Hi -

I have a bender, and want to do some 1.5" tube work. My local steel supplier tells me that a lot of the locals use 1.25 pipe (for roll bars!) which has an OD just over 1.5" ( like 1.588).

Several of the suppliers make dies/shoes for the pipe.

This will mostly be used for nerfs, tube edged fenders, grills, sidebars and other armor applications.

What do you guys think?

BTW - for a Model 3 style bender, whose die sets do you think are best?

IMHO, I'd stay away from pipe, true, it works fine, but it's "softer" and will gouge easier than "tube"....
Not to mention that the cost of pipe and welded tube are real close....my.02

I can only speak for myself here, but all of my JD2 #4 dies
are a very tight fit for their specific size of tube. I wouldn't
want to try and bend a size of tube/pipe that was oversize.

I have bent some 1 3/8OD material in the 1 1/2 die with good
results.

You'd be better off buying tube, and using the right size die
for that tube......

pipes are for water...

--Sherpa

Hmmm , thats funny. This weekend at hollister I talked with a guy that actually recommends using pipe for nerfbars and bumpers. It seems the added wall thickness of schedule 40 pipe over .120 wall tubing helps to keep it from bending or smashing the wall in. I don't know about the material properties of pipe vs. tube, but that was his opinion on the subject. I would never build a cage out of pipe, but I figure nerf bars, bumpers and such are just fine.

Kev

We use a JD2 180* 1 1/2 die with a CLR of 4.5" goes for around $220.00

you have to realize though, newbie, that everyone in this sport has their own opinions and ways of doing things that they all think are "right" and they have no reason to think this other than that thats the way theyve always done it, these heories have nothing backing them up alot of the time, im not saying hes wrong, im just saying that some guy's opinion that you talked to on the trail, does not provide any decent evidence or even a point to argue other than the fact that you cant think for yourself. I say go with the tubing, but thats my opinion, so it really doesnt mean anything, at least not in my book
Originally posted by Ghetto Fab.
Hmmm , thats funny. This weekend at hollister I talked with a guy that actually recommends using pipe for nerfbars and bumpers. It seems the added wall thickness of schedule 40 pipe over .120 wall tubing helps to keep it from bending or smashing the wall in. I don't know about the material properties of pipe vs. tube, but that was his opinion on the subject. I would never build a cage out of pipe, but I figure nerf bars, bumpers and such are just fine.

Kev

I think everyone starts out with black pipe...:flipoff2:

NO SHIT!!
I STILL have black pipe bumpers AND rocksliderz on MY rig!!!!
They have work'd fine, for a couple years now............
I've done um both ways and IMO, tube is WAY better..

If the only reason for going Pipe is because it's "thicker" then just buy the SAME thickness tube.... :confused:

Some .250 wall would work badass for sliderz....

Ya but what's your new rig gonna have?:D

Jim -

My initial thought was why - might be less structurally sound. Then I pulled out my AISC Steel Manual and found the yield stress to be identical for Electric-Resistance welded pipe and seemless. The only time you will see an appreciable increase in strength is going with Cold Formed A500 grade steel in Grade B or C or going with a High-strength Low alloy (CroMo).

Just my opinion as an Engineer.......

I didn't hear him say Seamless??:confused:
What I did hear was BLACK PIPE -vs-TUBE......Please explain, I'm lost!!!

Ok...let me clarify...

Most schedule 40 pipe (including black pipe and galvanized) is made from A 53 and A501. They both have similar structural properties - roughly 30 ksi in Yield and 48ksi Tensile. The yield strength is the property we are interested in since the pipe will not be used as a tension member - predominately used in bending. The Structural tubing is also MOST COMMONLY available (read: cheapest) in A 53, A 500, and A 501. As I previously stated, the A 500 provides an appreciable increase in strength (upto 46 ksi Yield). However, the Electric Resistance Welded (A 53) and seemless tube only offers 35 ksi (max - depending on grade) for Yield and the Hot formed tube offers 36 ksi yield.

So the difference in strength for the most commonly available type of tubing is 20% at the most. That is for the same diameter and wall thickness of the different materials in question. As soon as you start increasing the wall thickness of the pipe vs tube, you begin to level the playing field even more.

Honestly, I think it's 6 of 1 or half-dozen of the other.....

As long as you have your BOOK out, can you please give me some specs on the Brinell on both pipe and tube.....

Originally posted by SHERPA RIG
I can only speak for myself here, but all of my JD2 #4 dies
are a very tight fit for their specific size of tube. I wouldn't
want to try and bend a size of tube/pipe that was oversize.

I have bent some 1 3/8OD material in the 1 1/2 die with good
results.

You'd be better off buying tube, and using the right size die
for that tube......

pipes are for water...

--Sherpa

I replied to this once, but it disappeared...

I was implying that I would buy the correct die set for the pipe - purely based on the cost of the raw materials. The dies cost the same. Since what I want to do is mostly armor, the cost difference and availability of materials comes into play.

I have asked the boys at S&N if they will resell tube - that way I can evaluate pricing.

I am worried the pipe might be too thick for some things....

Jim

Awwwww Come Awnnnnnn I said please!!!!

Tin Bender - actually, the AISC manual does not address hardness for the materials in question. I believe that MIGHT be listed in the ASTM description.

As I recall from my course work in college, Brinell was used back around WWII and is not near as accurate as Rockwell hardness. But either way - what is the difference? I know I galled Electric-resistance welded tube when I bent my fender bars because the dies were not cleaned up first. I imagine the same would happen for black pipe.

That was my point.....
I can't remember the spec off the top of my head, but I know that "pipe" gouges alot easier on the rocks than "weld'd tube"..

which brings me back full circle to my original comment..

"IMHO, I'd stay away from pipe, true, it works fine, but it's "softer" and will gouge easier than "tube"....
Not to mention that the cost of pipe and welded tube are real close....my.02"

If your make'n "SLIDERZ" shouldn't they "slide"??
Maybe we can start a new movement and start call'n them "Brakes"....

Geeez... I'm sorry I stepped away from this for a day.

Anyhow my point was that for a bumper, in my opinion, it doesn't really seem to matter whether its pipe or tube. Sure tube is structurlay more sound and I would not build a rollcage or suspension out of pipe. I don't know though some people get way too carried away with building everything to the absolute max. I mean were not building race cars here! If we were then we'd all be using chromoly seamless tube and tig welding all of it. And we would all have the most awesome shops etc.... We don't and we aren't. So if its just to protect the body of your vehicle and not your life then use whats available to you. If you have a tubing bender and you can get tube then do so. If not then pipe would probably work fine.
Its kinda funny, we have people on this board that build suspensions out of cheap 2 peice tractor rod ends, and then there are those that won't build a bumper unless its seamless tube!

that's true, but you asked.:flipoff2:

Originally posted by Ghetto Fab.
Geeez... I'm sorry I stepped away from this for a day.

Its kinda funny, we have people on this board that build suspensions out of cheap 2 peice tractor rod ends, and then there are those that won't build a bumper unless its seamless tube!


God Bless America, eh...! you're right on the money with
that statement....


--Sherpa