seen the curtain rails they use in hospitals? The curtains can
go round the corners under the supports because there is a slot extruded
into the rail at the bottom which takes the runners. Since any supports are
on the top edge, the runners are free to run unencumbered.

On Thu, 14 Aug 2003 12:57:56 GMT, Simon Avery wrote:

"NC" wrote:

Hello NC

N| I am thinking of ways to make a nice looking, but strange
N| shaped shower curtain rail for my odd bathroom (see post
N| from a few weeks ago...) Anyway, how easy would it be to
N| take some 14mm (ish) chromed pipe and bend it into a strange
N| shape with a pipe bender ?? Would the result look OK,
N| or would there be alsorts of nasty marks on the pipe ??

You can't bend chromed finished, the chrome just flakes off at the
slightest pressure and change in the pipe. These things exist, but
only because they've been chromed /after/ bending.

Might get away with normal copper pipe, then using a car spray paint
to colour it silver afterwards. Best practice on a scrap first,
though.

I've recently installed a new kitchen radiator and for looks I used chromed
copper pipe. It bent to 90 degrees (using a pipe bender) without any
flaking at all. The chrome at the bend did however show slight signs of a
satin finish afterwards.

Thanks for the info.
Just been to B&Q to check out whats available - I didn;t realise that the
pipe is far cheaper than a packet of fags !! So, I'll buy the chromed, give
it a shot, and if that looks bad I'll buy some 10mm copper pipe and use that
instead (with a little painting)


"Steve Walker" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 14 Aug 2003 12:57:56 GMT, Simon Avery wrote:

"NC" wrote:

Hello NC

N| I am thinking of ways to make a nice looking, but strange
N| shaped shower curtain rail for my odd bathroom (see post
N| from a few weeks ago...) Anyway, how easy would it be to
N| take some 14mm (ish) chromed pipe and bend it into a strange
N| shape with a pipe bender ?? Would the result look OK,
N| or would there be alsorts of nasty marks on the pipe ??

You can't bend chromed finished, the chrome just flakes off at the
slightest pressure and change in the pipe. These things exist, but
only because they've been chromed /after/ bending.

Might get away with normal copper pipe, then using a car spray paint
to colour it silver afterwards. Best practice on a scrap first,
though.

I've recently installed a new kitchen radiator and for looks I used
chromed
copper pipe. It bent to 90 degrees (using a pipe bender) without any
flaking at all. The chrome at the bend did however show slight signs of a
satin finish afterwards.

Steve Walker wrote:

Hello Steve

You can't bend chromed finished, the chrome just flakes
off at the slightest pressure and change in the pipe.

SW| I've recently installed a new kitchen radiator and for looks
SW| I used chromed copper pipe. It bent to 90 degrees (using a
SW| pipe bender) without any flaking at all. The chrome at the
SW| bend did however show slight signs of a satin finish
SW| afterwards.

Oop, I stand corrected. Maybe they're using a different composition
now?

--
Simon Avery, Dartmoor, UK
uk.d-i-y FAQ: http://www.diyfaq.org.uk/