Question on making a jockey box with a coil

[scoopster]

Hi Folks!
I picked up a Micro Matic coil to build a do it yourself jockey box. Can I bend the stainless coil to get it aligned with the shank threads if I need to? I am worried about cracking or kinking the tubing. At this point I don't know if I need to do any bending but wanted to get an idea what my options & constraints would be before I jump in and drill holes, etc.

Overall it seems like a pretty straightworward project but any other tips would be aprpeciated.

The jockey box will be going on a canoe camping trip in Maine with two soda kegs of home brewed beer. Getting very excited to put the the system together and to good use!

[scoopster]

bump - anybody have any thoughts? Thanks.

[sudsy]

Originally Posted by scoopster

bump - anybody have any thoughts? Thanks.

I'll try to be of some help. Yes, you can bend the tubing to line up with the faucet shank and the refridgerator coupling. But I would try to drill the holes in such locations that would require the least amount of reforming. You can kink the tubing by making to short a radius. Plumbing suppliers sell tubing bender aides that will lesson the risk. One type is a long tite wound spring that is sized to the outer diameter of the tube. If you have a 5/16 coil, get a 5/16 bending spring. There are also more elaborate and expensive bending devices, but the spring type sgould get you by. Hope this helps!

[scoopster]

Sudsy,
That's great thanks. I was planning on drilling to try to minimize the bending and I have a kit of "sping" benders. I was worried any kind of bending would be bad, need for extreme caution, etc. I have the kit in hand now and the coils are much more ductile than I would have thought so I think this will be pretty straightforward. Thanks again!