Pa bender...

[Pallister]

I'm looking to buy one of these benders... But I want to see just how bad of a job they do. Everyone seems to hate them... So I was wondering if someone had one I could use for a week or two? The closer to Barrie the better.

[Alfons]

They're pipe benders and do an OK job on pipe - they kink tube. I have one I used once and determined it wasn't my "cup of tea".

If you want to use it on pipe, I'll sell you one for $50 - location is Mississauga.

[JKMotorsports]

50.00 bones?
I'll take it!! PMMe!

[Alfons]

PM sent to JKMotorsports.

[EXRACER#2]

They're pipe benders and do an OK job on pipe - they kink tube. I have one I used once and determined it wasn't my "cup of tea".

If you want to use it on pipe, I'll sell you one for $50 - location is Mississauga.

They are only as good as the operator. If you have the rollers too close together or try to put too much of a bend in one location they WILL kink. You have to move the bend to radius it properly and sometimes use heat.

Even with large automated benders they will kink unless you have one with internal "gadgets" like an Eagle precision bender that keep it from collapsing or a large enough radius.

[yj guy]

I heard that if you fill the tube with sand it helps

[MayhemInc]

made this out of pipe with a PA 16 ton pipe bender, quite simple, surprized how strong it was, i'd do it again

[JoeL]

roll it yet^?

[BLACKnBLUE]

HREW tube in a pipe bender works awsome

-don't heat it or the outside of the radius will collapse in
-no need to move the tube part way through the bend
-no need to fill the tube with anything

-make your bend slowly and don't try to go any more than 90*
I've built a few cages, a full tube chassis buggy, bumpers and many other things with a PA pipe bender using HREW tube and have never had any problems.

Yes one of the cages was tested in a low speed roll and it held up fine, not even a dent. If I were driving a race car I would build a dom cage, but for offroad dom is not nessicary.

The biggest downfall of the pipe bender is that you cannot get 2 bends close together because of the roller dies.

Definately worth the money if you take your time, bend slowly and think things through before you start to build.

[cherokeepete]

I used 1.9 hrew (crew will work too) with a 2" pipe die, worked really good, it does put a few slight wrinkles but no kinks, I have yet to have one person notice it until I point it out.

[Mud Lite]

Another trick is to put a piece of flat between the rollers and the tube/pipe. A piece about 3" long x 3/4" wide x 1/8" thick. This will help stop the dimples where the rollers meet the tube/pipe.

[JoeL]

i just dont see the point, why spend $100 on a crappy PIPE bender, when for $300 you can get a good TUBE bender, and then use DOM in your cages and actually be safe

[Mud Lite]

Show me where you can buy a tube bender comptete with dies for 200.00?????

[Morpheus]

i just dont see the point, why spend $100 on a crappy PIPE bender, when for $300 you can get a good TUBE bender, and then use DOM in your cages and actually be safe

I'm so sick of this DOM debate.
Are you doing 200MPH in a race car ??
no.
Nobody has given any proof on any of the dozens of threads here, on pirate.com or any other sites that using pipe in your Jeep rollcage isn't safe. No stories. No pictures. We have researched this extensively.
We have , however, heard from one member who built a complete competition-style tube buggy using pipe and a pipe bender, as well as rock-rails, bumpers and other items. And this particular member works in a welding/fabricating business and knows his stuff.
Pipe is cheap, pipe benders are cheap, and they both are just fine for most.
DOM has it's place but is overkill for most offroaders.
Placement,configuration, frame tie-ins, gusseting and proper welding is more important that the material used.

[Canadian_Zuk]

I'm looking to buy one of these benders... But I want to see just how bad of a job they do. Everyone seems to hate them... So I was wondering if someone had one I could use for a week or two? The closer to Barrie the better.

Go get one, you won't regret it. I've been using one for a few years now. Sure I'd love a tube bender, but I can't justify the cost for the limited use it'll see. I've put together a few trucks, for myself and for a few friends. Here are pics of my very first bending project. I bent it up on the sidewalk infront of the house. No measuring devices at all, just some string and masking tape.

I'll see if I can find some pics of the others.

-CZ