Bending Tube

[atvkid4eva]

Okay guys, i finally got my JD2 model 3 and made a stand and bought two sticks of tube. So im ready to start bending. My questions is do you guys bend without the bend tech software since it is so EXPENSIVE or do you all use it? I know it looks awesome, but thats a lot of money for a computer program no matter how worth it it is.

For those of you who bend without the software do you have any tips on how to calculate exactly where to mark the tubing to get even bends? im just new to this whole concept and it looks pretty tricky without the software?

 

[The Jester Race]

http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/bendin_tube/index.html

-Jester

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

^^^ My suggestion also.

Richard

 

[Bray D]

http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/bendin_tube/index.html

-Jester

Good info in there. Multiple plane bends is where it gets tricky. I will most likely buy bendtech before building a cage. With the cost of tube, it wouldn't take much waste for it to have paid for itself.

FYI - bendtech is CHEAP as far as software goes.

 

[4x4junkie]

http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/bendin_tube/index.html

-Jester

Exactly the link I was gonna post.

Another thing you can do to help save you from wasting as much tubing is to mock everything up beforehand using PVC pipe (1.25" pipe is fairly close to the same OD as 1.5" tube and is about $3 per 10' section).

To bend PVC, slowly & evenly heat it over the section you want to bend using a propane torch set on very low heat (a heat gun may work too and probably won't want to scorch it as much). After a couple minutes it should be almost like rubber so you can bend it however you want, then let it cool so the bend sets. Then take that piece over to your bender and bend your tubing to match your PVC piece. Mocking the pieces up in PVC will help you do those multi-plane bends too (of which I have a few on my cage).