Tubing Benders

[356&914$912E]

Try this

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

Portable and easy and $499 with one die.

I've used Lowbuck brakes and they work like they should.

[Josh22]

I was once looking into custom roll cages for my 914 autocrosser project and the price quotes i was getting were outrageous. Then, I came across the JD2 model 3 bender and have not looked back. I bought a hydrolic ram at the swapmeet for $20 and some scrap 6in square tubing to mount it to and all together I have saved a few hundred over paying someone else to make my cage.

Unless the tubing you are bending has no structural importance whatsoever, I would not even consider using a pipe bender. Not only will it not produce a nice even bend, most of the time the tubing will be kinked and drastically reduce its integrity.

Just my $0.02

[Coils]

About the mandrel bending ideas.
Way not weld a cap or something on each end and have a threaded plug on one end the fill the tube with sand or even water, you can't compress a liquid. Then when the bends are done take out the plug and drain out what was put in, then cut the ends off to desired lenth.
Just my thoughts

[INSAYN]

After performing just a couple of bends that way, you will be whipping out the credit card and just going with something that is design to bend tube in the first place.

With heat applied to a tube with water in it, it will explode due to steam (possibly even when wet sand is used).

Trying to bend cold tube with anything in it, will be like trying to bend solid rod. Why even bother?

If you don't plan to bend much tube, find someone local that can help you.
If you do plan to bend lotsa tube, spend the money and get the right tools.

INSAYN

[Ribz]

Try this

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

Portable and easy and $499 with one die.

I've used Lowbuck brakes and they work like they should.

yea but dies are like 250 each, might work for some, including myself, im going to stick to 1 size tube (i hope) but if you want to be able to do several sizes that could run up the tally quick, it also remindes me of the BCR guys bender

personally im lookin at the model 3 or the PT 105, im going to be doing minimal amount of bending and if i do get all crazy i have the option of going hydro

[scott the viking]

Okay, I am going to throw in my two cents here just because it seems like the thing to do. I wanted a (decent) tubing bender for a very long time, and I was never even close to satisfied with the cheap ones I purchased. Now before I tell you this story, keep in mind that I am one of those guys that if I fell in a sewer I would come up holding a suitcase full of money (would that be dirty money)? also see "strangely lucky". Anyway, exhaust shops go out of business every day, and if you are in the right place at the right time, you can get a pretty nice tubing bender WITH all the dies you could ever use for a pretty reasonable price. I got mine for five hundred and now I couldn't imagine doing a fab project without it. So I guess what I am saying is just keep your eyes on exhaust shops around your area, who knows, maybe you'll "luck out".

[Guest]

Scott, is that your baja in the piccy under your name? Looks bitchin any info, better piccies.

just got my model 3, (very good build quality) fabbing a stand and handle then a bending I wil go!

TIMBERWOLF

[scott the viking]

Scott, is that your baja in the piccy under your name? Looks bitchin any info, better piccies.

just got my model 3, (very good build quality) fabbing a stand and handle then a bending I wil go!

TIMBERWOLF

Yes, that is my bug, it's nothing extra special, just the usual run of the mill suspension mods, cv joint conversion and such. The motor in it right now is just a warmed up 1600 with a three rib trans. I am in the process of installing a turbo charged 2.3, I'm just waiting for my 091 trans to be finished up and in it will go. Then I can be well on my way to breaking bigger and much more expensive parts.

[Coils]

Timberwolf,
Post some info on your model3 when you start using it, I'm thinking of getting one of these.

Scott, From the little pic it looks nice. What size are those rear tires? From the pic they look like 35s LOL.

[scott the viking]

Timberwolf,
Post some info on your model3 when you start using it, I'm thinking of getting one of these.

Scott, From the little pic it looks nice. What size are those rear tires? From the pic they look like 35s LOL.

They are only 31's, but their about 18 inches wide, most of my off roading takes place in the Oregon dunes, so a really wide tire or paddles or pretty much a must. When not in the sand, I run a 31in BF mud terrain.

[Guest]

will do.

Just made tha stand and handle outa scrappy bits. I'm going to use the technique I posted earlier in this thread for marking out etc, so saturday I'm going to rawlbolt it all to the floor and make it level on the die, that way when bending all you need is a spirit level to make sure all the angles are in the same plane.

Just got to finish the father in laws camper (renault sh##e rotten as a pear ) then I can throw in some seamless

TIMBERWOLF

[Guest]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 36806&rd=1
here's a top line bender. there's go for around $3000 new. you can check by calling Gray Bar elec contractor supply. they will have a greenlee price list. if you don't know about greenlee. go to e-bay (not e-bay motors) and put in greenlee, then see what you come up with. Don't even come back with "thats a pipe bender" i've had one of these since 1971. greenlee is the company that all these other guys have copied there benders from. they must make aleast 30 models of benders