Tubing Bender

[Q@EPM]

Have you looked at this Tube Bender ?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmdy4TAeAoY

It includes the die and for $299 it seems like just what you need.

[WyoRoy]

Depends upon what you need. Looks like the bend is limited to 90 degrees at a rather large radius, the die doesn't have a follower die included to keep the outside of the tubing from deforming, 'mystery' metal die whose longevity may be in question, a $15 HF jack and a frame that appears to be made from shop scrap. I'd need to know a bit more about the quality before plunking down $299 for that. Still, if that is all you need in a bender, it may be just the ticket at a decent enough price.

[shortgoroper]

Depends upon what you need. Looks like the bend is limited to 90 degrees at a rather large radius, the die doesn't have a follower die included to keep the outside of the tubing from deforming, 'mystery' metal die whose longevity may be in question, a $15 HF jack and a frame that appears to be made from shop scrap. I'd need to know a bit more about the quality before plunking down $299 for that. Still, if that is all you need in a bender, it may be just the ticket at a decent enough price.

What about a Harbor Freight Bender itself???

[shortgoroper]

It cost around $450 with the pump and die. The die was $230 and the pump was $90. The material I purchased from a local steel supplier and have some left over. All the holes were drilled using a small Jet mill/drill, but laid out with a tape measure. My old craftmans drill press wobbles too much. A drill press will work fine. I do have a lathe and had some round stock laying around, I turned down to make the pins. These pins you can purchase from Tractor Supply, I think I might have saved $25-$30 bucks. I kept the project simple, I didn't have the material and drills too drill much over 1", so I decided not to make the bushings. You can make this no problem with out a mill or lathe. I do have a horizontal bandsaw which made cutting the material easy as its 1/4,1/2 and 5/8 thick.

What did you make the roller out of??? How did you make it???

[ant1277]

What about a Harbor Freight Bender itself???

The Harbor Freight bender is a pipe bender. Pipe sizes are measured in ID inside diameter. Tube sizes are measured in OD outsize diameter. It might not do a good job if your trying to bend HREW, DOM and chrome moly.

[shortgoroper]

The Harbor Freight bender is a pipe bender. Pipe sizes are measured in ID inside diameter. Tube sizes are measured in OD outsize diameter. It might not do a good job if your trying to bend HREW, DOM and chrome moly.

I guess SCH 40 pipe would work for a roll cage... Now mind you its not for racing applications.. It is just an upgrade to the stock jeep sport bar.

[Q@EPM]

Depends upon what you need. Looks like the bend is limited to 90 degrees at a rather large radius, the die doesn't have a follower die included to keep the outside of the tubing from deforming, 'mystery' metal die whose longevity may be in question, a $15 HF jack and a frame that appears to be made from shop scrap. I'd need to know a bit more about the quality before plunking down $299 for that. Still, if that is all you need in a bender, it may be just the ticket at a decent enough price.

This Bender has been pruven with the 4x4 crowd that do their own fab work. I wouldn't have recommended it otherwise. yes it only does 90* or less, but the OP said he was building a Roll cage I believe. This guy has sold a ton of these so it is not just a fly by night company. The alternative is a JD bender and with purchasing only 1 die that will run about $550. For a Roll Cage application my linked Bender can't be beat for the price. If you will never do anything past 90 degrees then it is for you. You can change the dies as well and it does have a carrier to keep the tube from deforming.

[WyoRoy]

The price may be the deciding factor here. Looking at the Pro Tool and the site for your bender I see that in an 1 1/2" die set the Pro Tool bender dies would go for between $205 and $235 depending upon degree radius. Yours go for $149...limited to 90 degrees radius. Pro Tools have a follower die while yours had a non-bearing mounted formed roller. Pro Tools uses steel for their dies and your looks to be made of aluminum. Pro Tools run at least 120 degrees of bend. Yours, up to 90 degrees. As I said, if that is all you are looking for in a bender, it just might be the ticket at a decent enough price. I won't go into the bender frame and pricing because anyone with some scrap and a HF jack could fabricate a bender to use with either die set along the lines of your bender.

Darn, just noticed you were saying that JD2 was the approved alternative...probably similar prices and quality to the Pro Tool site though. Glad to see the 4 X 4 crowd has 'pruven' that bender...means a lot. Don't take me wrong, I think if someone is looking to get into tube bending with minimal needs, large radius bends, at a rock bottom price and isn't worried about die longevity, your bender is indeed the ticket.

[Jeepnford]

I guess SCH 40 pipe would work for a roll cage... Now mind you its not for racing applications.. It is just an upgrade to the stock jeep sport bar.

Pipe is for poop. Use at least HREW.

[Blondie_486]

While Shop Outfitters has a nice universal bender, I would be looking to see whether they accepted Hossfeld dies sets. Also, looking at the Hossfeld or American bender would be an option as they would surely accept Hossfeld dies. If you are going to go the route of a universal bender, you may as well have a bender that uses the widest variety of dies on the market. To call any other bender not using the Hossfeld dies 'universal' would be stretching the truth. While anyone can call their product universal, only Hossfeld backs it up with their die inventory. Once again, decide on what you really want to do as the investment in die sets will keep you loyal to your product afterwards. That said, if you are only looking to do tube bending, Hossfeld would be well down the list for my choice as a bender, but as a universal bender it would be first in line.

Roy,
You brought up a very important point here. I have been looking at the JD Squared bender but I'll be limited to their dies. Somewhere down the line I may want to bend a radius they don't have and be out of luck for finding a die set. I won't be ready to move on a bender till spring anyway so I guess I have time to research the matter further and with this in mind now perhaps will make the effort to build a bender rather than buy one. It is winter here and don't have too much going on that I couldn't spare the time to build something and since I have access to a full fabricating shop it shouldn't be any problem making any of the parts I need.