Tubing bender

[Di_Spencer]

Hey guys I am about to start building myself a tube cage with 3/16 .035 wall steel tube. What tubing bender are you guys using. I know there are some older threads on this but I wanted to see what people were currently using. Thanks



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[CODYBOY]

Hey guys I am about to start building myself a tube cage with 3/16 .035 wall steel tube. What tubing bender are you guys using. I know there are some older threads on this but I wanted to see what people were currently using. Thanks



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Hey Di, glad you're going to try it on your own! You will do great I'm sure. I have a home brew bender that works great, it makes it easy to duplicate bends if you need to mirror something. If you want to PM me with your phone # I could text you some photos. If you have any questions about your project, I would be willing to help ya out!"thumbsup"
Ernie, "Codyboy Designs"

 

[Di_Spencer]

Hey Di, glad you're going to try it on your own! You will do great I'm sure. I have a home brew bender that works great, it makes it easy to duplicate bends if you need to mirror something. If you want to PM me with your phone # I could text you some photos. If you have any questions about your project, I would be willing to help ya out!"thumbsup"
Ernie, "Codyboy Designs"

I'll have to take you up on that. PM sent. Thanks

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[CODYBOY]

I'll have to take you up on that. PM sent. Thanks

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I got it, it will be a little later this afternoon, have a couple pans in the fire right now."thumbsup"

 

[Di_Spencer]

No problem thanks for the help.

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[CODYBOY]

I've had several folks ask about the home brew tubing bender. I hope a few photos are worth 1000 words!
I put this one together with $4.00 worth of parts from my favorite recycle yard.
I don't know what material the base is made from, but it is a pretty hard smooth material. I have used half inch alum plate before.



Back side view, I use these bolts to clamp the bender in my vise.



So this is how I do the mirroring, each of the marked line are a stop for a bend.



This is one of two side tubes for a Ebay Jeep cage.



The handle is a old jack handle and I put a skate board wheel bearing on to ride the tubing or rod when bending."thumbsup"



I made 3/16" and 1/4" spacers to go under the washer as a stop for the bend post. You want the washer to be tight against the tubing, this is what keeps it from collapsing at the bend. I recommend your tubing have a wall thickness of .035 or better. I have used .020 but only on larger bend radiuses.





Here is the Ebay jeep side tube again on the lay out mat.



This is a cage for the topless RC4WD Blazer I just finished up. Several mirroring bends on this one.





Hope this helps some of you out. It's just a concept, you can build it any way that works for you. Just part of the RCC concept of "passing it forward".
Questions or input is welcomed!"thumbsup"
Ernie,

 

[Mtnkid]

A few guys are using this...

https://www.amazon.com/Shop-Tuff-MR-01-Mighty-Bender/dp/B0000AXFCD

 

[Di_Spencer]

A few guys are using this...

https://www.amazon.com/Shop-Tuff-MR-01-Mighty-Bender/dp/B0000AXFCD

I was looking at that one but it looks like there is nothing to support the tube so it would just kink instead of bend.

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[drzoo2]

A few guys are using this...

https://www.amazon.com/Shop-Tuff-MR-01-Mighty-Bender/dp/B0000AXFCD

I have this bender and have used it bend 1/4" and 3/16" aluminum with a tight radius. I'm looking to mount and recess it to a large table to make a larger workspace vs just mounting in a vise. The second posters homemade bender base plate makes it superior as the small plate used on the mighty bender is just too small. It's difficult to do repeat accurate bends. A large flat surface should fix that. The dies that come with it are very useful giving different radius options.

I haven't used it on steel rod though my next cage build will be steel instead of aluminum. First I'm going to mount it into a flat piece of mdf.

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[CODYBOY]

I've had several folks ask about the home brew tubing bender. I hope a few photos are worth 1000 words!
I put this one together with $4.00 worth of parts from my favorite recycle yard.
I don't know what material the base is made from, but it is a pretty hard smooth material. I have used half inch alum plate before.



Back side view, I use these bolts to clamp the bender in my vise.



So this is how I do the mirroring, each of the marked line are a stop for a bend.



This is one of two side tubes for a Ebay Jeep cage.



The handle is a old jack handle and I put a skate board wheel bearing on to ride the tubing or rod when bending."thumbsup"



I made 3/16" and 1/4" spacers to go under the washer as a stop for the bend post. You want the washer to be tight against the tubing, this is what keeps it from collapsing at the bend. I recommend your tubing have a wall thickness of .035 or better. I have used .020 but only on larger bend radiuses.





Here is the Ebay jeep side tube again on the lay out mat.



This is a cage for the topless RC4WD Blazer I just finished up. Several mirroring bends on this one.





Hope this helps some of you out. It's just a concept, you can build it any way that works for you. Just part of the RCC concept of "passing it forward".
Questions or input is welcomed!"thumbsup"
Ernie,

As you can see, this bender has bent many a rod and tube with no problems!!"thumbsup"
Ernie,

 

[Di_Spencer]

As you can see, this bender has bent many a rod and tube with no problems!!"thumbsup"
Ernie,

Hey, Codyboy, I remember you use safetysilv for your brazing. Do you use 45% or 56% and do you use the flux coated rods or do you use the flux separate? Thanks
Spencer

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[CODYBOY]

Hey, Codyboy, I remember you use safetysilv for your brazing. Do you use 45% or 56% and do you use the flux coated rods or do you use the flux separate? Thanks
Spencer

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Technically it is called brazing, but it is more like silver soldering. So the safety silve 56 I use comes in a wire(of which I use 1/16") of varying sizes, and is not coated. The flux I use is a paste. Hope this helps you Di_Spencer."thumbsup"
Ernie

 

[FloridaRCman]

What type /kind / brand torch do you use ?

 

[CODYBOY]

What type /kind / brand torch do you use ?

This is the same setup I have been using for 35 years,(I use to cast and make jewelry).



Torch I use, it is not a high priced set up.



Cutting stations,

 

[Di_Spencer]

This is the same setup I have been using for 35 years,(I use to cast and make jewelry).

What do you use to hold the tubes while you braze them? I bought the 56% safety silv with the flux coating. Do you have any experience with the flux coated rod because I am having trouble getting it to flow good. Thanks

Spencer

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[ElChupacabra]

What do you use to hold the tubes while you braze them? I bought the 56% safety silv with the flux coating. Do you have any experience with the flux coated rod because I am having trouble getting it to flow good. Thanks

Spencer

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I hate flux coated rods. Always prefer 56 with brush on flux. If you're not getting flow you may not be getting the joints hot enough. What kind of torch/gas are you using?

 

[Di_Spencer]

I hate flux coated rods. Always prefer 56 with brush on flux. If you're not getting flow you may not be getting the joints hot enough. What kind of torch/gas are you using?

I'm using map gas and oxygen. Part of my problem is holding it securely while not having all the heat absorbed into the vice

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[Di_Spencer]

Also what do you guys use for flux? Do you just use the stuff that somes with the solder?

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[CODYBOY]

Also what do you guys use for flux? Do you just use the stuff that somes with the solder?

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I use the paste flux, so I don't know if it has the characteristics as the flux on the rod. When I'm soldering/brazing I use enough flame to heat about a dime size area at the joint. The flux will start to bubble a little, and just as it turns fluid (like water) and just before the rod or tube starts to turn color I put the solder to the joint. If the metal starts to get some color, back of on the heat or you will burn the flux before you get a good flow. If the flux burns, and the joint turns black, you might as well stop, let it cool and use a steel brush or a dremel tool to remove the burnt flux, down to the metal, if you don't the solder will never stick.
I use fire brick to to do most of my work on. I use magnets, vise grips, cloths pins, wire and gravity to hold my pieces. Hope that helps you out a little. I've been soldering for over 30 years, and one thing I can say is you have to do it, to get better, and really develop a feel for the heat, flux, and solder!"thumbsup"
Ernie

 

[Szczerba]

I was looking at that one but it looks like there is nothing to support the tube so it would just kink instead of bend.

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I have bent up hundreds of feet of 3/16" 0.035 walled 1020 DOM tube with zero kinking issues with the Mighty Bender. The Mighty Bender is fine up to 3/16 tube. I have another Harbor Freight $8 hand bender for 1/4" and up. I only use 1/4 plus on my big rig builds.