Tube benders

Need ideas for tube benders.  I know the ones I can buy but hoping for a more grassroots version.  Need to start building a cage 1.75” pipe. What’s everyone using?

thanks

grant 

a

Anything from the JD squared catalog, and if it needs to be done on the cheap, sell it after. 

Pete

Check out Rogue Fabrication, my buddy has their bender and notcher and he's very happy with them. We built my rock crawler with them in his shop.

I just had the affordable bender delivered.  I haven’t opened it yet but I understand the first thing i will do is bend a couple tubes then the second thing i will do is convert to air over hydraulic 

I built mine from a set of GotTrikes plans.

http://www.gwellwood.com/tools/gottrikes-tubing-bender/

Hossfeld Bender 

In reply to Patrick :

I'd be curious  how it works for you.  Like that price and that it comes with the shoes or at least one size 

I have the JD2, and I've been very impressed with it so far.  Built a stand from eBay plans with air/hydraulic power... it rolls around, and bends in the vertical plane so no need to be anchored.  Dies are the priciest part of a bender, so look at that.  

Here's a few threads to read:

Tube bender thread 1

Tube bender thread 2

Tube bender thread 3

i bought a speedway bender with 1.75" die to build the cage for the LS1-KART... pretty happy with it considering it was only $400. it wouldnt do thin wall tube thou, wrinkled thin material. 0.120" wall tube bent beautifully.

Awesome thanks for all the info!  

I've spent the past two days playing with our new CNC bender at work and love it, but the price tag on that machine was pretty decidedly un-GRM 

I'm actually really interested to see what Pat has to say about that Affordable Bender. I'm currently debating whether to buy or build a roll bar for my RX7 and that's substantially cheaper than a JD Squared. 

Furious_E said:

I've spent the past two days playing with our new CNC bender at work and love it, but the price tag on that machine was pretty decidedly un-GRM 

I'm actually really interested to see what Pat has to say about that Affordable Bender. I'm currently debating whether to buy or build a roll bar for my RX7 and that's substantially cheaper than a JD Squared. 

Ok i’ll go bend something later or tomorrow and report back, think i have some scraps.  

Furious_E said:

I'm currently debating whether to buy or build a roll bar for my RX7 and that's substantially cheaper than a JD Squared. 

It's usually cheaper just to buy a roll bar, but owning the tool is forever.  Just don't figure in what your time is worth.  Ever!  

Used name brand benders are nearly free to own other than the time it takes to buy and sell them.     

Rodan said:

Furious_E said:

I'm currently debating whether to buy or build a roll bar for my RX7 and that's substantially cheaper than a JD Squared. 

It's usually cheaper just to buy a roll bar, but owning the tool is forever.  Just don't figure in what your time is worth.  Ever!  

Exactly. Just a question of whether I want to sink the money into the tools right now.

If you buy a good quality tubing bender and dies for one or two jobs I highly doubt you will want to sell it. 

just my 0.02