Tubing Benders, need some input

[lil_Blue_Ford]

So back a couple years ago I had looked at benders. None of the local steel Fab shops seem to own one and trying to find someone local that had one proved to be a bust too. So I decided to look into buying one. Worked out what seemed to be a good one, but never got around to buying it. Now I’m guessing that company went under because their site is gone.

I’m able to afford one now and still could use one, but I have no idea what to get anymore. Mostly going to be bending stingers, bumpers and some roll cage parts for my choptop. Want something quality that isn’t going to cost a fortune.


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[alwaysFlOoReD]

High end = Baliegh
High end = Hossfeld This is the one that can do anything with the right tooling
Good = JD^2 most common
Good = Protools 105
OK = Magnum [chinese] What I own "because money". Came with 5 tube dies from .75" to 2". Works for me.

 

[Jim Oaks]

I use to have a Protools bender with a 1.5 and 1.75 die. I've had it bolted to my garage floor, and even to the deck of my car trailer. Using a 4-foot handle, I could easily bend DOM steel tubing with it. I sold it on craigslist, and the guy that bought it was going to convert it to hydraulic. He already had one, but wanted another to set up so he could have (2) benders set up for different sizes of tube without changing dies.

I know the day is going to come when I regret selling it. If I ever decide to start bending tube again, I'll buy another Protools bender,

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

The Baleigh looks really nice, but I’m not sure that I really need something like that. Came across Woodward Fab, but it looks like a renamed JD Squared for about the same price.

Pro Tool looks nice, but for about the same money I can get a JD Squared that says it will bend more. Pro says up to 2” and JD says up to 2.5”, which might be nice if I do a tube bumper that I can do something with a pretty big tube


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[lil_Blue_Ford]

Nobody else has any opinion?



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[85_Ranger4x4]

Nobody else has any opinion?



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If I need tubing bent I just do without.

 

[Jim Oaks]

Nobody else has any opinion?

I've discovered over the years that a lot of people bending tube at home are using pipe benders, not true tubing benders.

I have friends that have built off-road buggies, but none of them have an actual tubing bender.

 

[JOLENE_THE_RANGER]

I like the JD squared over the protools bender mostly because of the parts availability. i have found it much more common to see JD2 dies for sale than any other. i recently bought a jd2 converted to hydraulic using the "swag offroad" kit and i love it.
in the past i built (2) 1.75" x .120 wall chromoly roll cages using the "affordable bender" and it workeok. the chromoly was really hard on it. bending the same size Dom in it was a breeze though! the bender didnt put any kinks in the tube so thats all i cared about. also, 2" is not an option in that.

 

[4x4junkie]

JD2 here.

No problems with it, though so far I've only used it for a few projects.
Like Jim says, bending tube doesn't take near the effort as what some of the hydraulic manufacturers would try to have you believe (a 12-yo kid could probably bend 1.5-1.75" .120" DOM without even straining... certainly I could've at that age anyway).

 

[RangerFabWorks]

I have a nice bender with 1.00 all the way to 3.00 dies I’ll make you a deal on. It’s just taking up space in my shop currently

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I have a nice bender with 1.00 all the way to 3.00 dies I’ll make you a deal on. It’s just taking up space in my shop currently

Mind sending me a PM with the details? You kinda got my attention, lol.


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[RangerFabWorks]

Will do

 

[bobbywalter]

If I need tubing bent I just do without.

I've discovered over the years that a lot of people bending tube at home are using pipe benders, not true tubing benders.

I have friends that have built off-road buggies, but none of them have an actual tubing bender.

as long as your bending pipe...pipe benders work ok. structural sch 40 is ok for normal stuff...just heavier.

 

[Jim Oaks]

You can always tell when someone has done there bends with a pipe bender. The tube / pipe tends to flatten a little at the bend, where a good tubing bender will maintain the round shape of the tube throughout the bend.

 

[JOLENE_THE_RANGER]

You can always tell when someone has done there bends with a pipe bender. The tube / pipe tends to flatten a little at the bend, where a good tubing bender will maintain the round shape of the tube throughout the bend.

yep. kinks will fail.