What happened to Rems Tools(USA)

Jalen_Jalen2006

young heating guy, what happened to rems? I was looking into learning how to bend copper and fell into the rabbit hole. Stumbled upon rems and their expensive tools. Don’t really see anyone using them today or any guys bending Hard copper like they do in Europe.

Mad Dog_2

Not sure...but Ridgid makes high quality copper tubing ratchet benders. I have them in 1/2" & 3/4" Work great 👍. Mad Dog

Jalen_Jalen2006

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1861034#Comment_1861034

do you have ones you recommend?

EBEBRATT-Ed

Rems is still around as far as I know. I have a Rems Amigo electric threader I bought from a guy that retired back in the 90s and its still going

hot_rod

Teal Industries in Minnesota is the importer and repair point for REMS. I've sent my tools there for repairs. Are they still open? REMSusa.com

There is a handful of guys that post on IG that do a lot of bending, Mike Flynn flynnstone1 and jeffdemhvac have done demos at some trade shows, AHR and others.

I used to do a lot of bending on my jobs, mostly hobby stuff now. You can also bend steel pipe and PVC pipe with it, cold!

I think Rothenberger has a bender also.

9326yssh

Those photos look really awesome

I'm just wondering How is bending vs soldering time wise?

And isn't the copper getting thinner when you stretch it, like if it was type L wouldn't it be like type M after a stretch?

hot_rod

Ever watch a good electrician bent EMT condiut. Once you get the math down it goes pretty quickly. There are some bending software programs also.

I doubt it is as fast as press fittings, but faster than sweat copper.

Yes the outer radius thins and the inner "bunches up", I suppose:)

I know those return bends on the end on HW and refrigeration coils are very thin copper. They run some pretty high pressures.

Bending is addressed in the CDA manuals and I believe is accepted in all the plumbing and mechanical codes.

I have bent some type M, but it tends to pucker up on the inner radius, L works best with plenty of lube.

I have found that old copper tends to split on the bend, for some reason. Like it hardens on the shelf??

There is a rep/ wholesaler in Illinois that made hundred of copper tube radiant ceiling grids. They had a home made copper bending tool. They kept the layout drawings of all the jobs, dating back to the 1950's, till recently so they could furnish repair loops!

Larry Weingarten

Hi, I use REMS for bending and tube expansion. A neat thing about the long bends you get is that the water doesn't know it's changing direction with bends over five pipe diameters, so no real turbulance or friction loss. This helps prevent erosion and can even allow you to use smaller pipe in some cases. Good way to go.

Yours, Larry

9326yssh

@hot_rod in the last picture they're all mechanical tee's looks like, I only once saw a guy doing that it took quite a while. So how is that compered to sweat

This photos really make me think if at all I know what I'm doing, I mean that photo is hydronics at it best

Thank you

EBEBRATT-Ed

Old tubing gets work hardened. I don't know how if it is just sitting but it is a real thing.

Old tubing flares will split. When you flare old stuff you can heat it to anneal it or flare it a little and back it off flare some more etc with a little oil on the flare cone.

Same with bending

HydronicMike

I use the Rothenberger Robend 4000. My buddy, who used to be on here, made a really cool calculator to easily do the math.

He also showed me how to buy it overseas for about 1/2 the price as you can from Rothenberger USA. The only downside was it took about 3 weeks to come in.

mattmia2

I know that copper work hardens. If you ever have tried to use a brass compression ferule that has been sitting around for a few years you will know that they harden over time. I assume the copper work hardens over time as well as with actual work. maybe temp changes are the same as working it.

PC7060

A large shop could do the layout design in advance and pre bend a lot of the tubing as part of the install kit.

hot_rod

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1861052#Comment_1861052

The RE#MS tee puller is a lot less $$ compared to a T-Drill. This is a T-Drill notch tool, however. Notching a piece of solar absorber tube .

By code it needs to have two dimples on the stub. One gets silver soldered over, the other is for inspection to assure of the depth. This older tool only does one dimple.

i have seen an even simplier tee puller that goes into a cordless drill I think Flynnstone posted it somewhere.

HydronicMike

That t drill notch tool is wickedly expensive