Who Makes a good Cheap Tube Bender?

theo_m24 · Post by **theo_m24** » Wed Jul 16, 2003 6:36 pm

I'm looking to buy a tube bender.. Whats a good cheap bender?

Some one told me a type to stay away from which can weaken the metel but a forgot the kind duh

Kubel Nick · Post by **Kubel Nick** » Wed Jul 16, 2003 9:06 pm

harborfreight.com or ebay, they're about the same price either way once you include heavy shipping (free shipping at harborfreight). I haven't used mine yet but the people that has say the same thing. Work slowly, use a torch to heat up the tube to bend it easier and safer. Heat, bend, heat, bend, etc

Puck · Post by **Puck** » Wed Jul 16, 2003 11:20 pm

Here are some links to check out.

http://www.blindchickenracing.com/Tools ... bender.htm

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

http://www.vansantent.com/index.htm

If you are buying one from a place like Harbor Freight then it is most likely a pipe bender and should not be used things like making roll bars. If you look at some of the benders on the above sites you will notice that there are two dies used for bending. This is to keep the tubing from flattening out. The ones like Harbor Frieght carry do not. Also there is no need to heat the tubing to bend it with the correct bender.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 4:02 pm

Thanks, now I just have to decide...

Post by **Marc** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 4:17 pm

If you don't have to go bigger than 2", this is a good manual tool (you can upgrade it to hydraulic when you get old & feeble):
http://www.vansantent.com/model_3_bender.htm

I have a Harbor Freight hydraulic pipe bender, and although it's cheap and portable it really does a lousy job on thinwall tubing - you have to compromise your design to stay within the capabilities of the bender. It's definitely worth it to get a real tubing bender, especially if you frustrate easily.

wchiro · Post by **wchiro** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 10:44 pm

Here's another bender:

http://www.lowbucktools.com/hydbender.html

Read this about pipe benders (ad picture possibly from Harbor Freight catalog)

http://www.lowbucktools.com/benderFAQ.html

69bug4me · Post by **69bug4me** » Fri Jul 18, 2003 7:02 am

I have the Model 3 bender that Marc posted info on,thanks Marc,and it works great.I bought it with the 1.5" x.095" dies and it worked perfectly for bending up my woodsbuggy chassis,bends are nice and smooth and doesn't deform the radius enough to even notice.
I used it manually to bend my first chassis and was ok but would hate to do it that way now after converting it over to hydraulic,dies are pricey to but if you know a good machinest you'd be set.

Shane

RACER H-4 · Post by **RACER H-4** » Sat Jul 19, 2003 2:34 am

forget those expencive benders, ive used the harborfreight one on a few things, all u have to do is pack the tubing with sand or what ever real tight, not just pour it in there but u have to ram it in so that there can be no movement, then u can use a bow type pipe bender on tubing.

my grampa taught me that little secret only i didnt have a bender to use, i had a veriety or trees to try out but i know the bender will make it much easier, it may help if u want the dirt or sand down do get a better packing,

go to http://www.members.shaw.ca/sask.rail/Te ... -pipe.html , check it out, itll help u out alot

if ur bendine smaller stuff, u would always try a garage door spring on the inside, itll help it not crimp