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!

[thebuggyman1]

If you were a little closer to me....I have access to several different types. BTW this is the kind of thing I do for a living Google Image Result for http://www.detroitbuildingtrades.org/newspapr/BeaumontConduit.jpg

[Tom]

I have the 16 ton Harbour freight model,went through the same problems as you all did.Found out that if you duct tape the end of the pipe and pack it with sand(wet seems better,but dry works)tape the other end closed,I've gotten better results this way.It is a P.I.T.A,but it works.It still is NOT a replacement for a real bender,so don't get your hopes up with it either way.Good luck with your project.

[jerseybigfoot]

Real good info Buggyman. I'm in a similar trade and build and install Hydraulic systems. The tubing should also be annealed. There is also a wall thickness to bend radius ratio that has to be considered so the tube or pipe does not kink or flatten. Ill post some info over the weekend.

[m350]

Hey,,,I Built a RollBar for my 2000' BigFoot,,using 1-1/4 Electrical Conduit,,,it is lite in weight and strong,,only thing is I also had to purchase and 1-1/4 conduit bender,,for like $130 or so,,,and man it was a Job,,,took 3 of us to hold the Bender tight to that conduit,,and then Pull on the 4' Pipe handle,,,Had pics in Gallery of it,,if there still here!,,,Later,,,,Mark

[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

[wfo]

ok my 2 cents....note you bought a pipe bender....you need a tubing bender...
a pipe bender is based on inside diameter and tubing is outside diam..so if your trying to bend
tubing on a pipe bender you will kink it..if you try bending pipe on a tubing bender you will
probaly break the tool..

[racerone3]

ok my 2 cents....note you bought a pipe bender....you need a tubing bender...
a pipe bender is based on inside diameter and tubing is outside diam..so if your trying to bend
tubing on a pipe bender you will kink it..if you try bending pipe on a tubing bender you will
probaly break the tool..

upon more research, i found out exactly that. I have a tubing bender that i can borrow tomorrow and the cage will be done. i got this pos for 55 bucks... as I currently don't have a press in my shop, this thing will get modified into one. it should make a good axle straightener I tried using the shoe that actually fit the tubing, and also tried the sand trick with marginally better results, but for a cage that i want to look nice, and be functional I will be going with the proper type of bender