tubing bender help

[racerone3]

i need some advice on one of these cheapie benders. Northern Industrial Hydraulic Pipe Bender — 12-Ton | Pipe + Bar Benders | Northern Tool + Equipment
i picked one up this afternoon and so far have only managed to mangle/ kink some expensive tubing. if anyone out there has one, and gets good results from it, i'd love to hear some tips... otherwise this POS is going back tomorrow and i'll keep borrowing a good bender!
I am trying to get some fairly tight (but nothing crazy... similar to the bends in this cage)
if you have one, and there is no chance of getting these kind of bends, please let me know.
i'm working with 1.5"OD .083 DOM tubing

[trebmaster]

that type is a pos. try using plenty of lube on the pipe and put rollers on the top two pins

[rdr]

race i bent my tubing on a harbor freight bender similler to that one . it worked good jest could not bend 2 the same . i used the tightes ben it would do . doint know what is up with yours . i find out anything i
ll holler at u are the top roolers rolling at all ????????????? they should roll easey . might have to use oil t\\robbie

[MarshallEpp]

I think trebs got the key with the lube and the rollers.to much friction there.the pipe needs to move just a bit.

[racerone3]

i'll give that a try. my rollers aren't bound up, but don't roll real free either. I may have to go use a bender i know to do this cage and then expirement with this bender with any scraps i have left over.

[thebuggyman1]

OK guys, This one I'm an expert on. That type of bender will only do large angle bends with heavy wall tubing/conduit/pipe. Segment bending is possible(multiple small angle bends) wilth thinner wall stuff. Now comes the tough part every shoe is different. Tubing is sized by OD outside diameter conduit/pipe is sizes by ID inside dia. The tubing/conduit/pipe must fit tightly into the shoe, otherwise it will flatten the material (egg shape), even with thicker wall stuff. In short, that is not the type bender you want. You want one that has one roller and pulls the tube/shoe across it as it goes like this Model 32 Hydraulic Tube Bender or Google Image Result for http://www.cvjatc684.org/Derek_Bending.JPG

[racerone3]

thanks Jim. that's about like the one i'll use tomorrow to bend up the cage. I just went out and lubed the rollers, tried every shoe and killed every scrap of steel i had. this one will get returned and i'll save my pennies for a good one!

[vader8x8]

The bends you are trying to make depend on the radius, degree of bend, tube size, material of tube and wall thickness of the tube. If it's kinking, most likely the wall is to thin for the radius you are trying to bend. If you are using something like 1" to 1 1/4" x .083 chrome alloy tubing like you should be, and it kinks on 90 degrees and under, the radius block on the bender is too small; or the bender is a POS.

[Beeman]

I've heard you can fill your pipe with sand and weld the ends shut.. then you can use this type of bender no problem. Sounds like a lot of trouble to go through, but it will work.

-Beeman