tibe bender

[Hondafreak08]

I am new to tube benders. What do you all suggest. As far as (brand, name, type, where to get them,price) I want to build sliders, roll cages, exhaust ext. What do you all suggest or reccommend, use? Im also looking for something fairly cheap

 

[BlackBII]

If you want something good, It aint gonna be too cheap. Look here.
http://www.pro-tools.com/

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

With patience and care, Harbor Freight and Cummings "pipe kinkers" can be used to fab up stuff, but from what I've heard, you're better off either buying or building a better bender.

IMHO, roll cages should be built either by someone that knows what they're doing, or after a LOT of research and complete confidence in your abilities.

 

[rockinranger]

Anybody know where to buy tubing for cages, and metal for sliders, etc. Near Chicago??

 

[metalmacguyver]

yellow pages. metal suppliers. machine shops.

 

[Hondafreak08]

i think ill just go with the harbor freight brand,, it wont get used much,, and i will never make my money back if i spennt hundreds of dollars on one

 

[almostclueless]

Someone should corcer the market, selling forged tubing bender dies for a reasonable price.

 

[krugford]

You'll find good things about the JD2 and the Pro-Tools bender online. If you're going to be doing rollcages, invest in a real tubing bender, not a pipe bender.

http://www.vansantent.com/model_3_bender.htm

http://www.pro-tools.com/105.htm

The only reason you should even think about making your money back is if you will be selling cages, sliders, etc. And if you're doing that, you aren't going to use a pipe bender...

 

[Hondafreak08]

i wanted one that coulddo roll cages for the "just in case i would outta nowhere want to"
i simply cant afford a great tube bender, nor would i ever make the money back i put into one. its just basic fab work

 

[Seabiscuit]

i think ill just go with the harbor freight brand,, it wont get used much,, and i will never make my money back if i spennt hundreds of dollars on one

I've had good luck with harbor freight

 

[freebird]

Like previously stated, consult a professional and do your research before making a cage, its not as easy as it looks, if done wrong it could be more hazardous than helpful. But if you just want a cheap bender get one of those harbor freight lever benders, OHH and did i mention leave the cages to the professionals.

 

[mkpecor]

harbour wants $69.99 for their mid size bender,its not to bad looking,it will get the job done..good lick on your builds.

 

[krugford]

Alright, I'm gonna put it bluntly and use small words.

Pipe benders are for PIPE! If you want to get a bender in case you "want to do a rollcage" then you will need a TUBING bender. Pipe is for transporting fluids such as propane, air, water, gasoline, sewage, etc. It is not to be used for structural members.

I don't want to hear arguments about what kinds of pipe have what mechanical properties and material specs. Most people who pick up that shitty HF bender are driving straight to the hardware store and getting a truckload of good old black pipe. Building a proper rollcage is going to cost money. You're either going to have to pay someone to build it for you, or you're going to have to bite the bullet and buy a proper bender. There is no substitute for a properly design rollcage built with the proper materials.

You want to use black pipe for sliders or a bumper? Fine, it's not going to kill you (or anyone else) when it collapses. And none of the benders listed here will do exhaust work. Very thin wall tubing requires yet another bender. The HF, JD2, and Pro-Tools benders will kink thin walled pipe and tube.