Tube Bender Designs
On the path of an inexpensive tube bender (...Not a Pipe Bender)
Tube Bender Designs | Building a Tube Bender | Bend-O-Matic Plans
So I'm building my 4x4 Mud Racer and I need to bend some tubes for the bar work... I could take the tubes to be bent elsewhere I guess but that's a big pain in the arse. Or perhaps buy a tube bender but they don't leave much change from US$500 for the very cheapest, so instead I decide to build my own. First step is to have a look around on the internet and see what's available and how it works so I can rip it off myself.
I started out searching for pipe benders but very soon learned that there is a difference between pipe and tube and that I want to use tube. Generally pipe is a heavier gauge and is measured from the Inside Diameter (I.D.), where as tubing is measured from the Outside Diameter (O.D.) So a pipe bender with 1", 1 1/4", 1 1/2" and 2" dies is for pipe of that I.D., which has O.D. measurements of 1 3/8", 1 5/8", 1 7/8" and 2 3/8" respectively. Even if you get tube to suit the bender dies apparently they don't work very well because they are designed for the heavier gauge pipe and are likely to wrinkle or crush the thinner tubing. Anyway that's just what I've read around the place maybe its true, maybe not... if anyone has tried, and knows, drop me a line at thebackshed@westnet.com.au and let me know how it went.
Update: Got an email from Tom who said he tried bending 1.75" Dia 0.120" Wall DOM tubing with one of these and it kinked every time.
So that rules out anything cheap and easy like this bender from Harbor Freight tools.
|
Harbor Freight Tools
Bends 6 different diameter pipes from 1/2" to 2". US$99.99 |
Looking around a bit more (for tube benders now) I came up with 4 benders I liked the look of. These are generally the lower end cheaper models that are available but still good looking benders.
Dies for round tube
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1" x 5" radius
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1 1/4" x 5" radius
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1 3/8" x 5" radius
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1 1/2" x 7" radius
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1 5/8" x 7" radius
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1 3/4" x 7" radius
Complete Bender with one Die Set ----- US$495.00
Model 3 Bender
|
Outside Diameter
|
Centre Line Radius
|
Min. Wall
|
|
25.4mm (1")
|
76.2mm (3")
|
1.47mm (0.058")
|
|
25.4mm (1")
|
88.9mm (3.5")
|
1.47mm (0.058")
|
|
25.4mm (1")
|
114.3mm (4.5")
|
1.47mm (0.058")
|
|
28.6mm (1-1/8")
|
88.9mm (3.5")
|
2.11mm (0.083")
|
|
28.6mm (1-1/8") |
114.3mm (4.5") |
1.47mm (0.058") |
|
31.8mm (1-1/4") |
88.9mm (3.5") |
2.11mm (0.083") |
|
31.8mm (1-1/4") |
114.3mm (4.5") |
1.47mm (0.058") |
|
31.8mm (1-1/4") |
139.7mm (5.5") |
1.47mm (0.058") |
|
34.9mm (1-3/8") |
114.3mm (4.5") |
2.41mm (0.095") |
|
34.9mm (1-3/8") |
139.7mm (5.5") |
2.11mm (0.083") |
|
34.9mm (1-3/8") |
165.1mm (6.5") |
1.47mm (0.058") |
|
38.1mm (1-1/2") |
114.3mm (4.5") |
2.41mm (0.095") |
|
38.1mm (1-1/2") |
139.7mm (5.5") |
2.11mm (0.083") |
|
38.1mm (1-1/2") |
165.1mm (6.5") |
1.47mm (0.058") |
|
41.3mm (1-5/8") |
139.7mm (5.5") |
2.11mm (0.083") |
|
41.3mm (1-5/8") |
165.1mm (6.5") |
2.11mm (0.083") |
|
44.5mm (1-3/4") |
139.7mm (5.5") |
2.41mm (0.095") |
|
44.5mm (1-3/4") |
165.1mm (6.5") |
2.11mm (0.083") |
|
47.6mm (1-7/8") |
165.1mm (6.5") |
2.41mm (0.095") |
|
50.8mm (2") |
165.1mm (6.5") |
2.41mm (0.095") |
Model 3 Bender (without dies): US$235
(Dies in the 1.5" - 2" range cost about US$200 each)
HMP-200 Bender
|
Outside Diameter
|
Centre Line Radius
|
Min. Wall
DOM-4130 |
Max. Wall
DOM-4130 |
|
25.4mm (1") |
76.2mm (3") |
1.65mm (0.065") |
3.40mm (0.134") |
|
25.4mm (1") |
88.9mm (3.5") |
1.47mm (0.058") |
3.40mm (0.134") |
|
25.4mm (1") |
101.6mm (4") |
1.47mm (0.058") |
3.40mm (0.134") |
|
25.4mm (1") |
114.3mm (4.5") |
1.47mm (0.058") |
3.40mm (0.134") |
|
28.6mm (1-1/8") |
76.2mm (3") |
2.41mm (0.095") |
3.40mm (0.134") |
|
28.6mm (1-1/8") |
88.9mm (3.5") |
2.11mm (0.083") |
3.40mm (0.134") |
|
28.6mm (1-1/8") |
101.6mm (4") |
1.65mm (0.065") |
3.40mm (0.134") |
|
28.6mm (1-1/8") |
114.3mm (4.5") |
1.47mm (0.058") |
3.40mm (0.134") |
|
31.8mm (1-1/4") |
101.6mm (4") |
2.11mm (0.083") |
3.40mm (0.134") |
|
31.8mm (1-1/4") |
114.3mm (4.5") |
2.11mm (0.083") |
3.40mm (0.134") |
|
31.8mm (1-1/4") |
127.0mm (5") |
1.65mm (0.065") |
3.40mm (0.134") |
|
31.8mm (1-1/4") |
152.4mm (6") |
1.47mm (0.058") |
3.40mm (0.134") |
|
34.9mm (1-3/8") |
114.3mm (4.5") |
2.41mm (0.095") |
3.40mm (0.134") |
|
34.9mm (1-3/8") |
127.0mm (5") |
2.11mm (0.083") |
3.40mm (0.134") |
|
34.9mm (1-3/8") |
152.4mm (6") |
1.65mm (0.065") |
3.40mm (0.134") |
|
38.1mm (1-1/2") |
114.3mm (4.5") |
2.41mm (0.095") |
3.40mm (0.134") |
|
38.1mm (1-1/2") |
127.0mm (5") |
2.41mm (0.095") |
3.40mm (0.134") |
|
38.1mm (1-1/2") |
152.4mm (6") |
2.11mm (0.083") |
3.40mm (0.134") |
|
38.1mm (1-1/2") |
177.8mm (7") |
1.65mm (0.065") |
3.40mm (0.134") |
|
41.3mm (1-5/8") |
152.4mm (6") |
2.41mm (0.095") |
3.40mm (0.134") |
|
41.3mm (1-5/8") |
177.8mm (7") |
2.11mm (0.083") |
3.40mm (0.134") |
|
41.3mm (1-5/8") |
203.2mm (8") |
1.65mm (0.065") |
3.40mm (0.134") |
|
44.5mm (1-3/4") |
152.4mm (6") |
2.41mm (0.095") |
3.40mm (0.134") |
|
44.5mm (1-3/4") |
177.8mm (7") |
2.11mm (0.083") |
3.40mm (0.134") |
|
44.5mm (1-3/4") |
203.2mm (8") |
1.65mm (0.065") |
3.40mm (0.134") |
|
50.8mm (2") |
152.4mm (6") |
3.05mm (0.120") |
3.40mm (0.134") |
|
50.8mm (2") |
177.8mm (7") |
2.41mm (0.095") |
3.40mm (0.134") |
|
50.8mm (2") |
203.2mm (8") |
2.41mm (0.095") |
3.40mm (0.134") |
HMP-200 Bender (without dies): US$495
(Dies in the 1.5" - 2" range cost about US$250 each)
DIY Bender
This tube bender was built by a guy for his buggy workshop using the Pro-Tools dies listed above. It's basically just a variation on the Pro-Tools bender but I think it looks a little better myself, and is considerably cheaper. According to this guy he spent US$300-325 making the whole thing, probably including about US$200 (my guess not his) for the 1.5"die set and stuff from Pro-Tools.
Next >>> Building a Tube Bender