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Anyone have a tubing bender?

chavey

chavey

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Or have access to one?

I really, really want to make a pre-runner bar, but I don't have access to a tubing bender.  And the shop wants big $$ to build one.  I can get the tubing cut and welded - I just need a bender to bend it.



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And Mods - please don't move this thread.  Does me no good if it's not in/near OR.
 
I don't but I believe you can rent them. One thing I have done in the past is us a couple of come alongs  or my winch, blow torch, a steal bar I sank in the ground or a tree (steal bar is gone now). If you try this then be prepaired to take allot of time and as it can be pretty darn hard to get it exact  and an result in allot of pounding or starting over again. My suggestion would be to rent one or check harbor freight for a cheap bender if you cant find anybody with one.
 
Thanks.  Yeah, I was watching Trucks or Extreme 4x4 this weekend and they showed welding a brake rotor to the table to use as a fulcrum.  Then doing the heating / pounding thing.  But I'm holding that to the last resort.

I'll check on the rental, but given that I only need 2 45degree bends and a couple smaller bends, I didn't want to go over board.  I'm afraid that the rental would cost just as much of paying an off road shop to do it anyways.
 
make friends with your local exhaust shop, i made a grillguard for a past project and i got em' to make four bends and slipped em' 20 bucks.
 
Hang out at home depot or local construction site and look for some commercial electricians they should have one like this

rothenberger-heavy-pipe-ben.jpg


at the very least.  For a few extra bucks you may be able to steal a couple hours of their time on a weekend.


Just a thought
 
Depending on the type of pipe your using I'm note sure that a electricians bender would work. The conduit they use isn't very strong and you can bend it very easily. my guess is if you are building a bumper/bar you are using some comely tubing and that stuff is rated to support a truck as electrical conduit will no hold nearly as much weight.
 
I would think you are talking about 1 1/2" to 3" pipe?
Any commercial electrical shop will have a hydraulic pipe bender. This bender is for bending schedule 40 pipe, much thicker wall than EMT.
There was also a good suggestion about a muffler shop.


plumbob
 
make one.
Metal table heavy duty.
Weld some heavy duty curved metal objects down about 2 feet or so apart.

get hydraulic bottle jack and attach a half moon object to end.
Weld stop for bottle jack to jack against in middle of 2 pins above and somewhat back so stratight pipe fits in.

then pump on handle until slight overbend is achieved and then relax jack..

not hard to do...
our fitters use to do that when they need to make a few pieces of curved tubing for the things I would design
 
Yep, pretty much what I was thinking.  Weld brake rotor to metal table, heat pipe with torch, bend with breaker bar.  The problem I'm going to have is getting the same degree bend in multiple pipes.  I know - mark metal table where it ends up.  We'll see.


(Would be so much easier if I could just head into some shop, hand the guy the tube and a $20 bill, and have him bend them to exactly 45 degrees.)
 
Funny you mention this: We were just at my grandparents celebrating their 62nd wedding anniversary last night when my dad brought it up.  My uncle says "Yea, I got one!"  He says he even has some extra tubing laying around.  So my Dad and I are going to work on it during Spring Break (March 23-27th).  I'll take pics of the process and show the install.
 
The exhaust bender likely isn't stong enough either. Also, I think you want a "mandrel" bender, otherwise the inside radius will be all crinkly.
Good luck!
 
You don't need it madrel bent, the primary use of madrel bending in automotive use is exhaust. I've seen many rollcages, rock sliders, and bumbers bent with a hydraulic exhaust pipe bender and they turn out great. The thicker wall DOM will not crinkle it may deform a little but you will not end up with that nasty crinkled look that you see on cheap exhaust bends. The manual benders that electricans use are not designed for anything but thin wall conduit.

Chavey, make sure you post pics.
 
Will do.  Got camera already charging the batteries.

Tube and Tubing Bender got delivered yesterday to my dad's (he has the shop).  Also saw a trick with a brake rotor to use as the fulcrum.  I think I may try that if I get any kinks.  But I only need 2 45 degree bends so it shouldn't be too bad.  The other bends are only 5 degrees or so.
 
chAVey said:
Will do.  Got camera already charging the batteries.

Tube and Tubing Bender got delivered yesterday to my dad's (he has the shop).  Also saw a trick with a brake rotor to use as the fulcrum.  I think I may try that if I get any kinks.  But I only need 2 45 degree bends so it shouldn't be too bad.  The other bends are only 5 degrees or so.
Click to expand...


Just an FYI on the 45 you may need to account an extra degree or two for bend back (the pipe tends to bend back after it has been bent by the tubing bender) this probably wont happen with the 5 degree bends.


What type of pipe are you using?


We have a Tube Shark hydrallic bender, I was going to offer you a road trip down here to use it  :B:
 
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