Harbor Freight Tube Benders

[JJS]

i'm looking at the pittsburgh 40" compact bender on the Harbor Freight web site. anyone have any experience with this or similar benders? will it work ok for long length tubing pieces? i would like to use it for doing bumpers, sliders, and the like. forgive my ignorance, i've never bent tube before.

here's the link to it:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=38470

[CJeep77]

That is NOT a tube or pipe bender, that is basically an ornamental iron bender..Note that the die sizes listed are the radiuses, not the material size capacity. It states 5/8" round or solid capacity only.

[JJS]

Thank you for the info man, like I said I'm ignorant with this subject.

[fabcam]

i'm looking at the pittsburgh 40" compact bender on the Harbor Freight web site. anyone have any experience with this or similar benders? will it work ok for long length tubing pieces? i would like to use it for doing bumpers, sliders, and the like. forgive my ignorance, i've never bent tube before.

here's the link to it:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=38470

You need a rotary draw bender like the pro-tools or jd2. Check the vendor section, you will find several Pirate sponsers pushing them.

[JJS]

thank you very much dude. i checked out the section and it looks as though i won't be buying a bender any time soon. the jd2 looks very reasonably priced but money is tight right now. just out of curiosity, what can you do with this style pipe bender?

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=38024

[CJeep77]

Try this (http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=315475) thread for some input on that bender.

[Bill usn-1]

I have built 2 cages and a couple roll bars with mine.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=32888
I picked it up at Northern on sale for about $69.
Best investment I made.
I use 1.5 ID and 1.9 OD pipe.
I cap 1 end with a spray can cap and duct tape. then fill it with pea gravel. shake till it's packed and cap that end.
Then bend.
I use a 14"cutoff wheel for cuts. With the rocks in it if needed.

You can google for a program called winmiter that will print out wraparound guides for your notches.
I grind them with my angle grinder.

It can all be done without a $500 bender.


HTH

http://img110.exs.cx/img110/2289/storagebox_0747.jpg
http://www.northtexasbinders.com/NormalPictures/151.jpg
http://www.northtexasbinders.com/NormalPictures/594.jpg

[JJS]

hmmmmmm now i'm interested. thanks for all the info, i think i may be able to make that hydraulic bender work.

[Bill usn-1]

Here's another little device I came up with that really helps with the second bend!!!
I bolted it to my engine stand so it will rotate with the bend of the pipe!! :cool2:
http://img136.exs.cx/img136/4937/rollbar_0601.jpg

Here's the end product.

http://img136.exs.cx/img136/2958/rollbar_0631.jpg

[BrettM]

the orange HF bender ( http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=32888 ) like pictured above does a great job for things you mentioned like sliders and bumpers. I did my tube-bed (pipe-bed I guess) with one.

now when it comes to making roll-cages using that bender and pipe rather than tube you will find some debate. the cages above look good because the bends are nice and 1.5" schd. 40 is beefy stuff, heavy too though. It is my opinion that if you get good bends, and use GOOD pipe (very important) 1.25 schd 40 for light rigs or 1.5 schd 40 for heavy rigs will make a perfectly safe cage. cage design and welds of course play an influence.

here is an excellent pipe vs. tube debate: http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=216563
you will notice by the end many people change their opinions about pipe, including me.

[glfredrick]

I like that idea of hooking the bender to the motor stand...

I was just trying to figure out a nice stand for my one and hadn't though of doing it that way.

Way cool... :smokin:

Thanks!

[Bill usn-1]

Thanks,
Setting it on the tailgate or holding it in the air and pumping got old.
This way you can use your level to insure the bends are parallel to each other.

[BUZZISCRAZY2]

" Pipe " can save your ass and your shit........... IF built right.

My pipemobile was tied to the frame........Handled 50 + Mph roll 3-5 times. I'm still walking and the cage and frame are still straight and no bends.

I'd rather see someone use Good pipe than scrape them off the road with a shovel. Don't think that you have to have the bling for Chromo or you won't be safe.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v26/buzziscrazy2/IM000098.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v26/buzziscrazy2/IM000101.jpg

Yeah, it's repost, but maybe it'll save a life !

[Bill usn-1]

I agree.
It is better for a guy to be able to afford to build a pipe cage then not be able to afford a tubing cage and run with just a show bar or hard top!

I paid $69 for the bender and $1/ft for the pipe.
I bought 60ft of pipe for my first cage.
I go to Lowes and buy the 1/4" X 4" plate and cut to length for the feet pads.
For less than $150 I had a 6point cage in my scout.
I felt much more secure than just running a hard top.

Not everyone can afford a full tube vehicle.
So how about something they can afford so they can be a little safer out on the trail and still enjoy our passion.

Off the soap box :D

[jeepn4life]

bill sent you a PM, I am not having the same success as you with my bender... I am geting ugly 90 degree bends, i used pea gravel just like you said, pumped about once every 5 seconds or so, and I am getting the outside surface reall flat and the inner surface kinks... I just PM'd you, if you can offer some instructions I would appreciate it... Like where do you put the rollers

[glfredrick]

On mine, I figured out that you have to place the rollers about as far out as you can, even for the small bends. Mine also bends very nicely without packing the pipe with sand or pea gravel, but I do use a couple pieces of larger tube, split in half to guide the pipe on the outer rollers. That takes away the dimples.

It almost sounds like you are trying to bend thin-wall tubing instead of pipe by your descriptions of the bending process. Mine flattens out tubing pretty well, but bends pipe perfectly round.

Speed wise, I just get the piece of pipe lined up the way I want it and pump away... I don't slow down to wait for anything. The stuff just bends.

[JeepinDoug]

http://img136.exs.cx/img136/2958/rollbar_0631.jpg

The passenger rear corner is creased with multiple ripples. This is why drawn rotories are prefferred for cage work.
My personal opinion, I wouldn't wheel with this cage.
I'm not saying you didn't take care and thought in this cage, I'm not trying to flame your work. I just wouldn't trust those ripples to save my mellon.
The corner should be the strongest area but now the ripples make it the weakest.

[jeepn4life]

what size pipe... I am using 1.5" sched 40.... And for sure it just kinks like crazy if i just put it in and bend away... Now up to a 45 degree angle it is fine, but after that it is all over....