Where can I get a hand tubing bender?

[tomrscott]

Where can I find an inexpensive tubing bender for steel hydraulic tubing? I would like to have one for 1/2" 3/8", and 1/4".

Harbor Freight? They're nearby.
NortherTool?
Will someone like an ACE hardware have these?

Also who stocks the tubing?
Can I order this stuff online somewhere?

I was at Columbia Hydraulic in Portland yesterday buying a pressure gauge and some fittings and such, but they didn't have any benders and were out of several fittings. After taking too much of the guy's time at closing. The price was 25% more than Bailey online after the sales guy said he knocked their pricing way down for me, about $20 extra. I think he treated me like an industrial account, full retail must be killer. He still didn't have some of the fittings I need, and I am told they're about the best hydraulic shop in Portland. Little hole in the wall, mostly a service shop. I hated to spend $20 extra, but I went ahead and paid for the parts, figured I would want some good will there one day.

They did have one big cylinder laying out in the parking lot. I didn't measure it, but it must have been 18" in diameter and 16' long.

 

[khd]

Nothern has this one on clearance and looks like a pretty good deal to me.

Tubing Bender

Tubing is another problem. I looked and looked and found it at MacMaster-Carr but was expensive. My son is a pipe fitter so he was able to get me what I needed (3 8' lengths of 1/2" stainless) at a "discount" so I didn't have to buy.

Regards,
Kevin

 

[tomrscott]

That's funny, its on clearance sale at the same time that its backordered?

That looks like a good one, a bit more than I thought I would have to spend, and it doesn't handle 1/4", and in any case it is backordered.

If I don't find something local, I may order one...

 

[beenthere]

Check out those benders that McMaster-Carr has, such as this one.
McMaster-Carr

I searched on 'tubing bender' and there was one for under $15 on page 2141.

 

[khd]

Keep in mind that steel tubing is much harder to bend than soft copper and you will need more substance in a bender for steel.

Searched e-bay and found a few but multi size benders seem to to be 1/4 5/16 and 3/8 no 1/2 i.e. e-bay bender

Price becomes a factor in multi size benders because of the different dies needed

Regards,
Kevin

 

[beenthere]

You be right there, khd
/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[DocHeb]

I don't think those "Three-in-one" Benders will handle steel tubing that is thick enough for tractor hydraulics. You will need the equivalent of a Ridgid 400 Series Bender. The Ridgid 300 series is for soft copper, the 400 and 500 series are for harder tubing. The 456 Tribender (the 1/4", 5/16", 3/8") is for soft tubing.

If you are using Flared fittings, check the flare angle. Many flaring tools for copper are 45 degree. You will need the equivalent of a Ridgid 377 to flare steel at 37 degrees.

Brand name and Generics of these show up on eBay occasionally. Unfortunately "inexpensive" is not usually an adjective for steel tubing tools.

 

[Egon]

Perhaps try a search for:

Imperial Eastman Tools

Swagelock

Both will have quality products for pressures you are talking of.

Egon

 

[Brad_Blazer]

Harbor Freight has an interesting offering in item number 45037 - a mini version of the hydraulic pipe benders.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=45037
The price is 50 and it looks like it has the dies you want.
"Bending capacity: 1/4'' to 3/4'' I.D. schedule 40 steel conduit
Bending dies: 1/4'', 3/8'', 1/2'', 3/4'' "
Of course it will be hit or miss for the store in Bend to have one.

 

[Brad_Blazer]

Oops,
I just realized the SCH 40 dies might be too big for tubing.