tube bender???

[green77w38s]

looking to make a 4 wheeler type rack that can be used on the bronc as well as my john deere gator. Need help with material to use and how to bend it.

i figured 3/4" round or steel tubing and bending it with a hydraulic bender like at harbor freight.

any thoughts on the material and a way to bend it?

 

[green77w38s]

sorry

i meant to say 3/4" round or SQUARE

 

[J-DUB]

What exactly do you mean by a 4 wheeler type rack?

Like what is on the utility ATVs?

 

[wildbill]

;D ;D ;D You will need a tubing bender NOT a pipe they dont bend tubing worth a tinker's damn crush it more than bend good luck. Bill 8) :

 

[Shubyjames]

Unless you have plenty of fab projects dealing with tubing, I would suggest drawing out what you want and have someone else do it. No pun intended. A good “TUBE” bend is a very good chunk of change. Like wildbill said there is a difference between a “tubing bender” and a “pipe bender”. And furthermore, even if you were to get a tube bender it will not bend ever size and shape tubing. Each tube size requires a different mandrel , and every mandrel has a specific radius . This my friend starts to add up to mega-bucks.

 

[Bronco Ben]

yep they're right! Could lead to some big bucks.....but if your still interested ....Look in mags like hot rod, circle track, and stock car racing for some ideas on prices. They carry good tube benders. Always contenplated buying one myself ....especially back when I was building drag cars.
Ben

 

[howiebilt]

If you are building a rack to carry a few things out of harms way and are not depending on it to save your life , then by all means get a cheapo and save some bucks . By the time you buy a good tube bender , you could have bought a whole bunch of those racks . Just remember that if you do get a pipe bender from Harbor Freight , you will have to buy pipe instead of tubing ... then everything will be OOOOHHHHHTAYYYY.

Here's a great little bender that I like alot www.jd2.com
the model III works very well .

 

[Skuzzlebutt]

Howie said what I was gonna say. The cheap stuff is fine for luggage racks an the like.

 

[Madgyver]

For a rack build, find an electrician and borrow his 3/4 EMT or pipe bender. It should be enough for small work. Only problem is that you'll have only one radius to work with.

 

[green77w38s]

thanks guys,
yes this will be just a "luggage rack" like you see on 4-wheelers.

now what type of metal tubing should i use for the expensive way and the cheap way (eg. conduit, carbon steel...) and what will bend what?

thanks again for the help