tube bending with harbor freight!?!

[N-Smooth]

i got a harbor freight bender a while ago and i am just now trying to figure it out! this thing is complicated when it shouldn't be! anyway, i am sure that a few of you guys at least have this bender (at least i hope so) and i would like some advice. i have read the tube bending 101 article at pirate4x4 and it helped a little but i am still puzzled. i am trying to figure out where the bends start/end on a 90 like the article says, but i can't really find it. i am using 2" tube right now.
let me know if you have those measurements or you have a better way to do it (with this bender).
the bender is just a bottle-jack inside of a little frame and of course it is orange.
thanks for any advice
-nate

 

[spencurai]

are you using DOM steel or plumbing pipe?

what are you building?

if you want to build a rollcage you just bought the worst bender on the market.

if you are using plumbing pipe, you just bought the worst pipe on the market.

if you bought DOM to use in the HF bender, have fun....every bend will be weak and probably fail in the event of a roll over....

if you just want to build bumpers...it is still the biggest pain in the butt bender I have ever used!! do yourself a favor and get your money back and save for that JD2.

 

[Herzog]

Exactly what Spence said. Sorry dude.

 

[James K]

EXACTLY what spence said.

The jd2 is worth the money.

 

[N-Smooth]

i was toying around with some 2" sch 40 today.
whats the jd2? i want a freakin tubeshark!!! i am building rollcage/bumpers. other benders are so expensive but i would love to have a nicer one and try to sell this one for a few bucks to some sucker (like me)...lol
nate

 

[Hickey]

A JD2 is like the tube shark, only it is affordable. www.vansantent.com

 

[Skyetone]

if you are bending with the HF do three bends for every bend. space them out about 1-2" apart. otherwise your 90 will just be ^ LOL

 

[spencurai]

Originally posted by xj_punk
i was toying around with some 2" sch 40 today.
whats the jd2? i want a freakin tubeshark!!! i am building rollcage/bumpers. other benders are so expensive but i would love to have a nicer one and try to sell this one for a few bucks to some sucker (like me)...lol
nate

for your own safety...please use the HF bender only for bumpers....the rollcage may save your frickin life and you don't trust sewer pipe do you?!?

 

[N-Smooth]

which one is the jd2? i am seeing a model 3,4 and 6.
thanks
nate

 

[Herzog]

Yeah, JD2 Model 3.

 

[Hickey]

Originally posted by spencurai


for your own safety...please use the HF bender only for bumpers....the rollcage may save your frickin life and you don't trust sewer pipe do you?!?

Actually Spence, Sewer pipe holds up quite well, it just looks like ass.

 

[N-Smooth]

so basically if i buy it now i will get the bender and degree ring, floor pedestal, magnetic base pointer, and CNC machined handle for $400 and then if i only get a 2" round die i am in another $225! so that would total $625 plus tax! holy crap that is a lot of money.
is it worth it? i mean this thing had better be pretty easy to use and really accurate for that much money (there are a lot more expensive ones though). do you guys all use it?
nate

 

[Hickey]

you can save money by making your own pedastal, don't buy their handle either, it just uses common steel. Do we all use it? No not all of us, but that only cuz we don't have one yet.

 

[spencurai]

Originally posted by xj_punk
so basically if i buy it now i will get the bender and degree ring, floor pedestal, magnetic base pointer, and CNC machined handle for $400 and then if i only get a 2" round die i am in another $225! so that would total $625 plus tax! holy crap that is a lot of money.
is it worth it? i mean this thing had better be pretty easy to use and really accurate for that much money (there are a lot more expensive ones though). do you guys all use it?
nate

just have someone make your cage for you. If you catch a 4X4 shop at a slow hour, you can get a great discount. I know factory tubular was doing a sale a while back. call around!!


as for sewer pipe....I know it is tuff stuff because I have made some bumpers out of it and made some bends with it but DOM or HREW is just that much safer....and more expensive all around!!

 

[Hickey]

Originally posted by spencurai
I know it is tuff stuff because I have made some bumpers out of it and made some bends with it but DOM or HREW is just that much safer....

How do you KNOW it is safer? And why?

 

[spencurai]

Originally posted by Jeremy
How do you KNOW it is safer? And why?

because it is stronger and you have never heard of a nascar chassis built out of sewer pipe.

 

[Hickey]

Tell me why it's stronger Spence. And as far as nascar is concerned, the high speeds they operate at require a material that will ABSORB energy on impact IE,crush/bend/stretch. That is why ythey do not use pipe. When you hit a wall at 200 MPH, you don't want to stop, you want to slow down and absorb energy.

 

[N-Smooth]

i don't want to have a shop make my cage for me, there is no pride in that. i would rather work another job just to make the extra money to buy the bender so i can make my own cage. i don't care if it takes more time. i am building my rig not somebody else. you know what i mean? and besides that, once i make the cage for my cherokee then i get to make a cage for my samurai. sounds like fun ehhh?
i will probably just use a friend's bender or something. or i know a few muffler shops and they have some pretty tough benders that they might just let me use for free or cheap. but i am going to do it.
i could just buy the bender but i am in debt about 5k for my jeep project (worth every penny) so i will probably wait until i get that paid.
i made a couple bends in the sch 40 with my bender and they don't look bad. maybe i will post pics. what is the best tube to use than? i have heard a lot of opinions.
nate

 

[Hickey]

Use DOM or HREW, do NOT use a muffler pipe bender, they put a large indent on the inside of the bend, which will be weak, not to mention people will make fun of you. Do an extensive search on Pirate, it will be long, but this is an important topic to learn.

 

[spencurai]

richard petty said so!






there is a lot of good stuff in this thread on POR. The overall tensil strength of the steel is better. The finish and consisntency is better. It is easier to work with.

Will you ever be able to tell the difference, probably not.

Will we ever get to the point where we would test a cage made out of pipe instead of tube? probably not.

if you design it right your pipe will hold up just fine.

If you are starting with a cheap mentality, you probably don't have the technical know-how to make a well designed cage out of cheap material...

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=133117&highlight=HREW

Jeremy put it straight...this is an important thing to study and get right the first time....I am learning right now too so don't worry....