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Anyone know about this HF tube bender?

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Offline Jeremiah

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Anyone know about this HF tube bender?
« on: February 23, 2009, 05:31:20 PM »
I've been wanting to make myself a roll cage & other armor bits for a while now. I was originally going to go with pipe 'casue it's still pretty strong (please don't turn this into a pipe vs tube debate), the materials are cheaper than tube, and pipe bender is 1/5th the cost of a tube bender.

BUT, I just saw this tube bender on sale for $130. Can I make a cage & bits with this? Can I bend exhaust with this? If I can use this thing... then it makes tube affordable (other tube benders are $600+  :o )
'96 4 door kick: 29" Pep-Boys M/T, 1.5" OME
'83 SJ410: 31" Toyo M/T, SPOA, 1.3L
'08 Yamaha FZ6

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Offline Jeremiah

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Re: Anyone know about this HF tube bender?
« Reply #1 on: February 23, 2009, 05:31:57 PM »
'96 4 door kick: 29" Pep-Boys M/T, 1.5" OME
'83 SJ410: 31" Toyo M/T, SPOA, 1.3L
'08 Yamaha FZ6

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Offline jdhiggs

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Re: Anyone know about this HF tube bender?
« Reply #2 on: February 23, 2009, 07:18:07 PM »
That bender is mainly for stuff like electrical conduit. However harbor freight does offer a bender that has a hydraulic jack there fairly cheap and with lots of practice and reshaping of the cheap dies you can get it done i no thats what i started with. My new one is made by   JD SQUARED

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Offline wildgoody

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Re: Anyone know about this HF tube bender?
« Reply #3 on: February 23, 2009, 08:29:06 PM »
Ya, I don't think you want roll bars and exhaust made from
1" tubing, it looks like a nice bender, too bad it doesn't do 1-1/2 and 2" stuff

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Offline 91zukisas

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Re: Anyone know about this HF tube bender?
« Reply #4 on: February 23, 2009, 09:15:34 PM »
the hydraulic jack benders are well worth the $. They are easy to use and easy to store. Allot of times they come with dies to cut the tubing too.
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Offline 96Kicker

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Re: Anyone know about this HF tube bender?
« Reply #5 on: February 23, 2009, 10:33:00 PM »
I built my front bumper with the HF hydraulic bender. 1-1/4  3/16 steel tube  bent like a charm.
This is the bender I used
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=32888

Here is a pic
« Last Edit: February 23, 2009, 10:37:48 PM by 96Kicker »
<a href="http://s220.photobucket.com/albums/dd126/fletcher9160/?action=view&current=Zuktahgreenblur.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd126/fletcher9160/Zuktahgreenblur.jpg" border="0" alt="Zuktah club sticker"></a>TJ
#801-554-3281
96 kick 4 door with custom 3 inch susp lift and pre runner front bumper,2 inch bod

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Offline Jeremiah

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Re: Anyone know about this HF tube bender?
« Reply #6 on: February 24, 2009, 01:06:42 AM »
Damn, I read the wrong part:
Rollers diameter: 4"

Instead of this part  ::) :
Includes 1/2", 3/4", and 1" tubing rollers

I thought the $100 bender only did pipe, and wasn't the right die for tube?
'96 4 door kick: 29" Pep-Boys M/T, 1.5" OME
'83 SJ410: 31" Toyo M/T, SPOA, 1.3L
'08 Yamaha FZ6

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Offline 96Kicker

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Re: Anyone know about this HF tube bender?
« Reply #7 on: February 24, 2009, 08:31:46 AM »
It comes with several dies. all the way up to 2".  I had no problems with it at all. Some people have had problems with the tube kinking on them. But I think that has alot to do with the size and quality of the pipe your bending.
<a href="http://s220.photobucket.com/albums/dd126/fletcher9160/?action=view&current=Zuktahgreenblur.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd126/fletcher9160/Zuktahgreenblur.jpg" border="0" alt="Zuktah club sticker"></a>TJ
#801-554-3281
96 kick 4 door with custom 3 inch susp lift and pre runner front bumper,2 inch bod

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Offline RazBarlow

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Re: Anyone know about this HF tube bender?
« Reply #8 on: February 24, 2009, 09:01:40 AM »
What size does everyone use for their roll cages, bumpers,bumper loops,sliders etc ? Is it larger than 2" ? How does the HF bender work when you go up to 2" ?
Thanks,
Raz

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Offline RazBarlow

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Re: Anyone know about this HF tube bender?
« Reply #9 on: February 24, 2009, 09:14:32 AM »
I built my front bumper with the HF hydraulic bender. 1-1/4  3/16 steel tube  bent like a charm.
This is the bender I used
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=32888

How is this one different ? It looks the same .
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=38024

Thanks,
raz

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Offline 96Kicker

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Re: Anyone know about this HF tube bender?
« Reply #10 on: February 24, 2009, 09:19:56 AM »
I used 1-1/4 on my sami cage and on my kick front bumper. I think all that you would want to go up to on cage is probably 1-1/2 on the inside of the vehicle.( for clearance issues)
I was told the HB bender does not bend 2" very well, but I dont know for sure, never done 2" only 1-1/4
<a href="http://s220.photobucket.com/albums/dd126/fletcher9160/?action=view&current=Zuktahgreenblur.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd126/fletcher9160/Zuktahgreenblur.jpg" border="0" alt="Zuktah club sticker"></a>TJ
#801-554-3281
96 kick 4 door with custom 3 inch susp lift and pre runner front bumper,2 inch bod

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Offline 96Kicker

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Re: Anyone know about this HF tube bender?
« Reply #11 on: February 24, 2009, 09:22:32 AM »
I built my front bumper with the HF hydraulic bender. 1-1/4  3/16 steel tube  bent like a charm.
This is the bender I used
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=32888

How is this one different ? It looks the same .
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=38024

Thanks,
raz

Dont know ???
<a href="http://s220.photobucket.com/albums/dd126/fletcher9160/?action=view&current=Zuktahgreenblur.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd126/fletcher9160/Zuktahgreenblur.jpg" border="0" alt="Zuktah club sticker"></a>TJ
#801-554-3281
96 kick 4 door with custom 3 inch susp lift and pre runner front bumper,2 inch bod

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Offline RazBarlow

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Re: Anyone know about this HF tube bender?
« Reply #12 on: February 24, 2009, 09:30:16 AM »
So, the HF bender will been 1 1/4 easily ?

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Offline Jeremiah

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Re: Anyone know about this HF tube bender?
« Reply #13 on: February 24, 2009, 09:35:04 AM »
Only difference I could find was in handle length:
Handle: 17-5/8" vs 26'' steel handle

Other thing to consider, is sometimes places change up a design slightly (or supplier) and make a second model #. They'll sell out of their stock on the first one, and just use the "new" version moving forward (and as warranty replacement for old model). I'm not saying that's what's happening here - just a possibility.
'96 4 door kick: 29" Pep-Boys M/T, 1.5" OME
'83 SJ410: 31" Toyo M/T, SPOA, 1.3L
'08 Yamaha FZ6

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Offline Drone637

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Re: Anyone know about this HF tube bender?
« Reply #14 on: February 24, 2009, 09:42:15 AM »
One thing to remember is the main difference between the pipe bender and the tubing bender.  The pipe bender basically just bends the pipe with brute force, if you were strong enough the bend it over your knee it would be the same type of force.  That is why people end up kinking their metal when bending with a pipe bender vs a tube bender.  If you want smooth bends with tube use a tubing bender.

Another thing to remember is that a 2" die for pipe is different then a 2" die for tubing.  Pipe is measured in a different way, so the sizes do not match up.  The same goes for trying to use a tubing bender to bend pipe, the tubing bender needs exact measurements to make the smooth bends so the dies probably won't match up properly.

There are exceptions to the rules, so yes you can make a cage completely out of pipe with a harbor freight pipe bender and make it look good.  You won't know if it will hold up to a couple of rolls down a hill until you do it.  I would stick with 1.5" DOM and a tubing bender for my cage and leave the pipe for nerf bars and other things I don't mind if all the angle bend upon hard impacts.
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