DIY Pipe bender

[Jrgunn5150]

There's a few out there, Gottrikes is popular, I have a .dwg file I can attach if I knew how, and I just found this one,

http://www.chopperhandbook.com/vertbender.htm

 

[chancer]

Search the Forum there are a couple here too.

 

[Jrgunn5150]

Do you know how I can attach a DWG? Will Photobucket host it?

 

[landuse]

Do you know how I can attach a DWG? Will Photobucket host it?

I am not too sure if you can. You could always embed it in a microsoft Word document and let that

 

[itsid]

zip the dwg and attach that (if small enough)
or just use a file host (a pic host won't do)

But frankly, it's never the bender; it's always the die..

'sid

 

[Poboy kartman]

zip the dwg and attach that (if small enough)
or just use a file host (a pic host won't do)

But frankly, it's never the bender; it's always the die..

'sid

IDK....I've known people that have been on benders long enough, that the die just came naturally!

 

[itsid]

LOL

yeah your language is kinda crap without context ..

Anywhooo...

Making a bender isn't an issue at all, a few massive length of tube, a big lever or if you want a hydraulic cylinder...
nuts and bolts....
nothing overly complicated to make even without plans.

The worst to make and most expensive part to buy of a tube or pipe bender is the die...
and a good DIY HT for that is always missing

seen one that's been okay' ish I guess..
it's been a thickwalled tube with an ID that matches the OD of the tube to bend;
cut in half lengthwise, segmented out and bend around a wooden cylinder (for the bending radius),
then welded to a set of circular plates added a few holes and tubes for the center and leverage bores...
and finally filled with concrete.

Sounds promising, but since the initial tubing was segmented
the actual groove the workpiece is forced in is nowhere near a perfectly smooth groove;
and that will likely show in the result

Ah well better than nothing, right?

'sid

 

[Poboy kartman]

I had a feeling that that may have been a little hard to decipher without English as a first language, and even some who have English as their first and only language might not get it....as being on a drunken binge isn't referred to as being on a "bender" as much as it used to be....

But....all joking aside...yep, the dies have always been the costly missing piece to DIY tubing benders.

 

[Jrgunn5150]

I suppose cost is a relative thing, to me 150 bucks for a die is quite affordable. I ordered everything for the Chopper Handbook design and it come to 275, which is pretty great for an air/hydraulic bender that can bend 90° in one pull.

Of course, there's always the HF pipe kinker that comes with a bunch of dies.

I suppose it depends on your need's and budget in the end. I buy tools that only lead me to buy other tools lol.

 

[Poboy kartman]

You know the old saying: Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day, teach a man to fish and he'll spend $20,000 on a bass boat, $10,000 on tackle, and $50 a day in gas to go to the lake and drink beer in it!

Sooooo....yeah we all gotta pay for the "tools" it takes to pursue our hobbies!

 

[itsid]

150...
cool I have yet to see a die in that pricerange around my block

triple that, yes..
double.. rarely and if, crappy!
150.. quarter section flimsy die for pipe benders ..
massive full circle tube bending dies; not around my door unfortunately

But sure, if you can get one (say for a JD style bender) for 150 then there's no point in making one.
but if ebay doesn't lie to me...
375 USD
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-3-4-OD-x-...280594?hash=item2a53117992:g:HloAAMXQJWZRCs8h
400 USD
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mandrel-Tub...369149?hash=item3d167e1e7d:g:FT8AAOSwfl9XA0HR

150 seems to be a bargain even on your continent

'sid

 

[Jrgunn5150]

I'm using this,

http://www.trick-tools.com/index/pa...+Die,+1-14+inch+OD+x+4.5+inch+CLR,+90+degrees