Patent ID: 8900504

Claim:
A method for manufacturing a mandrel for use in the internal coating of a pipe elbow or bend, the method comprising the steps of: (i) positioning a bendable elongate member in a hollow template by connecting a first end of the elongate member at a first template end to a cable that extends through the template, the hollow template having a configuration corresponding to a pipe elbow or bend to be internally coated; (ii) pulling the cable back through the hollow template until the first elongate member end is located at a second opposite template end, whereby the elongate member is bent so as to extend generally centrally through the template; (iii) adjusting the elongate member within the template to assume the configuration of the hollow template and to arrange an outer surface of the elongate member in a spaced apart relationship with an internal surface of the template; and (iv) introducing a flexible material into a space between the outer surface of the adjusted elongate member and the internal surface of the template, and allowing the flexible material to cure in contact with the outer surface of the adjusted elongate member to form a mandrel comprising an elongate member and flexible material of selected thickness.