DIWIRE BENDER Desktop automated wire bender

[saltinemadness]

Imagine how fast you could pop out tubers with this rig! I haven't read too far into it though; I have no idea if it will accept deflanged 3/16" brake line, nor including dies and bend it without kinking it for that matter, but it's pretty neat. Insert comments about lack of creativity and manual dexterity, yada yada yada...

Bend-It-Yourself: Pensa's DIWire Bender Now Available on Kickstarter, on Track to Top $2m - Core77

[losikid]

Thats neat...I want one

[Devil Inc]

I seen a build up of one of these on instructables awhile back, it'd be awesome to scale it up a little so it could handle 3/16" solid rod easily.

[trevinator]

Wow! I would love one of those! But the price needs to come down..................

[EeePee]

Awe yeah, that's real cool. Now, how to figure out the one rod tuber so it's all done in one shot.

[C*H*U*D]

Originally Posted by Devil Inc

it'd be awesome to scale it up a little so it could handle 3/16" solid rod easily.

I'd like to see one that can handle tube.

I think I just came up with Duuuuuuuude's next Machinist's Challenge

[7echo]

This one is sweet as well, but a little more expensive. Might even get close to what EeePee wants...

Sharpe Products NISSIN 3D Tube Bender Video - YouTube

[losikid]

Originally Posted by C*H*U*D

I'd like to see one that can handle tube.

It bends in a similar fashion as the 1:1 tubing benders. I bet with good lube and a good radius it'll bend tubing without kinkage

[C*H*U*D]

After watching the video, I remembered seeing their open source version. Time to get started:

DIWire Bender

[warren]

Originally Posted by 7echo

This one is sweet as well, but a little more expensive. Might even get close to what EeePee wants...

Sharpe Products NISSIN 3D Tube Bender Video - YouTube

this thing is simply bada$$.

[Tio Loco]

Originally Posted by 7echo

This one is sweet as well, but a little more expensive. Might even get close to what EeePee wants...

Sharpe Products NISSIN 3D Tube Bender Video - YouTube

Did you see this on the same Youtube page:

square steel tubes bending | CMM laser - YouTube

How sweet would a miniature version (RC scale) be?

[wings_of_fire]

One of the best comment in the op link.

Can someone please explain to me why anyone would pay $3,000 for this thing? I'm serious. A normal wire bender that works with the same gauges is maybe $100 (for a nice one), and dead simple to use.

I've seen this thing covered all over the Internet, and this is the one place where maybe someone could explain to me what a legitimate use case would be. From their videos, it clearly isn't any faster than using a traditional wire bender, and since you can't rotate the wire between bends, it is limited to only 2D shapes.

I just can't get my head around who would spend this kind of money. It's like paying thousands of dollars for a CNC screwdriver.

[losikid]

Originally Posted by wings_of_fire

One of the best comment in the op link.

Can someone please explain to me why anyone would pay $3,000 for this thing? I'm serious. A normal wire bender that works with the same gauges is maybe $100 (for a nice one), and dead simple to use.

I've seen this thing covered all over the Internet, and this is the one place where maybe someone could explain to me what a legitimate use case would be. From their videos, it clearly isn't any faster than using a traditional wire bender, and since you can't rotate the wire between bends, it is limited to only 2D shapes.

I just can't get my head around who would spend this kind of money. It's like paying thousands of dollars for a CNC screwdriver.

I bet that guy will understand when he has to start making identical bent parts and stuff that has to fit together.

[tom@vp]

this is not a new invention. these have been around for decades, they even use these for exhaust systems with the same principal.

i like this little guy, and the price is spectacular for a 2d bender.

im guessing the poster above has never bent a tube in his life cause, this machine is a life saver, the good one's cut the tube to length as well. but those hit 100k mark easy.. this one would have significant material waste because of not being able to cut to length. compensating for k factor on multiple bend projects is a challenge. and repeating the bends in short run production is another.

[wings_of_fire]

Originally Posted by losikid

I bet that guy will understand when he has to start making identical bent parts and stuff that has to fit together.

I think that comment is posted by a guy who has already been into the mechanical industry for quite some time and knows bent parts quite well.

[wings_of_fire]

Originally Posted by tom@vp

im guessing the poster above has never bent a tube in his life

who would that be specifically?

-----------------------------------

I think that little machine does not know about spring back associated with the variable composition of tube material. Then there can be issue with bending seam welded tubes compared to drawn tubes.


It does seem good with rod bending with limitation ofcourse.

Its just a simple proven mechanical concept controlled by stepper motors, drives, some electronics and software. The same can be done manuallly using adaptable jig and fixtures.

[losikid]

Originally Posted by wings_of_fire

I think that comment is posted by a guy who has already been into the mechanical industry for quite some time and knows bent parts quite well.

Um, i highly doubt it...not sure why you think he's in the mechanical industry, but if he is, he doesn't deal with bent parts in assemblies.

Here's another comment the same guy made

However, in the specific case of bending wire, you are not talking about any real craftsmanship. You put the set pin at the appropriate angle, stick the material in the machine, and pull the handle until it stops. It is about as much craftsmanship as a stapler or a hole punch.

This tells me he has never had to make anything out of tube (or wire in this case)

You've gotta be a bad ass if you can build these cages with a manual bender and no computer program to tell you how todo it....hell even with a computer program telling you it still takes skill.





And on the scale we're talking about, go check out all the scale tube chassis on rcc, i can't think of any great examples off the top of my head...but i bet it takes more craftsmanship than operating a stapler. I could be wrong though, my opinion is based off building the tube bed for my 1:1. I used a manual bender and a computer program to tell me how to position the tube...if it wasn't for the software, i would have wasted alot more tube than the couple feet i did.

Originally Posted by wings_of_fire

I think that little machine does not know about spring back associated with the variable composition of tube material. Then there can be issue with bending seam welded tubes compared to drawn tubes.


It does seem good with rod bending with limitation ofcourse.

Its just a simple proven mechanical concept controlled by stepper motors, drives, some electronics and software. The same can be done manuallly using adaptable jig and fixtures.

Spring back is just simply a parameter in the software...if its not in the software, i bet it could be added pretty easily. The cheaper 1:1 software makes you make your own spring tables for the software to use, the more expensive software has tables with good estimates on how the material will react.

And solid stock has a spring back factor as well...

[saltinemadness]

I completely forgot I created this thread...

I come back and there's a shat storm brewing over this little guy! I've known about this technology previously existing, but what really drew me to the product was just its form factor. Its just a neat little unit that lives on your benchtop with your micro lathe / micro cnc machine / what-have-you...

I would probably never buy it unless I planned on putting pieces into production (a la Tom@VP, etc.), but it's just neat to see how industrial design regarding these types of kickstarter-esque products seem to trend. More and more I'm noticing a turn for a collective tilt of the brim to dieter rams. Pretty soon all of our rcc means of fabrication will be housed in machined, anodized, rounded cubes.

I'm not necessarily complaining...