Is this normal? I thought it was only when I didn't get enough wd40 on the follower bar, but then I read that it is not right.http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=105118&highlight=jd2+gouging
Anyone know about that?

I'm using a Model 4 and had that problem on the follower die. The straight one, not the angled one. I used a small file and smoothed the die back out, and opened up the rear edge of the die where it was scratching the tubing. Much better now- it will not scratch DOM one bit, but HREW gets very small scratches sometimes. I'm using moly grease too- it might be overkill, but dies are expensive.

I have done probably 25-30 bends with my JD2 and have not got any gouging. I'm spraying the tube with either WD40 or PB blaster. Both work well. I spray the die, follower and the entire length of tube that will be getting bend. Maybe some people are not using enough or lubing the entire bend and it's hitting a dry spot. :confused:

i've had some of the same problem.. probably from lack of lube.. anybody checked on how much another 2" followbar is??

jd2 DOES NOT RECOMEND LUBE.........

I DONT KNOW WHY CAUSE WHEN I TRIED IT IT FAWKED UP MY DIE........

I USUALLY USE WD40 ...IVE USED GREASE AND THAT WORKS AWSOME......BUT TOO MESSY....

JD2 HAS THE DIE WITH THE INSERTS.....I CALLED THEM BEFORE THETY ARE LIKE 30 -40 BUX.....

THOSE PIECES ARE A COMSUMABLE FROM WHAT THEY TOLD ME....
IVE USED MY DIE HUNDREDS OF TIMES AND ITS STILL GOING.....WHEN IT STARTS GAUGING I GET A SANDING DRUM AND SMOOTH IT ALL UP AGAIN, WORKS GOOD

I was told if you radius the edges with a die grinder that helps.

2nd law of thermodynamics- everything goes to shit eventually, these just go a lot faster unfortunatly.

Originally posted by 71RCKCRZR RYAN
jd2 DOES NOT RECOMEND LUBE.........



I wonder when's the last time they actually used one of thier benders because without lube it gauls the shit out of HREW everytime. I lube just the follower with cheap bearing grease before every bend, it works fine.

I'm still fighting this. I clean the tube well, and use spray lithium grease. Mine just scratched the crap out of some 1.75"x.156 wall DOM today. It bent the same stuff fine two days ago. An email on this to JD2 went unanswered a few months ago.

The seal on my Hydro cylinder started leaking after about two weeks of use, but was replaced under warranty.

In order to get a 90deg bend in two strikes as advertised, I had to do a little surgery on the spring back lever.

When I asked about why they did not plate the pins, they acted like they had never heard of them rusting.

I really like my bender other that the scratching, but they are kinda pissing me off with some of this.

One thing I did notice, is that if I feel the surface of some of my HREW tube, I can tell it is not smooth. It has some valleys in it running the lenght of the tube. This could be part of the problem with fawking up the dies. Doesnt explain why it scratched the DOM today though.

Gonna call them about the scratching in the AM. Will report results.

Edit- also, I checked today in the middle of the bend and the scratches were being caused by the follower.

my 1.5" Protools die (for a JD2 bender) was gouging a bit, so I took some 220 grit sand paper and wraped it around a piece of scrap 1.5" tube....used it in the follower die for about a minute or so and gouging was all gone...but don't take too much off!!! I concentrated on the front half of the follower, as that was where my gouging was coming from.

Liberal use of white lithium grease helps (bends easier too)...I spray the follower before each bend as well as the tube.

As a side note, never again will I buy the protools dies for JD'2....they just are not the same...they work but have some little quirks to them, Id rather just wait the 3 weeks for a JD2 die.

My ERW tubing gouges a hell of alot easier than the DOM tube...one more reason to use DOM, let alone the strength ratings.

I'll second the spray-on white lithium grease thing... Works like a champ...

But I still need to do some work on my followers from time to time, I use HREW pretty much exclusively.