Looking for home shop benders...

[Jump This]

I need a bender...mostly for cage type bending. It would need to be able to handle up to 2" but it needs to be reasonably priced. I know...I know....you always get what you pay for when buying shop gear...but right now I'm starting to run low on the garage tool budget.
I don't plan on production type work...mostly one-off stuff.
I hope this doesn't sound to you as pathetic as it sounds to me...
but what can a guy do...any one wanting to upgrade there shop equipment and want to part with some used gear??
Rick R :sunshine:

[vegas_baja]

I've used the mittler brothers bender, a modified hossfeld bender similar to the one lowbuck tools sells for $3000 and I currently have the jd squared model 3. If you're going to build roll cages, don't even think of getting the harbor freight bender. It might be O.K. for bumpers, but don"t trust your life with it. Start with the model 3, or the protools model 105. Either way you cant go wrong. What will break the bank is all the dies you need. Check out the links at the bottom of the page, very informative. Good luck.


http://vansantent.com/model_3_bender.htm

http://www.jd2.com/

http://pro-tools.com/105_4.htm


Get your reading glasses on.

http://www.mindspring.com/~jayk5/bender/
http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/bendin_tube/index.html
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=185940&page=3

[vegas_baja]

Check ebay on a weekly basis, there's always used benders on there. Some even come with a few die sets.....

[Jump This]

I have saved Robs basic bending story for some time. I have refered to it on occasion and still list it to friends looking for help bending.
Thanks for the help, I'm thinking I will order the bender (in kit form) and also add the air/oil power ram and just a few dies for now.
Its only money..... :wierd:
Rick R :sunshine:

[David Taylor]

Rick, I would save your money on the power ram. I have the jd model 3. Works great without the power ram. For home use I don't think you need a power ram.

[Fullsizexj]

thats what I thought till I got the ram, it is sweet, well worth the money and the nicest part as you do not have to have it mounted to the floor anymore, you can put it on a cart to move around where ever you happen to be working

[BIGWOODY]

Get a pro tools 105 and go to surpluscenter.com and buy the hydralic set up for it ..about $250 a lot less than pro gets for it. Yes, the hydro set up is the only way to fly.

[Jump This]

I need the mobility. I'm just not positive that I would find the 'perfect' location for the bender, although I will have a bolted down stand for doing most of the work....
You know, the same goes for vice locations. I like to have outdoor benches for doing grinding and cutting but I still need to have indoor mobile lock down stands .......sh*t...now I need to redesign my interior layout..... :wierd:
Multiple bolt down locations?
Thanks for the help!
Rick R :sunshine:

[Jump This]

One other question.
I'm in need of dies also. I notice the CLRs vary. What should I be starting with?
I believe I won't be creating many real tight bends and wonder if I get greater versatility with the smaller centerline dies? Or am I better off with larger CRMs for better quality work?
As always...info is much appreciated!!
Rick R :sunshine:

[FarmerMatt]

I've got the Protools HB 302 bender. It's an Hyd. one shot bender. We built an adj. height roll around stand for it. I really couldn't see going any other way. I've got 3 die sets for it, 1.75", 1.5" & 1". I believe it will go up to 2". I haven't found a need to have any other dies than these. It's only down fall is it'll only bend up to about 140 degrees (depends on tube size & bend radius), but I've found very little applications to where I'd need / want a 180 degree bend...

Matt

[Jump This]

One other question.
I'm in need of dies also. I notice the CLRs vary. What should I be starting with?
I believe I won't be creating many real tight bends and wonder if I get greater versatility with the smaller centerline dies? Or am I better off with larger CRMs for better quality work?
As always...info is much appreciated!!
Rick R :sunshine:

Both abbreviations should have been CLR (centerline radius)

[RCP Phx]

If you look at the die info you will see radius affects the wall thickness you can bend.I use the 1.5"x5.5" die set.

[Jump This]

Matt, can you post a photo of your stand?
Rick R

[Jeepin Jason]

I'm kinda eyeing the ProTools HPM200 (not that I could afford it right now though), mainly for the portability as I don't really have a good place to bolt the 105 to my garage floor, and it's cheaper than getting the 105 and then converting it to hydro.

http://www.pro-tools.com/200.htm

Only down side is the dies only go to 120* (same as Matt's HB302), but I really don't know that I'd have much need to go much over 90* for most things (ie: roof racks, cage work, etc).

Matt, in all your work doing your roof racks and the XJ buggy, how many times have you done a single bend that was over 90*? What OD tubing did you use on your racks?