hey all, im new to this board.

anyhow, have some questions.

i have a '84 toyota pickup and want to build a tube flatbed and maybe an inner or exo-cage for my truck. ive never used round tubing, only square and have some questions.

1.) what size to use? i firgured 1.5'' OD with .18 or .125 wall thickness.

2.) do you NEED a tubing bender to bend round tubing? those things are DAMN expensive. I have an Oxy-A torch, can you just heat and bend or does that crimp the tubing?

3.) is DOM tubing really worth extra money? i dont really see a big problem with welded tubing. does anyone else here use welded tubing?

thanks in advance

Originally posted by SkaerE
hey all, im new to this board.

anyhow, have some questions.

i have a '84 toyota pickup and want to build a tube flatbed and maybe an inner or exo-cage for my truck. ive never used round tubing, only square and have some questions.

1.) what size to use? i firgured 1.5'' OD with .18 or .125 wall thickness.

2.) do you NEED a tubing bender to bend round tubing? those things are DAMN expensive. I have an Oxy-A torch, can you just heat and bend or does that crimp the tubing?

3.) is DOM tubing really worth extra money? i dont really see a big problem with welded tubing. does anyone else here use welded tubing?

thanks in advance



2) Yes you need a bender.

3) You don't have to use DOM. Lots of people here use HREW. Really comes down to personal preference.

Where are you in Virginia??

im in SW Virginia, just south of Roanoke.

did some searching here, what about Schedule 40 pipe for my flatbed? seems a cheap alternative that will work for what i need it for?

1.) can you use a tubing bender to bend schedule 40 or 80 pipe?

2.) can you weld schedule 40 or 80 pipe just the same as tubing of the same thickness? (ie, is it mild steel?)

thanks again

Originally posted by SkaerE
im in SW Virginia, just south of Roanoke.

did some searching here, what about Schedule 40 pipe for my flatbed? seems a cheap alternative that will work for what i need it for?

1.) can you use a tubing bender to bend schedule 40 or 80 pipe?

2.) can you weld schedule 40 or 80 pipe just the same as tubing of the same thickness? (ie, is it mild steel?)

thanks again

1) If you get the right die based on the actual OD of the pipe then it will work. But pipe is not sized based on OD so you'll have to figure out which size you want to use, measure the OD of it and then buy a die based on that.

2) You can weld it just the same.