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square stock tube doors?

latenights

latenights

NAXJA Forum User
Location
south plainfield, new jersey
So i did the doorless mod on my xj last fall, went to bootcamp and ITB from dec-may and now its time to make tube doors for the xj. I dont know anyonbe with a tube bender and since im only a "semper sometimes" and still live at home, we rent our house so i cant drill any holes into the ground to mount a tube bender either. Has anyone seen anybody make tube doors out of square stock? I was planning on just cutting notches or V's into the stock and heating up the stock so i could just bend it that way. Let me hear your opinions on how it would turn out, I think it would workand is much better then spending $340 on already made tube doors.
 
it would turn out less than ideally from a fabrication POV, but they'll be cheaper than the $340 premade crap.

go for it!
 
Haha thanks, I havent done too much fab stuff yet so im still a beginner. Theres not much i can do for the tube doors without a bender so ill post a write up and pics on how it comes out sunday after i do it.
 
why not, tommkens tube doors are square tube and they didn't look to bad. i say try it and see if you like it.
 
i would suggest just cutting the angles in the tubing. i think that would look cleaner than trying to bend the square tubing. it doesn't bend the best that way. you don't get the cleanest lines.

i say just figure out the angles, cut the tube, leave an 1/8 inch gap between the pieces and weld it solid. then grind down the welds and smooth out the angles. boom clean tube doors
 
You CAN bend tube and square stock without a bender, it just takes heat, muscle, wooden jigs and pactience to get it right. Its not fun but it works, very old school.
 
aintright said:
i would suggest just cutting the angles in the tubing. i think that would look cleaner than trying to bend the square tubing. it doesn't bend the best that way. you don't get the cleanest lines.

i say just figure out the angles, cut the tube, leave an 1/8 inch gap between the pieces and weld it solid. then grind down the welds and smooth out the angles. boom clean tube doors
Click to expand...


I was actually thinkin about buildin some tupes doors this way.
 
You would have a lot better luck bending round then you would square without a bender. One of the best redneck ways is to use the ball on your hitch. You definitely wont get a 90 degree bend without kinking it though. This method is best if you just need a soft long (er) bend,
With all that said, your not going to like the end result if you dont use a real bender. If it were me, I would use round or maybe try something different and turn the square on its side (so its diamond shaped) and just cut angles for the corners and not "relief angles".
When you do a 90 degree corner, 45 a 3 or 4" piece to make up the corner instead of making it a sharp 90. Looks a lot better.
 
I used square--no bender needed.
HPIM0221.jpg


HPIM0220.jpg


HPIM0219.jpg


JIM.
 
dude xjs are square. i saw a guy on c.l. a while back selling tube doors made out of square tubing. they looked really nice actually. i wouldnt try blacksmithing unless you know what youre doing believe me that is an old trade and it takes alot of skill. but look at it this way. build yourself some square tube doors on the cheap that work. if you are able to score a bender later on then change them up then. this is jeeping. its not always pretty. post up ics on what you come up with.
 
yeah i think i might just cut the angles in now instead. but i ended up scoring the square stock for free so if i dont like it oh well it didnt cost anything haha. ill post pics on sunday when its all done
 
Or you could fab some s-10 blazer tire carriers into tube doors quite easily and no need for a bender
 
hey guys so an update on the tube doors. i have the drivers door done besides the latch and the passenger side is all tacked up. im hopefully going to be finishing the front up tonight and start the rear tonight also. i had a late start yesterday so that killed me for the amount of daylight i had to work with. i used a few of yours guys ideas like not cutting and bending the sqaure stock to give it a sharper look and i used 45's instead of 90's on corners. im liking how theyre coming out. im picking up a camera today so ill post some pictures up when i get it
 
so ive been busy with other stuff but i have both fronts made up besides the hinges and latches. im on the hunt for a clevis pin that will fit into the gate latch i bought so it doesnt pop open while im driving. anyway heres what i have so far, im liking how theyre coming out. dont mind the busch light in the pictures my friend that was helping me thought it would be a good addition to the pictures. the doors are just sitting in place without hinges or latches yet.

tubedoor2.jpg

tubedoor3.jpg

tubedoor.jpg
 
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