Guest Aaron Posted March 30, 2005 Share Posted March 30, 2005 I am thinking about building a small tubing bender to make parts for my bike, cars, etc. I can build it easy enough. I have seen a couple plans on the internet. The problem is the dies. You can easily spend $100-$200 for one die that works on one size tubing. Does anyone have any insight as to cheaper places to find them online or otherwise? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VRJoe Posted March 30, 2005 Share Posted March 30, 2005 Check Harbor Freight, they have benders for pretty good prices. Keep an eye out for a sale. - Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aaron Posted March 30, 2005 Share Posted March 30, 2005 The problem is the HF benders I have seen (like these ) are crush benders. I am looking to build something like this that will make smooth bends. Does HF have this type occasionally? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbc3 Posted March 30, 2005 Share Posted March 30, 2005 If used correctly a harbor freight pipe bender will make excellent bends. As smooth as any tube bender. All you need are some 2" couplings to bend 1 5/8 .130 tube. Use the 1 1/4" jig. Pipe benders use the ID measurement, tube benders use the OD measurement. Look at these pics of a couple of bends I made to show someone else this trick. Jody WHOA!!! Images a little too large, deleted! -admin- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted March 31, 2005 Share Posted March 31, 2005 Trust what JOdy is saying... He saved me from throwing my Northern Tool bender in the trash... DO as he said and the Pipe bender will work with cage tubing... Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbc3 Posted March 31, 2005 Share Posted March 31, 2005 Sorry about the picture size.... lets try this again. Buy 2 2" couplings like this. Put the couplings under the rollers and make sure the die is the correct size. 1 1/4" die is the correct size for 1 5/8" tubing. The couplings will leave marks on the tube, but they are easily sanded out. Jody Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZROSSA Posted March 31, 2005 Share Posted March 31, 2005 Good thinking. Might have to look into that. Douglas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted March 31, 2005 Share Posted March 31, 2005 Jody, Will that bender work with thinner wall stuff like exhaust tubing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synlubes Posted March 31, 2005 Share Posted March 31, 2005 Mike, are you ready to bend some tubing? Let me know. I`ll help for some latter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted March 31, 2005 Share Posted March 31, 2005 Sweet, if the answer to Tim's Q is "yes". Guess I missed the update to this thread. http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=89451&highlight=tubing+bender Due to lack of space, what are my options on buying just dies to use with my 20 ton press? Owen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted March 31, 2005 Share Posted March 31, 2005 Owen, I'd contact Harbor freight or someone like that to get the dies... Doug, I'm game... Pretty much have given up on the guys who have Jim's car. A DOM mild steel cage will likely be in the recipe now... But i'll be able to do it the way I want it! I'm also gonna run 1.5 inch tubing for better placement. AND we can bend yours too! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aaron Posted March 31, 2005 Share Posted March 31, 2005 Jody, Thanks so much. I never would have thought they would work that well. I will be buying one SOON. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbc3 Posted March 31, 2005 Share Posted March 31, 2005 The key to bending tubing is the correct sized die and spreading the load on the points where the bender restrains the pipe. I plan on trying the bender for my exhaust tubing soon. The problem is the only exhaust sized dies the bender comes with are 2" and 2 1/2" dies. The 2" die will do 2 3/8 tubing and the 2 1/2" die will do a 3" tube. I wasn't planning on doing a full 3" exhaust. I may grind out the 2" die to the correct size to bend 2 1/2" tubing. Hopefully it'll work... we'll see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted May 16, 2005 Share Posted May 16, 2005 Any progress on this, does the bender work on thin-wall exhaust tubing? Owen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbc3 Posted May 16, 2005 Share Posted May 16, 2005 I hope to be bending the exhaust tubing in a couple of weeks. I'll post the results. Update on using a different brand bender. I used the Harbor Freight bender. We tried bending 1 5/8" tubing on a different brand bender, I think it was a Northern Tools bender. The 1 1/4" die is smaller (shorter length) and the pipe kinked when we bent it. We did not have the dies side by side to tell the exact difference, but there is a difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeromio Posted May 20, 2005 Share Posted May 20, 2005 I'm curious about this. I have DOM tubing and 2 things happenned when I tried to use it: The tubing just kinked, then a weld on the bender popped. This solution seems to help interms of spreading the force exerted by the 2 rollers, but not the die. That's where my tubing kinked. Perhaps you're using thicker walled tubing? Although, my tubing is pretty stout (hence the breaking of the bender). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Here comes trouble Posted May 20, 2005 Share Posted May 20, 2005 Jody....Thanks!!!!!!! that solved my problem with the Harbor Freight pipe bender I have... My bends were dimpling right where the couplings should have been fitted... Great improvisation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted May 21, 2005 Share Posted May 21, 2005 Can you try again and see if it works? And damn Jeronimo, a f-ing weld broke??? Owen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted May 28, 2005 Share Posted May 28, 2005 Yup, while at the last shindig, Jodey brought his spacers and we tried bending some 1 5/8th. I had previously bent 1.5 inch tubing without kinking it. I plan to buy a real tubing bender designed for cage work from a source locally for about $500. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted May 28, 2005 Share Posted May 28, 2005 Damn. This thread had gotten my hopes up. So no go on 1 5/8" DOM then Mike? Bummer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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