Bending tubes, how is this done?

[robfrey]

And here`s another using the table for adjustment.

I don't know if I would do this. It may be hard on the spindle bearings and lead screws.
Most milling machines are not designed to take that kind of load.

[floydjer]

And here`s another using the table for adjustment.

I don't know if I would do this. It may be hard on the spindle bearings and lead screws.
Most milling machines are not designed to take that kind of load.

That one was used to form .050 wall aluminum, But , yes it might be a little rough on the quill. I like the set-up using the vise ,just a little more work to get there. Jerry

[McRat]

I'd certainly tram in the head afterwards.  Pretty sure you'll start to move the head before doing serious damage to the spindle or worm gears.  Many times I've accidently dead ended a Bridgeport, usually when the mill vise hits the column in Y.  And on many production setups I used a dead stop on the X.  The head often goes out of tram.  Now if you put a cheater bar on the handle...   

[BAILEIGH INC]

Any questions about roll bending....I'm your man. I have several threads on other forums about roll bending. Any questions, let me know.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=344182&highlight=the+official+roll+bending

http://www.offroadfabnet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5361&highlight=official

Even Jaime and Adam from Mythbusters have asked us for roll bending help

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYmCYkMzhD0&feature=player_embedded

[mojomann]

Most electrical contractors have hydraulic tubing benders that they use for various size conduit. A commercial tool rental company could probably rent one very economically compared to buying one. The only problem there is the learning curve on rental time. These certainly do variable radii.

[desotoman]

Just remember if you have access to an electrical bender the shoes are for Rigid conduit or Electrical Metallic Tubing. There sizes are all measured by Inside Diameter not Outside Diameter.

Tom G.

[John Burk]

My friend Bob who made museum displays had a customer who wanted a 6 ft dia 8 ft tall stainless model of a section of a DNA coil . The 2" dia spiral tubes were like spiral stairway railings . Nobody wanted to make them but one shop let Bob use their 4 wheel bender . Some how he got the horizontal and vertical radii right on the first try .

[4-barrel Mike]

Pictures!!!   

Mike

[willieworld]

there is a bender on e-bay   360226496507   its local pick up only in buffalo n.y.----looks like a few parts might be missing and looks like a harbor freight                                                    willie buchta

[willieworld]

I bought this tube roller at Harbor Freight. Actually it turned out to be a pipe roller. One of the dies will work on a 1 1/2" tube and one will work on a 1" tube. I needed an 1 1/4" die so I bought some blanks and had them machined like the die from my JD Squared bender. Which the groove for the tube is just a little bit deeper than half the tube and its a little bit narrower then the tube. So when it bends the tube it keeps it round. It didn't come with the stand I had to build that. And as I need more dies I will just get them made. When I bend some tubes with it I will post them. Heres some pics.
Willie Buchta

[willieworld]

Here are a few more pics.

willie buchta

[John Noonan]

Willie has been busy, looks like a twin engined flat bottom side car motorcycle on a table in his garage..

[SPARKY]

 

[wilcox garage]

My brother bought the same bender from harbour freight and converted the jack screw to a hyd. ram from his portapower kit this is the bender i used to make some of the floor bracing in my roadster. The only problem I had was the bend wanted to twist like a corkscrew.

[donpearsall]

Willy,
What is the smallest radius that Harbor Freight bender will bend? It looks like it is only good for real large radiuses. I was actually looking at buying or building a bender like this one:
http://www.gottrikes.com/Tube_Bender.htm. Any comments on this type of bender compared to the manual ones from JD Squared?

Don