I am going to get a copper tubing bender for 1/2" soft copper.

I noticed there are several kinds, the spring type benders, which I already have, and are hit and miss and due to my lack of skill and experience, result in the pipe being flattened or kinked half the time.

So I want a better bender. I have seen some sold as a set, with varying sizes, and most of them I believe are intended for HVAC applications. No issue, but I seem to remember someone told me HVAC copper tubing sizes are different from plumbing tubing sizes in that it goes with ODs. In other words, if I want to bend 1/2" soft tubing, I should NOT get a bender or head for 1/2" copper pipes, but for 5/8", correct?

The second question is, since there are type M, L, K for the same nominal sizes, will a 5/8" OD bender work on all these types? Are there type K, L, M soft copper tubings? I don't remember seeing different soft copper classifications.

Finally. I want to avoid getting Chinese knock off tools. What is a good brand for tubing benders? I see brand called IMPERIAL is that good old reliable USA?

Sum.
Check this one out. My experience these are mostly use for line set for air conditioning units there's a good quality one at a great price and normally runs three hundred bucks

[crisboa.com]-

thanks hi but the link directs to wire junction boxes?

[www.woodwardfab.com]

Try this

spbendkit

[crisboa.com]-

sum,

you want something like: [putyaut.press]

k, l, m tube all have the same OD whether plumbing sized (nominal ID), or refrigeration sized (actual OD), or hard temper or annealled (soft tube)

the k/l/m refers to the wall thickness

some benders are LABELLED in OD, some 'nominal', some both

BUT

hard or soft, k/l/m, are all the same actual sizes

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"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638



Edited 3 times.

Waste of money, have not use my tubing bender in 20 years.

@NoHub, how do you bend tubing without kinking? Thanks.