bending pipe

[rider_1313]

ok, i need some info on bending pipe. i want to start to make my cage, and a few other things like tubed flat fenders. so what do i need? I have been looking a a few benders from harbor frieght, but i do not know what i need.

here are the ones i see.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=35336

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=32888

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=38024

what one should i get, don't know what size pipe i will be using for the cage. is the 12 ton enough, or should i get the 16 ton? also what else will i be needing? i got a welder.

will i need this?
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=42324
i think it may help, but i do not have a drill press, but it says it can be used with a normal drill.

also do you guys think i should worry about the bender? i could just use straight tube.

also, how much $ is steel tube these days? if i do buy the bender for $170 plus the tube and all, will i still save money by doing it myself?

sooo, the more info the better.

[OhioYJ]

The notcher would be nice, I tried my best to notch the tube with an angle grinder when I did my cage, which worked so, so at best.

I ended up using all straight tube, as by the time I would buy the proper tools, and enough steel to build on from scratch, it was about the price I could have it built for.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y249/mr5oh/donecage1.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y249/mr5oh/yjcage1.jpg

As for the price of steel, you probably don't even want to know. Shop around as steel prices can vary widely. I could only get the steel I wanted from one place in the area, and it was around $200 for the steel and little bit of plate I got (A little piece of 1/4" plate from the scrap bin, so most of that cost was steel) (I used 1.75" HREW 0.134 wall). Then a bunch of welding wire, bolts, and cut off wheels. I'd say overall, after the drinks, materials, and such I had less than $300 in mine, probably pretty close to $250.

Its not quite as slick as something Zachv would create, but it works (Well technically I think it works, haven't tested it... :D ).

[hard core XJ offroader]

hopefully you won't have to test it ever

[dillonjm]

I'd consider using tube instead of pipe. Ligher and is designed for structural use. Pipe is designed to transport gases and liquids, not be used in structural building. Not to mention pipe is more brittle than tubing. Now.. off the rant box.

That said, I'd let a shop bend the tubing if that's what you choose to use. A low end tube bender is between 600-1000 bucks IIRC. Pipe benders don't have the correct sized dies since pipe is measured by inner diameter and tubing by outer.

I'm in the process of building my cage also. I bought 3 20' sticks of tubing 1 3/4" .120 wall HREW for 2.35 / foot. That was the best deal on HREW I found. Doing this yourself will save a ton on money. Full cages are pricey when built by prof. fabricators. I'm not saying they aren't worth every penny, but if you have the welding and fab skill to do it yourself then I say go for it.

[HotRod YJ]

I used high quality seamless wall 1.5" sched 40 pipe for my cage (1.9" OD, 0.145 wall thickness), but only because I could get it much easier than tubing, and I can bend pipe, but I do not have the right bender to bend tube. You can get really good grades of pipe, but even still it's not as good as going with tube. If I had to buy new, I would have gone with 1.75", 0.120" wall tube instead. It's served me just fine for 3 years, but I will redo my cage as soon as I get a tube bender, one of these days. I used the $69, 12 ton pipe bender from HF and it works remarkably well on pipe. I really like Ohio YJ's design of cage and not having to make any bends. Sounds scarey at first, but after seeing the pic it's a really nice idea and looks really good.

[PB2]

Definately use tubing rather than pipe. Pipe is very heavy and will add alot of weight above the COG. The benders you linked to are pipe benders and will not work with tubing.

For the $$ this is a very good cage to start with. (http://completeoffroad.com/wsm/i-1277_roll_cage_kit_-_jeep_yj_6_point.html) Add in some gussets and it would be great.

[zachv]

For a few pieces of bent tube that is not the best deal in the world.

[kwrangln]

Blanket statements such as "pipe is heavier", "tube is stronger", etc are not appropriate when discussing metal. There are dozens of types and grades of pipe, just as there is for tube. Material selection is not as simple as saying I need sch40 1.75" pipe, that could be anything from PVC to cast steel drain pipe, to structural quality alloy steel material.

People have sucessfully used pipe in rollcage applications, just as people have used tube.

More important than material selection is design, you can use the highest quality chromo tubing you can purchase, put it together in a fashion that does not take into account how force is going to be applied and it will fold the first time you lean on it.

Bottom line, its not as easy as ordering some tube, throwing it together, and calling it a cage.

[zachv]

Originally posted by kwrangln:
Bottom line, its not as easy as ordering some tube, throwing it together, and calling it a cage. How true...how true.

[dillonjm]

Originally posted by kwrangln:

More important than material selection is design, I definitely agree, but the fact remains that Pipe is not designed for that specific application, whereas tubing is. That's why they call it structural tubing. Now, granted, I wasn't trying to say that Pipe can not be used, just that tubing is a better choice for most cages being built by the home fabricator.

Does that clarify to your liking? :D

[mrbeerbaitnammo]

take it somewhere tha has a mandrel bender you will be so much happier with the result, he reason i say take it somewhere is mandrel benders are expensive, unless its an investment you want to make

[rider_1313]

yeah, i was planing on using tube. that is why i put up the link, i was not sure if it would work or not. ok, do they make benders for tube like the ones that i posted? i know that i need good tube and a great design, right now i'm just looking into the price of the tools.

with almost everything that i have done on my jeep, i have learned how to do what needed to be done, gained experience, tools, and still got the job done for cheaper. i'm just trying to see if it will be cost effective after the pice of all the tools i need to buy.

I plan to do mostly straight tube, but there are a few places that i think i will need to make a few bends. would i be better doing everything but that and having a shop bend the few parts?

for those of you who have tube benders, do you mind if i ask, how much $? also what size is needed? what size dies should i be looking for?

[zachv]

There really is not any place selling true tube benders for much less than direct from JD2 or Pro-tools. I have not seen pricing vary more than 10% either way. I think getting into the bender with one die would set you back somewhere around $500.
Not to pimp, but if you just need a few simple bends I may be able to help. We have done that for people in the past where they want to do the fab work, but need a few bends to get them going.

[GPER]

I have the third one it works ok for rocker rails and smaller stuff. I did make some extra spreaders for my cage with it, but for the hoop I got a cage kit from 4wdh and went from there.

[rider_1313]

so why don't they make a tube bender similar to the pipe benders that i listed, just different dies??? is there a reason?

what would using the pipe bender on tube do, whould it kink the tube?

[OhioYJ]

what would using the pipe bender on tube do, whould it kink the tube?It can, because the tube won't fit in the pipe dies correctly.

[zachv]

The reason there is not a version of that bender made with tube dies is because tube is made for structural applications and the deformation that those benders do to tube makes it weaker. It doesn't matter for pipe because you are just flowing liquids or gasses, but in structures you need a clean, unkinked bend.

With that said there have been cages built from pipe with those type of benders apparently without deadly failures when done right. It is your life, you choose if that is a good idea for you.

[rider_1313]

have you checked your P.M.s zachv???