A tube bender on the cheap
 

My next scale build will involve some tube work so I had a spark of creativity to make a cheap and simple tube bender.

My time is very limited with runnning the shop and working on other rigs so I needed this project to be quick and easy. While been harrassed at the local ace hardware I found a few odds and ends for this little project.

Saw this guy and though "perfect" "thumbsup" No need to drill or tap.
http://i463.photobucket.com/albums/q...s/IMG_0309.jpg

Found these bolts with the washer "built in" to the head. I would kinda call them Modified truss bolts, but they had another name on the bin they came out of which I can't remember. Got 2 bolts at 1" and 2 at 1 1/2"
http://i463.photobucket.com/albums/q...s/IMG_0310.jpg

Grabbed some flat washers, split washers and nuts and got to work.
http://i463.photobucket.com/albums/q...s/IMG_0311.jpg

Start with a flat washer and 1 nut. followed by a lock washer and another nut.
http://i463.photobucket.com/albums/q...s/IMG_0312.jpg

Use a piece of rod or tube to spin up the flat washer and nut to the proper height.
http://i463.photobucket.com/albums/q...s/IMG_0313.jpg

Bolt up the assembly to the drain plate with the lock washer and other nut and babing!, Position the bolts where ever on the plate depending on how tight of bend you want.
http://i463.photobucket.com/albums/q...s/IMG_0314.jpg

You can use the nuts on the bottom to clamp the plate into a vise and you're good to go
http://i463.photobucket.com/albums/q...s/IMG_0315.jpg
http://i463.photobucket.com/albums/q...s/IMG_0316.jpg

The washer should keep tube from kinking and you can adjust the height for larger stock with just an open end box wrench.

Does a pretty tight bend as far as I can see "thumbsup"
http://i463.photobucket.com/albums/q...s/IMG_0317.jpg

Total cost of materials was about $10 time to slap it together about 5 mins. not too bad for a first attempt at a tube bender :mrgreen:

Re: A tube bender on the cheap
 

Nice!

Re: A tube bender on the cheap
 

Very nice. I love wandering the hardware store and brain storming

Re: A tube bender on the cheap
 

Very cool idea! "thumbsup"

Re: A tube bender on the cheap
 

sweet idea man!

Wow cool idea big times.

Re: A tube bender on the cheap
 

Well I'm off to the depot in the mornin"thumbsup". Thanks man awesome setup!

Re: A tube bender on the cheap
 

If you eliminate the flat washer and nut on top side of your drain plate and lower your shoulder bolts to the thickness of your tubing.

Then double nut your shoulder bolt in place from the underside at the thickness of the tubing being worked with.

This would allow you to rest your tubing flat on your drain plate surface and catch it under the shoulder bolt lip allowing a flat work surface instead of being up in the air.

Your double nut bolt would be loose in the drain plate until you lifted bolt and slid your tube under lip on bolt.

Either way.... Nice score and great thinking"thumbsup"

Makes the $75 bender I just bought in the classifieds hurt that much more...:lol:

Re: A tube bender on the cheap
 

kool idea "thumbsup" .........bob

....

Re: A tube bender on the cheap
 

Excellent idea!!! Sorry to miss you guys tonight, but that "running the business" thing gets in the way sometimes :cry:

Re: A tube bender on the cheap
 

Lucky butthead. I go to the hardware store and forget what I want to get there.:mrgreen: Very cool idea, I need to try this.

Re: A tube bender on the cheap
 

Very creative, I just made mine from some scrap metal and followed the plans in the pucture below "thumbsup"

Re: A tube bender on the cheap
 

For you OP, that's some high level injunuity. Great work!

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/f...PipeBender.jpg

Re: A tube bender on the cheap
 

LOL thats awesome! I have to go with a different logo though, this is some Da kine Hawaiian akamai tinkin' (my local brothas will get it "thumbsup")

Thanks for all the positive comments guys, much appreciated "thumbsup" hopefully this helps the guys on a tight budget get some work done :mrgreen:

@THX_138 Good idea, I did try the double nut on the underside but the bolts just move around. The holes in the plate are "conical" cut so it leaves room for slop if you will, hence the nut on the top and bottom "thumbsup"

Re: A tube bender on the cheap
 

Ikaika...take your bolts out...get the right sized tap and put threads in all of the holes or a select few...then thread new bolts right into the drain plate and nut them on the bottom....just a thought.

Quick and easy piece of kona engineering brah!

Heading to the depot to check this out. Awesome idea!

Re: A tube bender on the cheap
 

You, sir, are a genius.

Re: A tube bender on the cheap
 

Thanks for posting this.

Closer to my skill level, and budget! I will need it very soon...


.

Has anyone tried just tapping then threading the bolts. I meant to get this done last week and I didn't get to it yet.

Re: A tube bender on the cheap
 

Thanks for all the kind words guys, I work with what I got ya know "thumbsup"

@gottwins? My experience with cast iron is that it likes to shatter or crack if its ever drilled but you can give it a shot, just be careful and wear eye protection like this guy right here >>> 8)