Built my own tubing bender - UPDATE works like a charm I highly recommend

[CccBroncos]

Here are two benders i made....the first design i bought plans off ebay. the second design which is a tube roller i deisgned my self...both work better than i ever expected...very professional looking bends...i set up both to bend(roll) 1.5" dia. tube.

 

[Broncorm]

How the software? I was looking into it awhile back. Is it worth the money for a home bender?

 

[welndmn]

Very cool, I have the same home built bender but I have not used it only because I don't have a die for it.
I used an air over hydro jack for mine though.
Only reason I have it is because I have a JD2 bender but its manual, so I made this one so it would be hydro, but kind of just let it sit.

 

[t.lay]

That's very cool - I've been thinking about building one. There's a nice looking one at www.blindchickenracing.com with parts and material lists - but no measurements. There is a link for plans to build one on the zena welder site, www.zena.net/htdocs/welders/projects.shtml

 

[Tgure]

Any more updates on this. I am looking into getting a bender or building one like this. Just curious since it has been a few months now how you like it.

Besides what you see in the above post I have not bent any more tube. I have not worked on the bronco since then too busy with work. I am extremely happy with the bender the only thing I will change is to air over hydro at least. I am a tube bending newb so I cannot compare it to anything else. ;D

 

[Tgure]

How the software? I was looking into it awhile back. Is it worth the money for a home bender?

I think the software has some great potential. I have no clue how to use it or the bender really. I need to take the time and do some bending to learn how to use both and get the benefits out of the software. When I do get back into it I may upgrade to the pro version so I can assemble my designs in the software before actually making anything. ;D