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

Tgure

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Well I am cheap and like to pretend I know how to fab so I decided to build my own tubing bender. Here are the pics. I just have it tacked together to make sure all moves accordingly will weld it up tomorrow and test it out on a tube front end for my 74. ;D
 

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Flash69

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Looks real good. I got mine yesterday but ive not tried it yet. I have 160 ft of tubing. I wonder how much ill ruin before i figure it out.
 

crawln68

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Oct 8, 2004
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You're the man!! Looks awesome!! Let us know how it works. Want to bend me some parts to make some tube doors? ;D Was it a kit or did you have some plans for it? Or did you just design it yourself?
 
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Tgure

Tgure

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crawln68 said:
You're the man!! Looks awesome!! Let us know how it works. Want to bend me some parts to make some tube doors? ;D Was it a kit or did you have some plans for it? Or did you just design it yourself?

Bought the plans off ebay. I have a $100 in material plus the die so was more along my budget. But who knows it could come crashing down the first bend I try so we will see :eek:
 
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Tgure

Tgure

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Flash69 said:
Looks real good. I got mine yesterday but ive not tried it yet. I have 160 ft of tubing. I wonder how much ill ruin before i figure it out.

I bought the Bend Tech EZ 3D software so after I calibrate the bender and softare should go good.
 

Flash69

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When you put the pipe in the bender do you have to take the strap off the end of the die and put it back on or do you just slide the pipe in it? Like i said ive not tried mine yet.
 

Mark

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that's exciting!
How much did the plans run you - if you don't mind me asking?
 

blazinchuck

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that's very cool !!!! Please tell all of us where and what we would need to do it ourself...if you don't mind..
 

BroncoJAK

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Sep 24, 2002
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Most impressive. Please take the time after you get it calibrated and make a project or two and give us a complete writeup. Would make a great article for BD.
 
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Tgure

Tgure

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Flash69 said:
When you put the pipe in the bender do you have to take the strap off the end of the die and put it back on or do you just slide the pipe in it? Like i said ive not tried mine yet.


I have not used a bender before so don't have a clue. Will probably not get around to using it till next weekend. If you don't use yours by then I will let ya know.
 
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Tgure

Tgure

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blazinchuck said:
that's very cool !!!! Please tell all of us where and what we would need to do it ourself...if you don't mind..

  1. Buy plans or design your own
  2. Buy steel needed for bender
    • I used 2x2x.25" sqaure tubing and 2.5" x 3/4" flat stock
  3. Drill holes for pins
  4. Weld her up
  5. Get Hydraulic ram - I used an 8 ton from my engine hoist
  6. Buy a die - I used a Pro Tools 1.75" x 6" x 240 Degree

Wasn't hard but was a little time consuming drilling all the holes. ;)
 
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Tgure

Tgure

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Well bent my first 90 to calibrate my software to the bender. Worked very well. 1st project will be tube front end out of 1.75" x .120 wall HREW ;D
 

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blazinchuck

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Tgure said:
Well bent my first 90 to calibrate my software to the bender. Worked very well. 1st project will be tube front end out of 1.75" x .120 wall HREW ;D
That looked good...How does the software work and how much was it. Oh-yeah, what's the name of it?
 
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Tgure

Tgure

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blazinchuck said:
That looked good...How does the software work and how much was it. Oh-yeah, what's the name of it?

CLICK HERE I got the 3D version, I may upgrade to pro though just for the assembly feature to see what it looks like before I build something
 
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Tgure

Tgure

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Finally got around to making something. Here is a couple shots of my tube core support and mounting brackets I made.
 

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RKM

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Feb 1, 2004
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Huntingtown, MD
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.
 
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