Anyone ever try an Affordable Bender?

[Kartorbust]

There's a company making tubing benders under the name Affordable Bender, kind of tempted to get one myself with 1" and 1 1/4" dies since that will be the most common sizes I'll be working with, maybe 1 1/2" as well just in case.

Each bender comes with 1 die for $399, but additional dies can be had looks like for $150 or so each. Uses a hydraulic bottle jack or something similar to bend the tubing.

Wondering if anyone on here has ever bought one or messed around d with them before.

Affordable Tube Benders, tube notchers, metal fabrication welding

Affordable Bender offers quality tube bender and tube bending products, tube notchers, fabrication welding services

www.affordablebender.com

 

[Sparkwizard]

Looks like a fancy electrical conduit bender. I have never seen or tried one, but I have a Harbor Freight hydraulic bender. It is terrible. I bought a Vevor manual bender last year. I like it alot. I welded it to a hitch ball adapter so I can mount it to my truck. It takes some force, but it does a good job. I also added a 6 foot piece of 1 1/2 galvanized pipe to the original handle.

 

[Kartorbust]

The body at least appears to be out of 1/4" plate. Conduit benders are not nearly as robust. I had thought about getting the rolling Harbor Freight tubing bender and doing the SWAG Offroad mods to it, but I don't know. Pro-tools and Rogue Fab are prohibitively expensive for hobbyists. Though the way my wife is talking, if this one goes well, she may want me to build a 2 seater.

 

[Master Hack]

I know ya'll know that tubing and pipe have different OD sizes, so this is a free public service announcement to remind ya'll to buy the right tool for the material ya wanna bend. Pipe and rigid conduit are the same OD and EMT (thin wall) conduit is another size.
Yer Welcome!

 

[Kartorbust]

Well aware. That's why I have been spending time converting my buggy plans to proper dimensions and tubing. Plans called for black pipe to be used, which is completely wrong. So working on getting it done up for Drawn over mandrel (DOM) tubing for the cage and a-arms.

 

[Hellion]

Affordable Bender = drinking at home

Yes, all the time.

 

[Sparkwizard]

My neighbor has one of those HF tubing rollers. He seems to really like it. I have never seen it in use, but I have seen some thing he has made with it. He said it took some learning to use it. He builds some tow bars for ski boats and accessories for trailers. I might get one to try it.

 

[ezcome-ezgo]

Affordable Bender = sadness and disappointment, perhaps even anger.

 

[Hellion]

My neighbor has one of those HF tubing rollers. He seems to really like it. I have never seen it in use, but I have seen some thing he has made with it. He said it took some learning to use it. He builds some tow bars for ski boats and accessories for trailers. I might get one to try it.

Time to pay him a visit and ask for a demonstration. Bring some bender material...

 

[Sparkwizard]

I already know he won't let me borrow it, but maybe he will give me a lesson, knowing I may buy one.

 

[Kartorbust]

Looks like they just updated the design

https://www.harborfreight.com/2-in-manual-roll-bender-71119.html

 

[Hellion]

Looks like they just updated the design

https://www.harborfreight.com/2-in-manual-roll-bender-71119.html

View attachment 164125

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

 

[Kartorbust]

I mean is it any worse than the previous design?

 

[Functional Artist]

Plans called for black pipe to be used, which is completely wrong.

Hey Kartorbust,

Why do you consider black pipe to be "completely wrong" for constructing a go kart frame?

Almost ALL of my (20+) custom karts are made outta plain 'ol water pipe (black pipe)
...& haven't had any issues (frame failures)

I agree "real" steel tube (as opposed to steel pipe) is structurally stronger
...&/also, much lighter, than steel pipe
But
Steel water pipe seems to be
...strong enough for use as go kart frames
...is a lot easier to source (ya can get it at most any hardware store...in the world)
...cost less (sometime 1/2 the cost of DOM tube)
...& is easier to "work with" for the average DIY'er (like, having thicker walls are easier to weld & not burn thru)

I'ma NOT tryin' ta give you a "hard time"...just wonderin'

 

[Sparkwizard]

Plus, those in need can use all those threaded connectors from the local plumbing supply!

 

[Master Hack]

HREW tubing is plenty strong as well. While DOM is mo bedder, HREW is significantly le$$ mooola. I have built a few roll cages from HREW on some heavy pigs. They held up well to unintended field testing.
The end use of the vehicle is a big factor in material choice. A weld failure is far more likely than material failure, from my few years off road experience.
(‘specialy on my junk)
DOM comes with “peace of mind” while HREW will work just fine.
I’m not a fan of water pipe, but it works well for some.
Regardless of material choice, remember size DOES matter!

 

[Kartorbust]

Pipe isn't structural and weighs more than tubing. The dimensions are also different with pipe being measured by inside diameter vs outside of tube. Pipe also isn't ment to flex, just ment to move a fluid or gas through it. ERW might be fine, but I don't want to compromise my safety and wellbeing on a cage made with a seam. The square tubing, I don't have much of a choice in that manner, but that should he fine, long as the seam is in the correct location.

 

[Sparkwizard]

Before I got a bender, I used a bandsaw and a MIG welder to miter quite a few offroad frames together using 1.5 inch mild steel square tubing.
That was long time ago, and most are still being used.

 

[Kartorbust]

Could be worse, could be dropping money on Docol R8 tubing or 4130 chromoly, at least price wise. R8 would be nice since it requores no pres-heat and is fine with wire feed welding.

 

[Functional Artist]

Pipe isn't structural and weighs more than tubing. The dimensions are also different with pipe being measured by inside diameter vs outside of tube. Pipe also isn't ment to flex, just ment to move a fluid or gas through it. ERW might be fine, but I don't want to compromise my safety and wellbeing on a cage made with a seam. The square tubing, I don't have much of a choice in that manner, but that should he fine, long as the seam is in the correct location.

Yup, I agree DOM & Chrome moly are the superior choices

So, more like a "not the ideal" material
...as opposed to "completely wrong"

HREW tubing is plenty strong as well. While DOM is mo bedder, HREW is significantly le$$ mooola. I have built a few roll cages from HREW on some heavy pigs. They held up well to unintended field testing.
The end use of the vehicle is a big factor in material choice. A weld failure is far more likely than material failure, from my few years off road experience.
(‘specialy on my junk)
DOM comes with “peace of mind” while HREW will work just fine.
I’m not a fan of water pipe, but it works well for some.
Regardless of material choice, remember size DOES matter!

Hey T,

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

It's shown & described in this thread (starting at post #34)
https://www.diygokarts.com/communit...ectrathon-racer-47-t-for-victory.48753/page-2