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yet onother PIPE bender question

2K views 20 replies 13 participants last post by  VerticalTRX 
#1 ·
i want to make some sliders out of PIPE (NOT tube) and was wondering if a pipe bender will do a decent job bending pipe. i want it to look half decent, so should i make it out of some sch40 pipe or buy some tube and get someone to do it for me? my school has a shitty pipe bender so i was thinking of giving it a try.

will the bends look decent? or will they look flattened and shitty? also, will it bend anything very tight? like a 6" radius? or will i have to work with a sweep?

thanks, and please to flame me too badly

Dave
 
#2 · (Edited)
I made the sliders, rear bumper and front bumper (can't see in this pic) with a HF pipe bender.



The only way you're going to get decent bends is to weld a cap on the pipe, fill it with sand (packing it down with a broomstick or something) then weld a cap on the top end before bending it. I tried to do the 90 degree bends for the rear bumper without doing that and it wasn't even close to possible. Came out okay with the sand though.

PS. There's like a billion threads on the fawkin HF pipe bender and what people've done. Search noob! :flipoff2:
 
#4 ·
I've never had a problem, never filled with sand or anything else.





Do 3 bends. One on each side first, then the final bend between them. I usually do the first two bends with the rollers on the second hole from the end, than do the third hole with the rollers third from the end.
 
#8 ·
do you just do the 3 bends for a 180* bend? of always? those rockers look very close to what i have in mind, is that just a single press from the bender on the rockers? also what pipe is that? i assume the heavier small diameter stuff wors best, but is that just 1-1/2" sch40?

any tips on using it? other than multiple bends?

thanks

Dave
 
#9 ·
I have either the 16 or plain 12, can't remember. They're about the same other than power.

That is an awesome mailbox Nissan! Please tell me you went back and painted it so it doesnt rust away.
The metal is painted in that picture, the mailbox itself is hand hammered copper, no rusting.

do you just do the 3 bends for a 180* bend? of always? those rockers look very close to what i have in mind, is that just a single press from the bender on the rockers? also what pipe is that? i assume the heavier small diameter stuff wors best, but is that just 1-1/2" sch40?

any tips on using it? other than multiple bends?

thanks

Dave
I do the 3 bends for most everything, it's not needed for the bends like on the sliders, though. I think that was just a single shot. I'm assuming it's sch40, it's thin wall, maybe 1/8". If I remember right, it's about 1 1/4"od, so probably 1" pipe? I can look later sometime, I'm off to work right now.
 
#6 ·
The HF bender is a "pipe bender" so if you intend to bend pipe like you said. Yes it works good. If you try and use it to bend tubing you have to fill it with sand or the guys up north can cap the tubing fill it with water leave it outside to freeze solid. Then the HF bender will bend it without kinking.
 
#13 ·
nissancrawler Where did you get the oval tube in your rocker and what is is called. Looks like the perfect material for what I'm considering. If I know what it's refered to I can check with my steel guy. Size and thickness would also be appreciated. Thanks

BTW I pitty the guy who trys to take a bat to your mailbox. Have we had problems in the past hmm....
 
#14 · (Edited)
At a "scrap" yard here. They sell new metal, but it's been outside (under a roof but open walls, usually with surface rust). I get a 20 ft length of that for around $30-35, I think (it's been a while). IIRC, the size is roughly 1 3/4" x 3 1/2" x 1/8" (never put a caliper on it for thickness). I have no clue what it's called, everybody wants some.:laughing: The yard doesn't know either, they just get lots of stuff from places.

Quick mailbox breakdown:
1. garbage truck hits it with arm, rips it off 4x4 post
2. garbage truck hits it with arm, rips it off 4x4 post
3. kids knock it off
4. I ratchet strap it to post after #3, so I can get mail until the weekend. Kids come back next night and ram 4x4 wood post, sheering it off in concrete, along with the next fence post up.

5. I go batshit insane after the fourth time and use 180 lbs of steel, 650 lbs of concrete, including an 8' 4x4 3/8" wall steel post filled with concrete and surrounded by 3' of concrete about 4' deep.

6. garbage truck hits it with arm, throws arm in back of garbage truck and drives back to shop to get it welded back on

7. chick flips 20 mph u-turn on my dead end and totals a grand-am on the post one night. car leaves via rollback the next morning. Post got some spray paint.:laughing::flipoff2:

If you're really wanting some, pm me and I can grab some extra and have it shipped to you, I'm sure. I would think it would have to go in 8 ft lengths, though.
 
#19 · (Edited)
All the 'tube' work on my rig is sch. 40 A500 structural pipe bent with a HF type bender. Most all of it is 1.5" Sch. 40, which is roughly 2" OD, .145" wall. I didn't cap anything or fill it. I have the 12 ton model from Northern Tool.

Here are my sliders:



Bumper:





Bed:



There are some other pics of my 'tube' work in my build thread (shock hoops, x-member, etc):

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=460148
 
#21 ·
Be sure to use A500 or A53 Structural pipe. It is MUCH better quality than the 'black pipe' or 'iron pipe' that you would buy at Lowes or wherever. Also, always bend with the seam on the edge of the bend, not on the outside or inside.

Like I said, mine is the 12 ton Northern Tool model, not sure if its better or different than the HF model, but it works really good.
 
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