What do make headers out of?

[GaryR]

STILL searching for the right material!
Not sold on solder, tubing kinks, solid plastic is so inflexible.

So, what do you use?

Please post some pics, especially of weedburners ( weedsweepers ), process and final result would be good!

 

THANKS

Edited September 23, 2018 by GaryR

[Straightliner59]

Closest thing I have to weedburners are these. They are made from thin-walled plastic tubing made by a company called Contrail Model  Aircraft (https://www.scalemates.com/companies/company.php?id=569 ) .

I inserted aluminum wire into the tubing to help it keep its shape through the bends.

[Richard Bartrop]

I like solid plastic.  Hold close to a light bulb until it starts to soften, and you can bend it any way you want.

[El Caballo]

On ‎9‎/‎23‎/‎2018 at 10:07 PM, Straightliner59 said:

Closest thing I have to weedburners are these. They are made from thin-walled plastic tubing made by a company called Contrail Model  Aircraft (https://www.scalemates.com/companies/company.php?id=569 ) .

I inserted aluminum wire into the tubing to help it keep its shape through the bends.

Awesome FED by the way.

[Deuces]

Cool.....

[TarheelRick]

Here is a set I made using solder and plastic tubing and shrink sleeve for the collector.  They are not weedburners, but I almost exclusively use solder for headers.

 

[Mooneyzs]

Gary... I made my headers for the Army Vega Funny car out of Brass. I didn't have many issues other than I have about 30 hours into these headers. Here are some pics of how I build them.:

 

Here is the Tube Bender I used its a Dubro Tube Bender for RC Airplanes that I picked up

 

 

Here are all 8 Tubes That I had fabricated and are ready, I did have a pile of bends that either I didn't get at the correct angles or I went a little too far. I was sort of a trial an error at first since there was no way to mark and measure them the same like a traditional tube bender I have used for flared tube. Once I figured a system out it wasn't bad at all:

 

 

Next I started making some Templates for the Header Flange out of plastic then used the template to transfer to the brass pieces:

 

 

Cutting the header flange's with my razor saw a miter box, my headers were made by hand and not machined for this build:

 

 

Here are the Completed flanges and now I am drilling the mounting holes with my pin vise:

[Mooneyzs]

After I had completed making the header flanges, I used them to transfer drill the holes into the heads:

 

 

I then made a jig to hold the headers so that I could solder them together:

 

 

 

Here I have placed the headers in the jig and they are ready for solder:

 

 

Here is the Completed 2nd header:

Here is one set completed after soldering:

[Codi]

Gotta agree with Chris, brass is the way to go.  His method was excellent as well.  I took a slightly different path but they turned out satisfactorily for me.  Good luck. Tim

[Mooneyzs]

I primered the joints so I could see how they turned out and to make sure they were ok:

 

Here I have test fitted them to the heads with the bolts to make sure everything lined up ok:

 

 

Placed them on the Block to make sure everything was good to go:

 

[Straightliner59]

Man, oh, man! Those headers are freakin' sweet! I have one of those Dubro benders, too. Nice tool to have. I used a scriber and protractor, and marked mine at 45, 60 and 90 degrees. That gives me a shot at duplicating bends!  :-D

[GaryR]

Great work guys! Really nice.

What scale are those Chris?

My problem with brass ( other than bad soldering ) has always been kinking.

I need one of those benders!

[afx]

I use solid plastic rod bend it with my fingers or round needle nose pliers then heat it over a candle to set the shape.

 

[afx]

Another example.

[Mooneyzs]

Thanks Gary... These headers I did are 1/16th Scale.  I recently picked up another tube bender from Habor Freight. I will have to take some pics of it for you and get you the part numbers of the Dubro tube bender I showed above plus another Dubro one that is the same but different size tube. I believe one is for  1/8" Dia. tube and the other 5/32" Dia. tube

[Deuces]

I have the 5/32 version that I bought for my 1/8 scale kits..... Cool little contraption..... ☺️?