Im looking for some plans for a tubing builder i can build myself.... So far nothing i like or really havent found anything good. Just looking for plans or if anyone has good ideas. I've already looked at the JD2 stuff and used one for years but i really just need to save all the money i can right now.
A lot of neat diy stuff over at Black Jacks. Including a round tube bender made from a Ford Fiesta brake drum. http://www.thefont.info/contents.htm Esp. if you like custom bike stuff.
Thanks, looks like a neat idea using some sort of spindle and pull system. I used car rims and a hi lift jack before on a table but it was a pain and probably dangerous if it ever failed.
i built one from plans i got off ebay,, then bought a 1-5/8" tubing die set froma guy in california (affordable bender)..i use a 8ton manual pump bottle jack, works awesome with little effort,
Cool yea i like the hydraulic JD2 stuff but i dont have a big compressor just alot of strength.... Mainly be using it for thicker frame stuff maybe a roll cage or two but if i switch to chrome moly i might go ahead and get a good one cuz that stuff crinkles pretty easy.
the best plans i've found so far are from takacs cycles... http://www.gottrikes.com/Tube_Bender.htm you have to buy them but the plans are blueprinted by each part. there is also a bill of materials.. it uses the pro-tools 105 dies and components... very well designed piece... i have a pro-tools 105 bender i bought about 8-10 yrs ago, after i found the takacs cycle plans, i like the takacs plans better, and would rather build a bender like the takacs unit and then sell my 105 bender.. it would be worth it to buy the plans, i think theyre like $18.. they are worth every penny of that.. they are a quality set of blueprints with a bill of materials with part numbers and material list. if i remember correctly pro-tools has a set of plans that were free also.. also using their components... BAM!!! found the pro-tools bender plans.. http://pro-tools.com/200k.htm you have to email them and request them, but they get them to you quick and no questions asked. i still like the takacs plans better by far... i bought the pro-tools bender around 8-10 yrs ago.. if i remember correct i paid $400 for it... the week i got it, i put in 2 6point cages, 1 in a mustang, and one in a 74 stepside... it paid for itself on the first cage.. if you get a bender it will make you your money back easy IF you want it too.. i installed like 7 cages total and made $1200 on the last cage i ever did.... dont forget to get a good tubing notcher also, thats almost as important as the bender..
heres a link i found to a message thread in a 4x4 forum, many have built the takacs cycle bender, many pictures of it in action.. i read in that post somewhere its about $150 for the materials and the hydraulic ram from harbor freight.. http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=376183
Brucer speaks the truth ! Somehow I lost the p***word to my download (had my plans electronicaly delivered), and Frank Tacas Re-sent the plans within minutes of my request ! Great guy, great service, easy to follow plans... Dave
i have built my own mandrel tube bender, it was not cheap, it is hydraulic, if you do your homework you can find plans that would allow you to turn some of the benders that use a bottle jack into a mandrel bender for very little cost, in the end its the tooling that costs the most, every different size tube needs its own tooling, having said that i'm putting together an inside radius cutter for my lathe so i can make my own tooling. this bender could be made into a mandrel bender pretty easy. http://www.blindchickenracing.com/Tools/Tube Bender/Tubingbender.htm
http://www.twistedminis.com/SMF/index.php?topic=31.0 Here is a tech article about a tube bender made from plans from a guy on ebay. Lots of photos and tube bends shown.
I have converted a flat bar bender to a pull type tubing bender. i have all the work done but need a jack to run it. I am pretty sure it will work but one can never be sure til it has done some. Don
Steve Smith Motorbooks used to sell a book of plans that included lots of shop tools, includin a bender. I have a copy around here somewhere...
Slightly OT. Is there any easy way to bend exhaust tubing short of spending a fortune on a machine? Or it it just easier welding together pre bent pieces?
Thanks everyone for the Insite and to get tubing bent its best to have someone do it with a machine.....
i built my stand,, cost of 23. in metal plus my time (hour or so), 11.bux for the plans,, 150 for the die and follower.. under 200 i have a bender that bends great...i had pix in my first post i did here, even pm'd you,, but guess its to complicated for you or my posts are invisible
THe Steve Smith Book does not include plans for a bender. It does however have several useful plans for fabricating shop equipment. I have had this book probably 25 years. American Rodder did somegood articles on making your own equipment as well. I have copies of all those that the ran. Danny
@newfalconowner, Yes sir ive actually been busy looking for all kinds of ways, I figured out i would build 2 benders, One for light wall pipe for crome moly and and bending odds and ends and one for bending heavy stuff like good steel cage bars and my buddy does alot of off road stuff so skids for his projects too. I havent been trying to ignore anyone just getting all the information i can about as many different benders as i can. But yours is def a good and looks like real tight bends and could be put up out of the way easily. And all the ideas i have gotten are making my head brainstorm a ton. Actually taking everyones advice and gonna get some plans off ebay or a ch***is book my buddy found on the internet somewhere. I appreciate all the help cuz hopefully one day i will have a shop full of multi purpose tools i have built myself!!!!
Ive actually ordered some die sets and they should be here in 2 weeks to start building my bender. I have my hauling rig all in pieces and i need to make some braces for it so now is the best time to get started. And again thank you all for the ideas im gonna use them all and make my own type. I found used air/hydraulic pump for a cylinder and everything. i will post some pics later of the process of me building it too.
the takacs bender will do round tubing, chromoly or dom from 3/4 to 2inches it uses the pro-tools dies.. you also get a 30% discount on one die if you mention the takacs bender. i guess they verify your purchase of the blueprints with takacs cycles..
Cool deal i will have to check it out! Im gonna be bending square tubing for decorations and gates but i think im gonna build a roller type bender for the big stuff so soon i will have questions for that up here in a few weeks when i get this one build, try to give the specs for all of it.
The Jalopy Journal
