RCCrawler Forums

rccubed · 05-31-2010, 08:23 PM

This is my first post to the forum here. I hope it goes right!
Here are some pics of the new Tube Bender I built. I was looking at different benders and what I noticed was the best benders cost the most money.
Well this one was not all that expensive to build and works very well.
This first image is the dies that I made for 3/16" brake line tubing.
They are made from 3/8 thick x 1" wide aluminum bar stock and 1/2" round aluminum stock.

The straight piece is for the movable dies. It is cut into two pieces one goes on the the clamping head and the other piece is mounted on the bending arm.

This next photo is of the aluminum used for the base and the clamping head. It is made from 1" square aluminum bar stock.

Here is a close up of it.

You can also see the 3/8-16 threaded rod that is used to move the clamping head back and forth. And the 3/8" x 1" aluminum bar.

Here is how the clamping head and the bending dies will look once mounted.

Here is an exploded view of the bender.

Here it is with all but the guides in place. It is usable in this state but somewhat inconvenient. The set screw that locks the head to the threaded rod has not been installed yet.

Once I get all the parts mounted and fully functional, I will post the finished tool.
Thanks for looking!
rccubed

rhett314 · 05-31-2010, 10:47 PM

Sounds intriguing. Any chance of getting larger pictures.

rccubed · 06-01-2010, 08:31 AM

As soon as I figure out how to get them on there.
Like I said before this is the first time I have posted anything like this.
Sorry for the newbieism!
rccubed

PEDEcrawlerguy · 06-01-2010, 08:56 AM

Did you use a site like photobucket or imagehost? if so after you upload the pics to that site.. copy and paste the [IMG] code on this site.

ScaleReady · 06-01-2010, 09:53 AM

Try making them bigger than 100x75 pixels too

I always resize mine to 600x480. It's a good general size, and it works well in emails and forums..

rccubed · 06-01-2010, 12:46 PM

Here is a test to see if I can get full sized photos.

rccubed · 06-01-2010, 12:58 PM

Ok, I think I got it now.
Here are some more of the photos:

Exploded view

Dies:

Bend examples:

Here is a photo of the bender with the guides clamped in place. I haven't mounted them yet, but I will.

I hope that's better guys! I'm still new to this stuff.

rccubed · 06-01-2010, 04:00 PM

I mounted the guides on the head today. I also added a six inch ruler to this photo to give you some idea of how large it is:

rccubed · 06-01-2010, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PEDEcrawlerguy

Did you use a site like photobucket or imagehost? if so after you upload the pics to that site.. copy and paste the [IMG] code on this site.

Sorry I didn't respond earlier. I was trying to figure out how to increase the size of the pics. I thought they would show thumbnails and they would go to the larger size if you clicked on them. But they didn't.
And yes, I am using PhotoBucket. I found that PB was where I had to increase the size.
Thanks for the pointers!
rccubed

Fastball · 06-02-2010, 07:23 AM

Nice copy/adaptation to the Micro Mark universal bender. I have one of the Micro Mark units from some side work I did years ago but was never pleased with the quality and fit of the unit so I improved mine with some new parts and dies to bend tube. I finally setteled on a totally different design but there are a million ways to build a tube bender, hope yours works well!

Fastball

rccubed · 06-02-2010, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fastball

Nice copy/adaptation to the Micro Mark universal bender. I have one of the Micro Mark units from some side work I did years ago but was never pleased with the quality and fit of the unit so I improved mine with some new parts and dies to bend tube. I finally setteled on a totally different design but there are a million ways to build a tube bender, hope yours works well!

Fastball

So far I have been pleased with it. It is indeed a copy of the Micro Mark bender. It is just made smaller and for a right handed person. Not to mention able to use several different bending dies. It can bend up to 3/8" tubing. I will be making some dies for square and rectangular tubing when I need them. One thing I'm thinking of changing is the bottom piece of aluminum. I want a wider area to place marks for the degrees of bend. That should make it even more accurate.
Thanks for looking!
rccubed

JEFFSANTOS · 06-03-2010, 09:40 PM

can that bend solid rod??

rccubed · 06-04-2010, 12:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JEFFSANTOS

can that bend solid rod??

Sure it can! I haven't tried it but given the nature of the movement and how thick the metal is, I would be amazed if it didn't!

Rccubed

kuatto · 06-08-2010, 04:19 AM

Looks like a great bender,but for those of us that dont have access to milling machines and others that it take to make these,we are stuck either buying the cheap one or pay for one of the more expensive benders.Nice job on the bender though.

05-31-2010, 08:23 PM	#1
rccubed Newbie Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Ryan Posts: 9	My Homemade Tube Bender This is my first post to the forum here. I hope it goes right! Here are some pics of the new Tube Bender I built. I was looking at different benders and what I noticed was the best benders cost the most money. Well this one was not all that expensive to build and works very well. This first image is the dies that I made for 3/16" brake line tubing. They are made from 3/8 thick x 1" wide aluminum bar stock and 1/2" round aluminum stock. The straight piece is for the movable dies. It is cut into two pieces one goes on the the clamping head and the other piece is mounted on the bending arm. This next photo is of the aluminum used for the base and the clamping head. It is made from 1" square aluminum bar stock. Here is a close up of it. You can also see the 3/8-16 threaded rod that is used to move the clamping head back and forth. And the 3/8" x 1" aluminum bar. Here is how the clamping head and the bending dies will look once mounted. Here is an exploded view of the bender. Here it is with all but the guides in place. It is usable in this state but somewhat inconvenient. The set screw that locks the head to the threaded rod has not been installed yet. Once I get all the parts mounted and fully functional, I will post the finished tool. Thanks for looking! rccubed

06-01-2010, 12:46 PM	#6
rccubed Newbie Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Ryan Posts: 9	Photo test Here is a test to see if I can get full sized photos.

06-03-2010, 09:40 PM	#12
JEFFSANTOS Newbie Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: TALOFOFO Posts: 48	... can that bend solid rod??

05-31-2010, 10:47 PM	#2
rhett314 Rock Crawler Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Fernley Posts: 870	Sounds intriguing. Any chance of getting larger pictures.

06-01-2010, 08:31 AM	#3
rccubed Newbie Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Ryan Posts: 9	As soon as I figure out how to get them on there. Like I said before this is the first time I have posted anything like this. Sorry for the newbieism! rccubed

06-01-2010, 08:56 AM	#4
PEDEcrawlerguy Rock Crawler Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: clearfield Posts: 678	Did you use a site like photobucket or imagehost? if so after you upload the pics to that site.. copy and paste the [IMG] code on this site.

06-01-2010, 09:53 AM	#5
ScaleReady RCC Addict Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Yelm Posts: 1,643	Try making them bigger than 100x75 pixels too I always resize mine to 600x480. It's a good general size, and it works well in emails and forums..

06-01-2010, 12:58 PM	#7
rccubed Newbie Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Ryan Posts: 9	Ok, I think I got it now. Here are some more of the photos: Exploded view Dies: Bend examples: Here is a photo of the bender with the guides clamped in place. I haven't mounted them yet, but I will. I hope that's better guys! I'm still new to this stuff.

06-01-2010, 04:00 PM	#8
rccubed Newbie Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Ryan Posts: 9	I mounted the guides on the head today. I also added a six inch ruler to this photo to give you some idea of how large it is:

06-02-2010, 07:23 AM	#10
Fastball Newbie Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Ottawa Kansas Posts: 32	Nice copy/adaptation to the Micro Mark universal bender. I have one of the Micro Mark units from some side work I did years ago but was never pleased with the quality and fit of the unit so I improved mine with some new parts and dies to bend tube. I finally setteled on a totally different design but there are a million ways to build a tube bender, hope yours works well! Fastball

06-08-2010, 04:19 AM	#14
kuatto Rock Crawler Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Nova Scotia,Canada Posts: 561	Looks like a great bender,but for those of us that dont have access to milling machines and others that it take to make these,we are stuck either buying the cheap one or pay for one of the more expensive benders.Nice job on the bender though.

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