Wanted - Tubing Bender

[Gcraay]

I'm looking to cut off the ass end of my bike because it had a bit of a crash.
I'm looking for a tubing bender on the cheap. Something either bench top or free standing. I need to rebuild it and am trying to find one cheap. I can get one for about $100 from the local harbor freight, but I figure someone has one they used those few times and is now gathering dusty in a corner.

Send me a PM if you got what I need.

 

[Metal Wizard Machine]

You won't be doing any quality tube bends with a 100 dollar harbor freight bender. Lol

Better off having someone bend them for you.

 

[figure8]

What kind of set up would you recommend for the diy type of person?

 

[Metal Wizard Machine]

Best start would be a jd2 model 3, a stand and a die in your size.

Gonna spend $650.00 getting setup, but that's what the gear costs minimum.

You can get away using a pipe bender to bend tube (there's a big difference) but the bends are never gonna be as good as an actual tube bender (draw bender) will be.

 

[Gcraay]

You won't be doing any quality tube bends with a 100 dollar harbor freight bender. Lol

Better off having someone bend them for you.

I considered that. The issue is time. The hours I work and the area I live in give me no time to go to a local shop if there there's even one around. Im not doing a lot of bends. I guess I may need to go the harbor freight route. I see the same setup for a ton more money, and just another name on it. So I figure it's mass prooproduced and just repainted per request.

Thanks anyway.

 

[Gcraay]

That JD one sells for 295.00 the 650.00 better be a lot more dies and a pedistal.

 

[Metal Wizard Machine]

No. The 300 is for the bender. A die is about 200, and once you get the rest of the tools and stuff it adds up.

I think you'received confused on the difference between a tube bender and a pipe bender....because Harbor Freight doesn't sell a tube bender. Thus my recommendation that if you are doing just a few bends it makes more sense to have someone be done them for you.

But hey, what would I know? I only do tube bending as part of my living.

 

[Metal Wizard Machine]

Then again, depending on the bends on the frame you need it might not even be possible to do them with a bender if you want to replicate stock.

How about posting up a pic of what you need? I bet theres even a guy, maybe through this forum, that would bump a few tubes and send them your way to help out if it's something he has a die for... Just an idea...

 

[member3480]

Are you working on stock frame or Hard Tail?
If hard tail you can buy pre bent kit for a little over a $100.00
and if you are doing stock and can weld I would just fine a cheap replacement frame and cut off what you need. I have done frames from hard tail to stock again with using another frame that I bought cheap with no title.

 

[Gcraay]

No. The 300 is for the bender. A die is about 200, and once you get the rest of the tools and stuff it adds up.

I think you'received confused on the difference between a tube bender and a pipe bender....because Harbor Freight doesn't sell a tube bender. Thus my recommendation that if you are doing just a few bends it makes more sense to have someone be done them for you
But hey, what would I know? I only do tube bending as part of my living. [/QUOTE)

Then Im confused. Maybe it is the terminology. The jd unit looks pretty much like the harbor freight one. I figured the dies must be the extra cost of the 650 but I find it odd sometimes how one place tries to get so much more for something that at least seems basically the same.

http://www.harborfreight.com/compact-bender-38470.html

Trust me I know the value of spending extra for quality. I do plumbing-sh for a living. Water treatment really.

So what really is the difference?

 

[Gcraay]

My frame had a wheely crash and the ass end is bent. Luckily just behind the reinforcement brace under the seat. I was going to shorten the seat anyway so cutting will be done.
Part of this is a learning experience, so graphing in a prebuilt section takes away from the experience.

I'm going to rebuild the shock mounts to look better also.

Good idea though.

 

[Metal Wizard Machine]

Well, for starters that bender is for solid material, not tube.

Secondly, that's not a rotary draw bender.

Third, tube is measured outside pipe is inside... which is why pipe benders make less quality bends when people insist on using them to bend tube.

Fourth, that bender looks nothing like a JD2.

Fifth, that bender will actually crush tube. To not crush it will take sand packing, welding and a torch for heating. Which will run you well over the cost of a real bender.

Using the wrong tool for the job is going to make this harder to learn.

 

[neanderthal]

been a while since ive looked, but i think pro tools is a bit cheaper with there dies. it competes with the jd2. if youre not in a hurry you should just build one. still have to buy the dies though...

 

[chizler62]

Cheapest tubing bender in the world is two trees out behind the shop. You can find almost any radius you need.

 

[Metal Wizard Machine]

Cheapest tubing bender in the world is two trees out behind the shop. You can find almost any radius you need.

you can also cave the inner wall and kink a tube, have a hell of a time getting enough leverage and have a fun time trying to get repetitive bends with that method. haha

Just do it right and buy a stock frame to steal sections from if you want to get back to stock, or buy a bender to do the job right if doing non stock tube work.

 

[2eightcustoms]

I have a pro 105 that works awesome!!!

 

[Gcraay]

Then again, depending on the bends on the frame you need it might not even be possible to do them with a bender if you want to replicate stock.

How about posting up a pic of what you need? I bet theres even a guy, maybe through this forum, that would bump a few tubes and send them your way to help out if it's something he has a die for... Just an idea...

Thanks for the tip. I may just do that.

 

[Coaster Ben]

I have a 1.125 die I ordered from jd2 for my project. If you can get a pic, angles and measurements I can bend pretty much what you want for cost of tubing and $10 a bend. PM me if your'e interested.

 

[Metal Wizard Machine]

Coaster- the issue with using a jd2 die to do bends that replicate stock is that it's almost impossible to find dies that will replicate stock clr.

 

[Coaster Ben]

Very true I just assumed he would go more custom with to make it the way he wanted. But also I have the complete back half off my 75' I put on a hard tail and will sell the back half of you're interested