pipe bender

[cams 76]

has anyone used the 16 ton pipe bender from harbor freight? or know of another one thats not too expensive

 

[SaddleUp]

Almost every bend on mine was made using one of those benders (Soon to change since I have a regular tubing bender now). Watch out for tight corners or pack the tubing with sand if you use one.

 

[GoFastCrackPipe]

If you have a welder, or someone that can weld for you, then you might want to look at building one. Here is a link to the plans for a good one...
http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQfrppZ50QQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQrdZ0QQsassZtrikeQ2dpedaler

And here is a link to a discussion about it on pirate4x4...
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=376183

 

[Gummi Bear]

Pro Tools has free plans to build a bender at home, use their shoes (dies) on it.

http://www.pro-tools.com/

 

[reynard101]

I'm in the process of building two (one for me, one for a buddy) of the Pro Tools benders. It's taking me forever due to not having much free time, but I'm hoping to have it done by the end of the year. I've got an old surplus milling machine that's so-so on holding tolerances.

 

[Simpson]

I use one for aluminum tubing. worked great. had to used a die slightly smaller than the actual tubing size so it wouldn't crush. Made uver 90 degree bends. didn't work for the smaller steel I tried to bend though.

 

[cams 76]

so the one i could make works better than the one from horbor freight?

 

[Simpson]

I used the 12 ton for 75$ worked for my bumper. It depends on how often you plan on using it. If you don't use it much your not out much. If you need it alot sell it to one of your pals and buy a better one.

 

[amc78cj7]

I have no idea how (or for what) you plan to use a pipe bender, so I will give you the following warning with caution:

DO NOT USE PIPE BENDERS TO BUILD STRUCTURAL PARTS. ie. never use a pipe bender to make a roll cage or chassis parts. You must use a mandrel tube bender. Pipe benders leave creases in the bend which are VERY weak.

If you plan to do your own home plumbing that is fine and just ignore my warning.

 

[Steve]

so the one i could make works better than the one from horbor freight?

Yes. The HF bender is a pipe bender, not a tube bender. They are measured differently, and don't work well when used with the wrong material. Plus, a good tubing bender works by drawing the tube around a die, not by pushing it into one like the HF pipe bender does.

 

[Simpson]

I would strongly agree. I built a "wont protect you from anything" bumper for looks only. When it came to my roll cage it was bent and welded by pros. After testing it three times I'm glad I paid the extra price for quality.

 

[Gummi Bear]

so the one i could make works better than the one from horbor freight?

Absofreakinlutely! Youbetcha!

Pipe benders are for pipe, tube benders are for tubing. Tubing (HREW, CREW, DOM) are better suited for cages than pipe. Pipe is fine for bumpers and sliders, but that's about all I'd use it for.

 

[wheelin66bronco]

I know I'm gonna catch some shit on this but I have to dissagree with the use of pipe on cages etc.
I personally do everyghing in tube, but I have several friends the build full cages out of sch-40 pipe and have rolled the CRAP out of them with no failures. A pipe cage with all the correct braces and cross braces is ALMOST as structural as tube and MUCH cheaper for folks on a tight build budget.
Just my .02

 

[Steve]

The design and fabrication of a cage is much more important than simply what it's made out of. That said, I would never ride in anyone's rig with a pipe cage if there's a chance of a bad roll. Maybe it's just me...but I doubt it.

 

[ehumaui]

Don't even spend money on a pipe bender.....I did, waste of money. I saved up for a tube bender and will never go back. See if any on the board has one near you that you could borrow.


Ehumaui

 

[cams 76]

im shure theres no one on here near but about how much does a tube bender cost?

 

[Gummi Bear]

www.mikegreen4x4.com is a pro-tools dealer. He's a local guy, a wheeler, and a pretty cool dude. He usually has pretty good pricing. See if he has any specials running, or forum discounts (he's a Pirate vendor)

 

[scsm76]

You must use a mandrel tube bender.

Very few cages are built using a mandrel bender, even the pro tools benders refurred to in this post are not mandrel benders. Mandrel benders have a mandrel that runs through the inside of the tube as it is bent to keep it from collapsing, they are most commonly used for performence exhaust systems.
For a cage a regular tube bender is all that is needed and the easiest to use. I would stay away from the pipe bender if you can.

 

[SteveL]

The HF one is a POS. I gave that thing away and bought the m-tech.

 

[Bronchopper]

Very few cages are built using a mandrel bender, even the pro tools benders refurred to in this post are not mandrel benders. Mandrel benders have a mandrel that runs through the inside of the tube as it is bent to keep it from collapsing, they are most commonly used for performence exhaust systems.
For a cage a regular tube bender is all that is needed and the easiest to use. I would stay away from the pipe bender if you can.

yup got one at work. we make a lot of hydraulic and fuel lines for aircraft. works flawlessly. no flats or wrinkles on the bends. cost about 60K if i remember right though. the mandrels are made for the exact wall thickness of whatever you are bending and wont even work if they are a couple thousandths off. works killer if it is set up right though.