Tube bender

EastMT

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I need to bend some 1-1/2" .120 wall mild steel tube. I'd like to bend it without the crinkle or flat spot. What are some good brands of used benders to look for , for the at home guy? Thanks
 
lots of options. The real cost is in the dies if you want multiple sizes. For one off bends it might be better to stop by a shop and have them bend it for you.

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I use the eastwood one (1st one in that screen shot above). It works okay. It's limit is 1/8 wall 1 1/2" 6061. I blew up the hydraulic jack trying to bend a tube for my boat tower. Mild steel it'll bend no problem. I upgraded it with a 12 ton jack from harbor freight and now it works much better. I'll eventually get a JD2, but don't have the room for it at the moment.

Go hydraulic. You will not be able to bend that with a manual. And DO NOT buy the one from harbor freight, it's trash.
 
Look for a used JD Squared bender. My buddy has one and it was super easy to use on 1.75" .120 tube for his Hummer lift.
 
I'll sell my electric/hydraulic JDSquared bender with 5 sets of dies. 2" w/6.5" radius, 1 1/2" w/5.5" radius, 1 1/2" w/4.5 radius, 1", 1/2". I don't use it very often and shop space is becoming more important.

$2k, delivery an option
 
Another vote for JD Sqaure - and if you buy this cheapish hydraulic setup for it - you don't need to mount it to concrete - and have it on a roller stand...I have this setup and like it.

 
I'll sell my electric/hydraulic JDSquared bender with 5 sets of dies. 2" w/6.5" radius, 1 1/2" w/5.5" radius, 1 1/2" w/4.5 radius, 1", 1/2". I don't use it very often and shop space is becoming more important.

$2k, delivery an option
Pictures?
 
Another vote for JD Sqaure - and if you buy this cheapish hydraulic setup for it - you don't need to mount it to concrete - and have it on a roller stand...I have this setup and like it.

Same. Works great and will even do most of a 90* on a shitty compressor without making you go completely insane.
 
Why not just buy the bends you need?

I've bought stuff from this guy before, and he made things for me that I needed.

He has pretty much every size and material in stock. Good dude. 👍🏼

 
Thanks for all the ideas and suggestions. I’ll see if anyone around me bends tube and if not will look for a used JD machine.
 
I use to work for Hossfeld and have owned a Protools, rougefab, and now a swag, everthing i get from Eastwood works ok, but never impressed,

I use to bend tubing Horizontal for 20 years, went to a shop where they bent upwards, not that is how i do it, so much more accurate, you can set your tube at zero degrees then bend up, and check with a angle finder, I do not love air over hydraulic, it works ok, but full hydro like LRS is really nice even coverting it to vertical would be really easy,

Due to the bushing in the main pivot is what i was after on my last purchase, the bushing lets you take the die out without the bender coming apart,
Swag for me marked all the boxes,

Then i did the extra long ram from trick tools, and added a full hydraulic to the system, with pedal control,
 
I use to work for Hossfeld and have owned a Protools, rougefab, and now a swag, everthing i get from Eastwood works ok, but never impressed,

I use to bend tubing Horizontal for 20 years, went to a shop where they bent upwards, not that is how i do it, so much more accurate, you can set your tube at zero degrees then bend up, and check with a angle finder, I do not love air over hydraulic, it works ok, but full hydro like LRS is really nice even coverting it to vertical would be really easy,

Due to the bushing in the main pivot is what i was after on my last purchase, the bushing lets you take the die out without the bender coming apart,
Swag for me marked all the boxes,

Then i did the extra long ram from trick tools, and added a full hydraulic to the system, with pedal control,
I have some straight hydraulic conduit benders for work, and they're amazingly fast. Keep hands/fingers away though. Zero fucks given if it's in there. :ROFLMAO:
 
Electric over hydro is the best setup. Im always super swamped with work and the agony of waiting for air over hydraulic is just unbearable. I will lock in the air and walk away while it bends. I used to run a model 3 with the swag air over. Its hydraulic electric now. Much faster.

Fwiw the model 3 will do 2” .120 4130 air over.
 
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