CHASSIS GUYS, New bender purchase HELP...

Need some help here fellows,
I need to purchase a floor mount tubing bender for doing chassis work, and building roll cages. I need to be able to bend steel, and aluminum tube, large or small diameter. I DO NOT BUY JUNK, with that said I do not have endless funds to buy hydraulic type benders. All or any input would be great!

Thank your for time!!!

RJ

Something like this..

 

I have never had any problems with my JD Squared bender.

 

I also have a JD squared. Works great, I converted mine to work with a long ram hydraulic hand pump. Max dia if i remember is 2". I use mine for rollcage work.... 1 5/8 and 1 3/4. Mine was originally a manual bender, I converted to hydraulic hand pump as soon as I bought because I had the ram left over from a bender that did not bend tube, it wrinkled tube. Did a round-tube rear chassis and full cage on a 69 Camaro, real nice bends. The different die sets can quickly add up as far as cost though. That's why I only have the two sizes.

There is actually another benefit to my ram conversion. My bender just lays on the floor (I can move it anywhere I want because the ram and the bender are one unit) as opposed to being mounted on a stand. I can draw out the dimensions for the cage parts on the floor using chalk and then just bend my tube to fit inside the lines on the ground...works fantastic. This also means that my bender is totally portable.

 

JD 2 good machine resonable price buy die package and save some cheese !!​

 

One like this?

 

All good stuff...

Thanks again guys!!!!

RJ

 

I have that one. I have done all the way up to 2" X .250"wall.

 

TTT, Anyone one else.. I know there are some HIGHLY skilled fellow..

Thank you,

RJ

 

Can't go wrong with a JD2 bender.

 

the Baileigh is not much different than the JD in concept, either is a great bender. I use a JD now, I would consider the Baileigh for my own purchase with the ratchet workings it has.

 

Had my JD2 for 15 years, still does the job very well.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJlmGTO3OTU

This will bend the larger tubing without a huge extension bar, plus it will not bend the bender arms. Might want to consider that when purchasing a bender.

 

Lots of good benders out there nowadays...But Hossfeld is one of the oldest.
Their design probably goes back to the 1930's and they still make them today.
Hundreds of dies are available and another company(American Bender?) builds a clone for a little less money.

 

I have the JD squared model 32 bender like pictured above. I like the anti spring back features of the lower jaw and the pin that follows along the die. Look at those two improvements and you will see what I mean.

I was working on this tonight with it.

 

i have the JD2 also.. had it for about 5 years and did a hydro kit and it had to be the best thing iv ever done with any of my tools. no more bolting down and unbolting and i can bend a 70 degree bend without moving any pins.

for a couple years i had a trailer hitch mount for it... it worked good and was mobile.

 

low cost budget, try this one

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1-3-4-Roll-Cage-Tube-Bender-made-by-Affordable-Bender_W0QQitemZ150440206000QQihZ005QQcategoryZ35625QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp4340.m444QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DCRX%26its%3DC%252BS%26itu%3DSI%252BUA%252BLM%252BLA%26otn%3D5%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D8060701415634351529

 

X51 on the JD2. Seven years, running strong, no signs of wear, and I use it weekly.

I have bent up to 1-3/4" x .250" wall, with some effort, but easily enough.

It has made me a ton of money. Others might be good, but this is how I roll.

 

JD or Pro would be a good choice. We use that style every day, to the point where we are replacing parts every 6 months or so...not a knock on the benders, they are being used by 40-50 students just learning how they work... The Baleigh unit you pictured looks good because you don't have to reset the bend arm when you run out of ratchet, but I'd make sure you have AMPLE room to walk around that giant "saw blade" ratchet!

Personally I wouldn't choose one that uses a "floating" die (Pro 1 shot, Mittler Bros, etc.). It makes hitting an exact width a little more difficult. Those are all hydraulic anyway.

 

Excuse my ignorance, what is a JD bender and where do you get them?

 

And...the Baleigh guy is a HAMBer...

-Abone.

 

http://www.jd2.com/shop/

JD Squared co.

 

http://www.jd2.com/shop/

 

I have been selling tube benders for years. I know all of them like the back of my hand. For years, I have been a dealer for JD2, Pro Tools, Mittler Brothers, JMR, Eagle, Jancy, Baileigh, Huth.

I live, sleep, drink, breath tube benders. It's in my blood. In fact....if you were to cut me, I think I would bleed hydraulic fluid.

If any of you have any questions about any rotary draw or roll bender on the market, please shoot me a private message. I would be more than happy to help the HAMB crowd.

 

Well majority rules.... JD is what i was trained on, and happy that everyone agrees they are still the best bang for the buck!

Thank you guys for all your input!!

RJ

 

I have to agree, the ratchet is nice! The locking base plate does look bit big, but I think the ratchet system is much safer then pulling on a sweeping type pull handle..

RJ

 

Guess the JD2 is no longer available.. only the JD3 and up...

RJ

 

Very cool Glen, thanks for the pics... cool project and thank you for the info!

RJ

 

ya, if you look at the model 32 you can see the second set of notch jaws on the bottom, that is to prevent spring back while you take another bite with your bar. The top also has a pin that slips in and out of the die itself as you move around the die.....so you can take another bite with your two notched jaws when you get around to 80 degrees or so.

the pins are also upgraded to 1.25 over the model 2

Here is a demo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_P1MBhBjiqI

 

JD2, or JD Squared, is the company name. The bender is, and has been the Model 3. It has gone through some minor revisions through the years, but nothing major.

 

Im diggin the JD squared model 32 bender...

Thanks to everyone again,

RJ