[Dirk]

I was reading posts on here about how jd2 dies blow. Is it the die itself or is it the following die? I just got my bender and die not to long ago , and haven't used them yet, and i was wondering what is causing the dies to gouge the tube. Are the new dies better than the old ones? What is the best lube to put on the tube before bending so it doesn't gouge?

Do the Pro-tools bender and dies do the same?



P.s.
Who in the midwest (in or around ohio) has the best price on dom tubing?

 

[bad76ih]

It is the followers. I have 1.75 od die set and have run nothing but 1020 x .120 wall on it and wd40 as the lubricant. I haven't had to replace the followers yet (after 4 cages). I check them regularly and clean out any imperfections with file and emory cloth.

Pipe is a problem (ie, schedule 40), My friend has a pipe die set and he is replacing the followers regularly. He's using axle lube now which seems to help. Make sure the follower are install the right direction, backwards followers will be ruin in one bend (personal experience with my friends pipe die).

There is several threads that discuss this in length. Several people reported that the pro-tool dies are better. I have no first had experience with this though. I think if I had it to over again I would buy the protools heavy duty bender.

 

[brainless]

wd40 is not very good lube for bending ....
you should use any type of heavy grease ..
clean your tube and keep your die clean , also lots of grease on the backing die ...

 

[Sharp]

i have not had any issues with gouging, i use lots of white lithium grease on the backing die, and make sure that the tube is clean, i've had good luck.

 

[ROCKSFORBRAINS]

wd40 is not very good lube for bending ....
you should use any type of heavy grease ..
clean your tube and keep your die clean , also lots of grease on the backing die ...

I second this..though grease is awfully messy. Super lube is a teflon based spray that's kinda thick but easier to use and cleaner than grease. Also make sure the tubing has no large dings or surface imperfections in it - that also means no rust.
One of my JD2 dies was improperly machined and would gall pipe to beat the band, but i was able to chamfer it and still use it.
One also started to scratch the tube in a spot here recently (it was my fault- fell asleep on the bender and ran the die out past the end of the tube a bit) but I caught it early, smoothed it out with a flap wheel and it's worked fine since.

My newer dies haven't given me much trouble except in the above mentioned case- they're made a little differenty than they used to be, and maybe I'm more careful about what I put in the bender.

I do also have a couple of pro-tools dies that work fine. Pro-tools dies are harder than JD2 dies it seems.

 

[liveaxle]

Why don't tube bending manufacturers make the following die roll along the tube instead of making it slide?

Also, it seems that JD2 needs to make their dies harder, or at least at the surface.

 

[brainless]

they do make benders with roller following dies . manufacturers build the slide type ie. pro_tools 105 and jd3 to keep cost down .
pro_tools also makes the hb302 bender with roller follower .
with that said the ercolina is one of the sweetest benders you can buy for 10,000 dollars and it uses the same type of non roller friction backing die set up as jd and pro-tools . although it is made from brass ..
the question is ........ how much do you want to spend
hb302 without the pump cost 550.00

also making the backing die harder will only cause more galling

alan

Why don't tube bending manufacturers make the following die roll along the tube instead of making it slide?

Also, it seems that JD2 needs to make their dies harder, or at least at the surface.

 

[brainless]

the hb302 will only do a 90 degree bend
pro-tools has in the works to be released soon a one shot type bender like the hb302 the will do a 180 degree bend in a single stroke . look to spend between 3500-4500 dollars for it

here is another pic of the mb302

 

[Booger Weldz]

Pipe is a problem (ie, schedule 40), My friend has a pipe die set and he is replacing the followers regularly. He's using axle lube now which seems to help. Make sure the follower are install the right direction, backwards followers will be ruin in one bend (personal experience with my friends pipe die).

the pipe available around here is covered in a scaly coating?? it scratched(gouged) the jd2 dye as well...