Pipe bender

[pearl111]

Has anyone used the Compact (pipe) bender from Harbor freight tools. If so do you know if it can bend the pipe that that they make the Azusa mini bike frames out of. The info H.F. gives on the bender says that it will bend steel rod and steel flat bar. I don't know if it will bend pipe without cracking or tearing. thanks for any info or help.

 

[firebirdparts]

There's no way you could bend pipe with the compact bender. They do make a couple of pipe benders, the kind with a bottle jack in them. They give mixed results, I guess is the best way to put it. If you fill the pipes with sand and weld up the ends, they work better, but that's a lot of extra aggravation.

 

[pearl111]

Ok thanks I will go towards the 12 ton hydraulic pipe bender that they carry.

 

[Tom Knight]

I have the 12 ton, it doesn't like thinwall tube, so fill pipe with fine sand & drive a wood plug in there duct tape ends. worked for me.....old dog

 

[pearl111]

Thanks for the help and info.

 

[Joe-405]

My minibike is 7/8 tube FYI. I'm doing a little stretch so I had to buy some.

 

[karl]

Dont expect much more then 90 degree bends. Thickwall 7/8 works good. And getting accurate bends is tricky.

 

[Ognib]

I've been researching this for my project.
Turns out that pipe & tube are dimensionally different...a one inch pipe is 1" id...a one inch tube is 1" od...thus pipe benders are not practical for use in frames & cages which are built with tube.
These vids are pretty informative in that respect.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3n_lf2RHIPs&t=1167s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ta_c3hMqpgA&t=3s