roverman Art Gertz Winchester, CA. (3188 posts) Registered: 04/24/2009 11:02AM Main British Car: 74' Jensen Healy, 79 Huff. GT 1, 74 MGB Lotus 907,2L |
Roll Bar tubing bender
Clan, I"m looking for real value in a proffessional quality bender. I'm considering "Tube Shark" model #'s TSA-2-1-0004 or TSA-2-1-0002. Both are air/hydraulic. Anyone have suggestions ? Thanks, roverman.
|
Re: Roll Bar tubing bender
I have a JD Squared bender and it works great. You can hook up an air/hydraulic cylinder to it or just use a big pipe for leverage to bend. 1.75"X .120 gives you a good workout. Anything smaller bends like butter. The key is to have a good solid base and lots of room. I use to have a stand mounted on the shop floor, but it's a pain moving everything else out of the way to use it. Now I have holes drilled in the deck of my open trailer to mount the stand to. Lots of room and portable.
|
roverman Art Gertz Winchester, CA. (3188 posts) Registered: 04/24/2009 11:02AM Main British Car: 74' Jensen Healy, 79 Huff. GT 1, 74 MGB Lotus 907,2L |
Re: Roll Bar tubing bender/ tubing notcher ?
I have heard JD is the #1 seller. You have a portable compressor for the trailer ? Should also mention, I need a tubing notcher. The "Lo-Buck" unit I bought, is worthless. Thanks Todd, roverman.
|
Re: Roll Bar tubing bender
I never bothered to hook up a cylinder on my bender. Just slide a big pipe over the handle and let er rip. I have used a JD squared bender with an air powered cylinder and I could get used to that in a hurry. Kind of like shoveling your driveway for years and then buying a snow blower. That being said, I do have a nice portable air compressor. As a plumber, I need it to do air testing of plumbing systems and for blowing out irrigation systems and winterization of cottages and such.
|
roverman Art Gertz Winchester, CA. (3188 posts) Registered: 04/24/2009 11:02AM Main British Car: 74' Jensen Healy, 79 Huff. GT 1, 74 MGB Lotus 907,2L |
Re: Roll Bar tubing bender, die $'s are the real killer
Ok, so a Model # 32 it is. Now the bitter pill, die prices, around $300. set, average. Why not buy the "biggest" diameter, you plan to use and tubing "shims" for smaller tubing ? I've heard of this done(no pictures), but what if ? roverman.
|
DiDueColpi Fred Key West coast - Canada (1365 posts) Registered: 05/14/2010 03:06AM Main British Car: I really thought that I'd be an action figure by now! |
Re: Roll Bar tubing bender
I have the JD bender as well and it works great.
It is pretty traumatic to have to buy the dies for each tube size and bending radius. I never thought to try sleeving a larger die. But it should work. Like Todd says the bigger tubing gives you a pretty good workout. I put an actual air cylinder on mine not the air over hydraulic unit that is normally used. You can't use it to power the bender it's just an assist. But it does reduce the effort dramatically. Cheers Fred |
roverman Art Gertz Winchester, CA. (3188 posts) Registered: 04/24/2009 11:02AM Main British Car: 74' Jensen Healy, 79 Huff. GT 1, 74 MGB Lotus 907,2L |
Re: Roll Bar tubing bender, got details ?
What diameter on that air cylinder ? Obviously with a 2 stage compressor peaked at 175 psi, its not going to push like 4k psi hyd. ? Pack thinwall tubing with sand, for use without internal mandrel ? Thanks, roverman.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/15/2011 04:12PM by roverman. |
|
DiDueColpi Fred Key West coast - Canada (1365 posts) Registered: 05/14/2010 03:06AM Main British Car: I really thought that I'd be an action figure by now! |
Re: Roll Bar tubing bender
I use a 2.5" air cylinder. My air compressor is set to 125 psi but you still need a regulator to step it down. Usually start at 20 psi then go up from there otherwise it can push you around pretty good. I built a dump valve from an old natural gas shutoff valve so that you can release the pressure to reset the ratchet quicker.
If I used it more the hydraulic setup would be much better but I'm too "fiscally sensitive" (cheap) to do that. Haven't had any problems with thinwall as long as it's clean and lubricated. The trick with your low buck notcher is to bolt it down solidly to a drill press. Use lots of cutting oil and you'll be surprised how well it can actually work. Cheers Fred |
BlownMGB-V8 Jim Blackwood 9406 Gunpowder Rd., Florence, KY 41042 (6468 posts) Registered: 10/23/2007 12:59PM Main British Car: 1971 MGB Blown,Injected,Intercooled Buick 340/AA80E/JagIRS |
Re: Roll Bar tubing bender
Just make sure you are well aligned with the quill. We darned near destroyed a chuck with one that was off a bit.
JB |
roverman Art Gertz Winchester, CA. (3188 posts) Registered: 04/24/2009 11:02AM Main British Car: 74' Jensen Healy, 79 Huff. GT 1, 74 MGB Lotus 907,2L |
Re: Roll Bar tubing bender/plasma cutter ?
On non-chrome moly, couldn't one chalk mark the notch and use "plasma " ? My Lo-Buck notcher is shear type. Problem is 2 sets of dies are supposed to shear 6 different sizes ? Not really ! Cheers, roverman.
|
rampant racing gary fraser sarnia ont,canada (83 posts) Registered: 03/28/2009 02:45AM Main British Car: 69 spitfiremk111 ford 347 stroker |
Re: Roll Bar tubing bender
gety yourself a notcher called the old joint jigger.it uses hole saws and works great.there are different companies that make them so prices vary.goodluck.
|