Anyone ever try an Affordable Bender?

[Master Hack]

Many I've seen where many folks use HREW on full-size, race car, roll cages

Also, FYI:
I got (1) of them "cheap" (~$100.00) Steel Tube Benders, a few years back
...but, the wise 'ol Chinese "goofballs" who made it, labeled, it a Pipe bender

Only the builder/operator can decide on what to use, obviously. We use whats we can afford, fits our needs and can be massaged into what we want with the tools/processes available to us.
I use DOM all the time, but i scored a bunch for scrap price.
We are mostly backyard fabricators,
without axcess to exotic materials and processes. Make a bad choice and ya will get an instant education! Most of us use the "it aint done til its overdone." principal. Nuthin wromg with that.
My $100 score:

 

[Kartorbust]

But if the fabricator is asking for advice, rather give them solid advice to work with. End of the day, up to them what they get. Definitely not recommending people use conduit...think a few have on here.

 

[Master Hack]

You dont sound like your need advice, yer a man with a plan. Discussing alternate materials and methods benefits the youngn's and the less experienced among us, so an occasional re hash of the basics is a good thing.

 

[Kartorbust]

Yeah well the plans were wrong so re-working them with the correct materials to better suit my needs, kind of got me on a bit of a kick. I think some of it was bad conversions from metric to standard and getting measurements mixed around when describing pipe and tubing.

Tubing benders do seem to be more expensive than pipe benders but they are not universal...not without modifications to making compromises. I remember poking around years ago when people said, the best way to avoid kinks while bending tubing would be to pack it full of sand and cap off then ends. Never tried it myself.

 

[Sparkwizard]

I worked in muffler shops for quite a while. We always had that big, hydraulic bender in the middle of the shop and we used it every day. we could all bend custom pipes to go under a car pretty much by looking and estimating, then tweaking it after we tried to fit them .
We had dies for 1.5-3 inch exhaust TUBING. I tried bending other stuff, but no workie.
I bent a couple of benches, a picnic table and they lasted a long time, so I bought some 1.5 inch, 14 ga aluminized exhaust pipe and bent up a sand rail frame. Mid engine, seat behind the axle, solid front axle on a trailer leaf spring. Briggs V twin and a Peerless 5 speed with reverse.
It was slow, but it pulled a trailer full of gas, tools and chains to support the faster guys for over 4 years on some serios sand trails.

 

[Master Hack]

plans are only suggestions, adapt and overcome!
Known as empirical engineering!

l bought a unaffordable pro tools bender 25 years ago when i had a job. l'm glad l have it but to buy it today would be difficult at best!

 

[panchothedog]

Wow, it looks kinda high tech and not the way I imagined. Kinda flimsy from this angle.

My thoughts exactly. I think the only tube benders I've seen were in muffler shops. The steel on that thing just doesn't look thick enough to handle real steel tubing. I wonder if in their Chinglish translation, they didn't mix up electrical conduit with tubing bender.

 

[Sparkwizard]

Does anybody watch Carsandcameras on You Tube? They have what looks like an awesome bender that uses compressed air.
I don't recall seeing a name on it, but I will pay attention next time I see it.

 

[Kartorbust]

Does anybody watch Carsandcameras on You Tube? They have what looks like an awesome bender that uses compressed air.
I don't recall seeing a name on it, but I will pay attention next time I see it.

I do most of the time. They have a Rogue Fab bender. Weld it yourself kit starts just under $800...requires a compressor to run.

 

[Master Hack]

awesome bender that uses compressed air.

That must be air over hydraulic. They use an air operated hydraulic pump.
An air compressor can not make enough pressure alone. Nice setup, the only effort required is stepping on a pedal.

 

[Master Hack]

Air/Over Single Acting Hydraulic Pump with Foot Treadle Actuator

Air/Over Single Acting Hydraulic Pump with Foot Treadle Actuator run 15% faster than the industry standard! Shop now or call 414-988-6202

powerxinternational.com

cheaper ones exist.