4shorts
Elite Member
Thanks. It took me a month to build that after hours but its been great. Here's a vid of the build. The shop is getting an expansion next summer but its comfortable and warm. I like warm :laughing:
welding trailer - YouTube
Pipe bender
- Thread starter Jesse masterson
- Start date
- Views: 16423
Thanks. It took me a month to build that after hours but its been great. Here's a vid of the build. The shop is getting an expansion next summer but its comfortable and warm. I like warm :laughing:
welding trailer - YouTube
You aren't kidding. 4shorts may be a mere man, but he is very accomplished. I'd dare say the Chuck Norris of fabrication.:thumbsup:
4shorts
Elite Member
Don't believe him cqaigy2. He's on our payroll :laughing:
Aw hodge your just to kind my friend
Kind, maybe, but definitely truthful. While your mantra about excellence is correct, you have a gift. It is more evident than even a drive for excellence. So, you deserve credit where it is due. I don't like to put people up on a pedestal- we all have our gifts, our temptations, or strengths and weaknesses. But, at the same time, if someone excells, they deserve to be recognized. So, I hope that you realize where I come from. I haven't built an alter to you, but I do get joy out of seeing what you accomplish. So do many others.
OP
Jesse masterson
Platinum Member
Hey for shorts, Did you fabricate the motorcycle too. Lol. Excellent job!
4shorts
Elite Member
Yes The trailer on the back of the bike but not that bike BUT I restored these :cool2:
Thanks
The bike collection - YouTube
Sfrankland
Silver Member
Here is a set of plans that you can build for fairly cheap. Lots of good feedback on them and lots of videos of built units on YouTube.
Tube_Bender
Tube_Bender
billybobjimmyjoejack
Silver Member
- Joined
- Aug 16, 2011
- Messages
- 151
- Tractor
- Ford/New Holland 1715
I wonder how expensive the die sets will be once you build the bender.
crazyal
Super Member
I hand one of the HF 12 ton pipe benders given to me, I wouldn't recommend one. I did use the hydraulic cylinder though to make a pipe bender. I bought a set of dies for 1 3/4" tubing for a little under $200. When I get a chance I'm going to rework it so I can use my shop press. It was pretty easy to do. I think I made it too heavy duty though.
mikehaugen
Elite Member
This is the set of plans that I bought, about a year ago. I haven't gotten around to building yet mainly because one of the projects that I wanted it for kinda got cancelled. Very nicely laid out plans though and seems like the bender will work well.
If I remember right, he used to have the die prices on his website. I can't find them now, but I want to say they were from about $150 for the smaller to about $350ish for the larger ones.
JDskidder
Member
I have purchased a few things from Troy at swag offroad and I can vouch for his quality of work. Been eyeballing the Harbor Freight tubing roller mods he lists here for a while now, but I can't seem to pull the trigger. Maybe it's in your price range though Metal Fabrication Tools
There's also this page documenting a nice build similar to the got trikes version posted earlier. Tubing Bender
Everett
There's also this page documenting a nice build similar to the got trikes version posted earlier. Tubing Bender
Everett
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a couple years ago i went to buy a 12 ton harbor freight shop press i found on craigslist for $65. the guy also ended up selling me a 12 ton pipe bender he had for $35. not that i really needed it at the time, but it seemed like too good of a deal to pass up. i finally had the chance to use it last winter - building a drop hitch bumper for a snowmobile.
apparently i'm doing something wrong when i do it... long before i got to a 90 degree bend the pipe wall started to squish flat and then bend tight. i'm sure that i'm not the only one who has had this result, so i ask: what's the trick to making a good 90 degree bend with one of these?
by the way, sorry to hijack, but if there's an answer out there, maybe it will help you too.
apparently i'm doing something wrong when i do it... long before i got to a 90 degree bend the pipe wall started to squish flat and then bend tight. i'm sure that i'm not the only one who has had this result, so i ask: what's the trick to making a good 90 degree bend with one of these?
by the way, sorry to hijack, but if there's an answer out there, maybe it will help you too.
Do you have the manual, and have all the right pieces in the right places for your pipe size?
http://manuals.harborfreight.com/manuals/32000-32999/32888.pdf
Bruce
http://manuals.harborfreight.com/manuals/32000-32999/32888.pdf
Bruce
4shorts
Elite Member
I think the trick is to have the rollers and their pins in the right locations. If they aren't in the right location you will end up attempting to make too sharp of a bend which results in a crushed pipe. I used the 16 ton model many times with great success. I even used it to bend the pipe for the light bar on my tractor.
crazyal
Super Member
That second link uses the same dies as the bender I made uses, Pro-Tools. I used the "One Shot" dies and made a copy of the HB 302 Hydraulic bender. I have a tripod stand made out of pipe to support it and it bends horizontally and you don't have to kneel down. I have a few jack stands to support the length of pipe. It's been a few years since I was into racing and needed it but my step brother used it a year or so ago for a Suzuki. The bottle jacks will work on their side, you just need to put the "hand pump" at the bottom so it always has oil. My plan was to buy a 15 ton Enerpac cylinder off ebay but now I've got a shop press which has air power. I didn't bother making a bending gauge but would suggest doing so as it is a nice feature.
BHD
Veteran Member
I would think the pipe type or steel properties may make a huge difference in how it bends, (to my under standing the exhaust tubing is a special pipe made to be used with the benders), there is plain steel pipe one can buy at the auto parts store, and it feels and looks different, but I have been told it will not bend properly where the pipe they buy for the benders make a very nice bend,
kinda like tying to bend hard copper pipe it not going to work well very often,
and I would guess that a $100 bender is not as good as a $5000 bender would be, the dies on the tubing bender cost more than the whole set from HF,
my guess is a lot is the pipe used and it steel make up, is a lot to getting a good bend, they also say do not bend tubing on the HF bender, and when you stretch pipe it most likely will flatten out some same say fill with sand,
kinda like tying to bend hard copper pipe it not going to work well very often,
and I would guess that a $100 bender is not as good as a $5000 bender would be, the dies on the tubing bender cost more than the whole set from HF,
my guess is a lot is the pipe used and it steel make up, is a lot to getting a good bend, they also say do not bend tubing on the HF bender, and when you stretch pipe it most likely will flatten out some same say fill with sand,
crazyal
Super Member
The dies make the difference. Pro tools sell dies for sched 40 pipe but I think they only go up to 1 1/2".
4shorts
Elite Member
I picked up an Enerpac system at auction some years ago and made a press out of it. I can remove it from the press and use it for just about anything including a pipe bender. You should price the 120 volt Enerpac pump and cylinder OUCH
I got mine for two hundred bucks
BIG DOOLEY
Platinum Member
If in fact he has plans on pushing or there it a likelyhood of some light pushing scrap the idea about sched. 40 and use sched. 80.
The heavier and larger diameter the larger the radius of bends also.
Not sure what you want it to look like.
For the grapple bar support on my bucket I used sched. 80
you can buy weldable caps, tee's, 90's... also check ebay for maybe for lower prices
Square tube might be another option.
