Tubing Bender

[4x4forlife]

so i was looking around and actually found a 16 ton tubing bender on eBay for $100 + $100 for Shipping. has anyone used this one or know someone that has. It comes with dies all the way up to a 3". I am wanting to start to make a Exo cage and didnt know if this one will work well or not. any input helps.

thanks

[CRASH]

so i was looking around and actually found a 16 ton tubing bender on eBay for $100 + $100 for Shipping. has anyone used this one or know someone that has. It comes with dies all the way up to a 3". I am wanting to start to make a Exo cage and didnt know if this one will work well or not. any input helps.

thanks

It'll work great if your into plumbing.......

CRASH

[davidt]

is it one of the harbor freight type benders? like this?
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=35336
If it is, it is a PIPE bender not a tube bender and is NOT safe for exo cages, plus you can only do 90 degree turns on it, so no stingers :(
has anybody seen this one
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=44094
Is it a pipe or tube bender?

[CRASH]

is it one of the harbor freight type benders? like this?
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=35336
If it is, it is a PIPE bender not a tube bender and is NOT safe for exo cages, plus you can only do 90 degree turns on it, so no stingers :(
has anybody seen this one
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=44094
Is it a pipe or tube bender?

Neither, it is for bending solid stock. It works well, but haven't found that many uses for mine in the Jeep world. It does nice wrought iron fence work, though!

Andy

[Wiley Coyote]

As mentioned before, if it’s a Harbor Freight type it is a PIPE bender not a TUBE bender. There is a difference in out side diameters between schedules 40 & 80 pipe and DOM tubing. If you use a pipe bender to bend DOM or a tube bender to bend pipe it will wrinkle and scratch it. I know you are supposed to use DOM tubing and TIG welding for roll cages, but in AK DOM is extremely expensive and hard to get and very few people have a TIG welder. Most guys use schedule 40 pipe and a MIG welder, not the ideal but it works. A couple of the cages have been “tested” and I haven’t heard any complaints. I have a buddy that has one of those benders and it does well if you use schedule 40 pipe. The only complains are that it is slow to use and there is no angle indicator so getting exactly the right angle is a trial and error deal. You can’t do real sharp bends with it either, so a stinger is out of the question. If you want the Cadillac tube bender check out this:
http://www.tubing-benders.com/model3bender.html
Its very nice, but you are going to pay for it. If you were going to use only one size tube you may be able to justify the cost of the bender and a die.

[davidt]

That bender will work out for bumpers and sliders, but if you don't have the coin to get a real one and want to gamble with your life, go ahead. Looks like wiley has done it with pipe. I was going to, but decided my life was too important to take that much of a risk. Cheers, and good luck, hope all of this helps

[4x4forlife]

yea i will not be buying the bender i mentioned, my fault i saw the price and didnt do enough research.

Now what does everyone think of Wiley Coyote's Model 3 Tubing Bender that he showed.

[davidt]

that is definately blingin, I heard rockbuggy supply has some of the cheapest prices on them. Check over at pirate4x4.com under the vendors section.

[CRASH]

I have a JD-2 MOdel 2 and love it. Manual operation, no hydro.

Forget about buying the angle indicator, you'll never use it. Read Tinbenbers tube bending instructions on POR. Been using that method for 2 years without fail.

CRASH

[RCP Phx]

My JD2 has definatly paid for itself!

[TrailHunter]

ProTools also makes a nice benter very similar to the JD2 bender. I like that you can buy dies capable of up to 240 degree bends. While that's way more than you'd usually use, having that option is nice. They're priced about the same too.

[Wiley Coyote]

Looks like wiley has done it with pipe.
Just a clarification; I do not have a roll cage. I’ve seen some that were made out of schedule 40 pipe and they seem to do all right. DOM tubing is without a doubt better than schedule 40, but any cage is better than no cage.

Eric, Could you post the link to the Pro Tools bender? The Model 3 runs about $600 set up to do 2” tube (minus handle and mount, but you can make those easily). If I could find some thing good in the $300 range I’d be all over it.

[RCP Phx]

Basically the same machine and price!
http://www.pro-tools.com/105.htm

[pair8hd]

... If you want the Cadillac tube bender check out this:
http://www.tubing-benders.com/model3bender.html
Its very nice, but you are going to pay for it. If you were going to use only one size tube you may be able to justify the cost of the bender and a die.
This is more like a Caddy tube bender,
http://pro-tools.com/images/hb302a.jpg

I have the The Pro Tools One Shot Hydraulic Bender and I could not image using a manual bender. I know a guy who has a JD bender and with a 6ft cheater bar, it takes about 20 pulls to do a 90 degree bend. Takes me about 10 seconds pushing a button with my big toe :D

[RCP Phx]

They are both available w/ hydraulic,its just not affordable then,I can punch out a 90* in under a minute without breaking a sweat(except in August and then it doesnt matter if I do anything,including breathing).

[Beezil]

I sure as hell woould want a bender that could do more than a 90

BTW....

a 90-degree bend in under a minute?

thats like watching paint dry!!!!

180-hairpins in 6 seconds!

thats what I'm talking about!

[ChiXJeff]

I sure as hell woould want a bender that could do more than a 90

BTW....

a 90-degree bend in under a minute?

thats like watching paint dry!!!!

180-hairpins in 6 seconds!

thats what I'm talking about!
Dude, like, not all of us have gnarly rolling benders.

[Beezil]

Dude, like, not all of us have gnarly rolling benders.

nope. rollers are too slow!

[TrailHunter]

This is more like a Caddy tube bender,
http://pro-tools.com/images/hb302a.jpg

I have the The Pro Tools One Shot Hydraulic Bender and I could not image using a manual bender. I know a guy who has a JD bender and with a 6ft cheater bar, it takes about 20 pulls to do a 90 degree bend. Takes me about 10 seconds pushing a button with my big toe :D

I've used that bender and it blows that you can only do 90s. Hydraulic benders are the way to go, but some don't have the cash for the pump and cylinder. I'd rather get an extra die or two if I were getting started and on a budget.

[Amund2]

Use DOM tubing, but a piping bender is just a tubing bender with dies for piping... get the right die for your tubes/pipes, as long as the bender is strong enough to bend it that will work just fine.

MIG is no worse than TIG, TIG is just harder, prettier, and can be used for more metals than MIG. We use MIG for all our offroad comp cages up here.

[flexj]

I have a JD-2 MOdel 2 and love it. Manual operation, no hydro.

Forget about buying the angle indicator, you'll never use it. Read Tinbenbers tube bending instructions on POR. Been using that method for 2 years without fail.

CRASH

Mine came with the degree ring. And as far as the indicator goes, when I bought my last die, it came with a 3/32 tig rod that you bend up and fasten to the die. Works pretty nice. I'll have to check out timbender though.

Hamy.

[Dirk Pitt]

nope. rollers are too slow!

Then what are you using now?

Tool/machine junkies want to know.

[HodgePodge]

He uses his Pipes?! :dunno:
http://hodge.beevomit.org/forum/BendPipeCopy.JPG

[NOVAggie]

Use DOM tubing, but a piping bender is just a tubing bender with dies for piping... get the right die for your tubes/pipes, as long as the bender is strong enough to bend it that will work just fine.

MIG is no worse than TIG, TIG is just harder, prettier, and can be used for more metals than MIG. We use MIG for all our offroad comp cages up here.

I have teh HF "pipe" bender. I have used it for many projects, bumpers, spare tire carriers, etc. Using 1.5" X 0.120 wall tube.

Now I jsut bought a Jeep and want to do an exocage. I am worried about building it incorrectly by messing up teh structural component of teh tube by using the HF bender. You say get adie, how abotu making one?

If I get the 1.5" pipe die adn bend a piece of 1.5" pipe adn then cut it open so it is in the shape of the die, shouldnt this work on teh tube adn not kink it ??

My thinking is that I am using the 1.25" pipe die fopr 1.5" tube and since tube is 1.5" OD and the pipe i woudl use woudl be 1.5" ID this shoudl work right?

Also is 1.5" OD tube good for a exocage or shoudl I do 1.75" OD??

[RCP Phx]

I have teh HF "pipe" bender. I have used it for many projects, bumpers, spare tire carriers, etc. Using 1.5" X 0.120 wall tube.

Now I jsut bought a Jeep and want to do an exocage. I am worried about building it incorrectly by messing up teh structural component of teh tube by using the HF bender. You say get adie, how abotu making one?

If I get the 1.5" pipe die adn bend a piece of 1.5" pipe adn then cut it open so it is in the shape of the die, shouldnt this work on teh tube adn not kink it ??

My thinking is that I am using the 1.25" pipe die fopr 1.5" tube and since tube is 1.5" OD and the pipe i woudl use woudl be 1.5" ID this shoudl work right?

Also is 1.5" OD tube good for a exocage or shoudl I do 1.75" OD??
First off,stay in your English class at school.
Second,its not just about diameters.

[NOVAggie]

I can speak english, just suck at typing

[Ludakris]

just for reference on TIG/MIG...

Nascar cages are MIG.
NHRA cages must be TIG..

If MIG is ok at 180mph+
I would assume its good for a flop in an XJ....