Bending New Hard Line for an Air Compressor

[sourwould]

Working on an air compressor I picked up recently. The aluminum hard line that feeds to the pressure switch is kinked up in a bad way. The pre-bent line is an obsolete part number. I'd like to just bend a new line out of copper.

What's the best method/tools to use to go about this? Brake line bending tools? I'd rather not just do an ugly hand bend, as has already been suggested to me.

 

[DirtyJersey]

What size?
Pretty much any tube bender will work, I'd use the small hand held bender.

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[sourwould]

Eyeballing, I'd say 1/4" OD.

 

[theoldwizard1]

NiCopp (nickel copper) tubing will handle the pressure and is easily formed by hand. It also flares well. Most parts stores have it in various diameters, but a lot of places only sell 25' lengths.

Check NAPA. The have some shorter lengths.

 

[gungatim]

for the small pressure switch line, you can use soft copper water line (which is what a lot of them came with originally) but I prefer using nylon tube with the brass push connects, which a lot of them now seem to come with. no bending required with the nylon...

 

[gdocktor3]

A small tubing bender is the tool for the job, but I did bend a brake line using a piece of black iron pipe. I was in a pinch and needed a new brake line from master cylinder down to the tee. The stock brake line sort of looks like a spring the way it loops around. I slowly wrapped the tubing around the pipe to get the wound up look and then used some other small items for the other bends. If you take your time you can use anything. That line worked perfectly for 2 years until I sold the truck.