Pipe Bending

[kweaver]

Anybody have one of these cheap pipe benders like Tractor Supply , Harbor Freight , Northern Tool ... sells and can you actually get a GOOD bend ?

because this is what I get with the rollers at ANY width position

I have GOT to get good corners even if I have to get someone to bend corners for me and mail them.

 

[eburton]

Yea KENtuck,
Had a 16ton I sent back. Thought it would do exhaust pipe then read on Northern Tools site-Not for bending exhaust pipe. For black or galvinized sch40 pipe.

 

[kweaver]

that is 40 - need it for my TOY rebuild !

 

[kide]

Considering where they're made, I guess you'd need metric sched 40... (maybe you're supposed to pack the pipe with rice???)

 

[hsimon]

Ken- try using a Hosfeld bender much more control and uses dies to keep the tube in place or if ya have an electrican friend ask to borrow his Greenlee Hydraulic Conduit Bender.

 

[kweaver]

Few ppl know this but I blew off $24k kast year and didn't buy crap for the shop. I wouldn't have a need now except I want to build this truck up to get away from the crowd. So ... now I can only afford the crap tools!

 

[kide]

Ken-
Seriously - and I know you've been at metal work a lot <u>more</u> than I have (although if yer only as old as ya said, I mighta been doin' it longer) have you tried packing damp sand in the bends?

 

[kweaver]

Kendell - we built a 3 wheeler that way once at vocational school (60hp), didn't want to do it again. Although I do still do that when I need to heat and bend PVC.

There's not much you can get me on

 

[kweaver]

I just bought one of these
http://tinyurl.com/3cdf49

 

[kweaver]

Kendell - What's your onion er I mean opinion of that bender? Looks good in the pdf he sent.

 

[kide]

I can't see a lot of detail, but it looks like enclosed style forming die that slides along the pipe or slides the pipe through. That's pretty much like the high$$ benders like the muffler shops use. I'm guessing that the problem with the open style Clarke is that all it's doing is "breaking the back" of the pipe, since there's no former to keep it in shape. Keep us posted, (kinda cute that they'll tell ya where the dies can be bought when you buy their plans.....)
I vote a possible

 

[kweaver]

I already knew where to get the dies 'cause I was reading a build up a guy in Washington did on his Toy and be bought the plans and ordered dies. That was a couple of years ago. I tried to get a little knocked off the die prices, here's the reply,"Ken, No specials currently. Demand on these is such that we're building to order. Haven't seen stock in 2 years! Just give a call and let me know what you need. Thanks, Jim"
Here's the price spread - $150 - $265 for standard dies. They only list up to 1.5". There goes my 6" DOM roll bar.

 

[kweaver]

I got my new Protools 1.250" sch. 40 bending die today!

 

[kweaver]

Started construction of the bender.

 

[aschumacher]

Ken, how you doin with your sched40 pipe bender? Been a while since u mentioned it. Suspect your Toyota rebuild now primary mission. A.

 

[kweaver]

uhhh .... it'd been better if ya hadn't asked!

I was out there one night in bad pain with my back but I had to go "play" so I welded up the frame ... backwards! Not cut it apart yet to turn it around. I was so involved in keeping it square and parallel that I never looked up at the top of it to see how I had it turned. It looks so good I hate to cut it ;(
I'll take a pic later , camera's in the house.
I've got the stump out of the Toy rear to put in a Locker and I had to order the spider gear shaft then turn around and order the 2 carrier bearings. The bearings are due in tomorrow @ a little over $80! I'm getting tired of buying parts! About to loose interest too. If I get it together and on the road I'll have Cermax in the rear and in the transfere case when I install the slower lowend gear. Taking out 2.28:1 and installing a 4.71:1. Oh and Cermax in the engine too

 

[kweaver]

the uprights with the tabs and the holes to one edge are turned 180* WRONG!!! Uh what'd ya say ? I can't hear ya, I had my head up my

and I got

in my ears.

Here's that bad race

 

[kmoe]

It sure looks pretty though. You could take it to an art gallery and put a $1500 price tag on it.

 

[kweaver]

<font size="+2">SOLD</font>

 

[kide]

Ken - cut the box sections right below the tabs and flip 'em??