Author Topic: Harbor Frieght pipe bender (Read 71690 times)

Gittinit · « **Reply #60 on:** Apr 19, 2008, 08:41:38 PM »

Oops! My post was supposed to say that there are other alternatives, like these. I got ahead of myself.

fordh8r · « **Reply #61 on:** Apr 19, 2008, 08:46:24 PM »

Quote from: Gittinit on Apr 19, 2008, 08:39:23 PM

Like this one
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/p/6614,243_3rd-Generation-Speedway-Hydraulic-Round-Pipe-Bender.html which I have seen in action and it makes beautiful bends.

A buddy of mine has this same bender and it does work rather nicely! He did get it from another vendor a few years ago. Just remember though, if you don't plan on using it to build other stuff after using it to build your stuff it will sit a lot and not get the use for the money.

Intrepidyota · « **Reply #62 on:** Apr 20, 2008, 02:27:35 PM »

Quote from: Talon84x4 on Apr 18, 2008, 11:18:40 AM

I'm sure it does i'm not arguing that point, yeah I could build a pipe cage it it would hold up much better than a stock roof but the same could be said for many things. Never said i built one and had it fail but i'll take advice when it's given. Clearly that was just my and not fact so to each his own.

I was merely pointing out that you said you wouldn't trust your life to a pipe cage, yet you daily trust your life to a stock tinfoil roof.

As for taking advice when given, real life experience > popular internet rumor. So here is some advice for you to take, poop pipe isn't nearly as bad as people like to pretend it is, it is a good, strong, cheap option for those that cannot afford an expensive bender and expensive tube. I will gladly get some pics and maybe vids of me with my skull in one piece after a roll once mine is done.

Talon84x4 · « **Reply #63 on:** Apr 22, 2008, 12:14:31 AM »

Advice taken, though I don't get to wheel every day and put that much trust in my roof, though i wish got to

84_yota_4wd · « **Reply #64 on:** Apr 22, 2008, 04:45:38 AM »

What do you guys think about it bending 1 1/2 .185 wall dom tubing?

I know i will need a torch to heat it up a lot before i make my bend

Snowtoy · « **Reply #65 on:** Apr 22, 2008, 04:18:01 PM »

It will bend 1-5/8" better than 1.5". The 1.5 inch die you get w/the bender is for pipe which measures the inside diameter not O/D.

You wont need to use heat/as much if you first pack the tube w/sand and tape off the ends. I have gotten nice decent bends by letting the tube/sand heat up in the sun prior to bending. Also take your time and don't force it, the slower the bend the nicer it turns out. Also the less of a bend you need the less chance for ripples. If you fab up a jig(wood or copper tubing) you can get an exhaust shop w/mandrel bender to bend the tube for you, most charge between $5-10/bend. Depending on how you design your cage, you could have the shop bend your 90's and use the pipe bender to do the other angles.

crawlerdan · « **Reply #66 on:** Apr 22, 2008, 08:29:26 PM »

i tried the sand thing too, and it helped.

but the torch helped more

84_yota_4wd · « **Reply #67 on:** Apr 22, 2008, 09:02:26 PM »

.185 wall dom?

TRACKER · « **Reply #68 on:** Apr 22, 2008, 10:23:41 PM »

this should help answer some of the Questions
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=342992

crawlerdan · « **Reply #69 on:** Apr 23, 2008, 06:15:48 AM »

Quote from: 84_yota_4wd on Apr 22, 2008, 09:02:26 PM

.185 wall dom?

i was bending 1.5 inch 1/2 wall.....heavy

84_yota_4wd · « **Reply #70 on:** Apr 23, 2008, 07:57:40 AM »

sweet thanks

superyota · « **Reply #71 on:** Apr 23, 2008, 09:08:04 AM »

i'll have to get some pics up of my buddies jeep that we're doing an exo on right now. using the good old harbor freight bender and its working great! we're using 1 1/2in .120 wall tubing, but with a 1in. die in the bender. it works great with no kinks. i'll get some pics up soon.

bluetoy84 · « **Reply #72 on:** Apr 29, 2008, 03:24:39 PM »

I've built two rigs with exo cages using a HF bender. Works fine if you've got the patience to use it. I've bent 1" and 1.25" sch 40 with it. I used AMERICAN MADE pipe which is the same material as HREW tube. A lot of my tube came directly from the manufacturer, bullmoose tubing in Trenton , GA.
The 1.25" sch 40 measures 1.660" o.d. and .140" wall thickness. It is made with the same metal and process as HREW and I believe it's as strong or stronger than 1.5" or 1.75" hrew tube. I've had both, so I'm not just defending the "pipe".
On the other hand, the foreign made pipe is JUNK. I split a piece of it trying to bend it.

Overall I think the HF bender is great for the guy on a budget.

Here's what I've built with the HF "kinker".

superyota · « **Reply #73 on:** Apr 29, 2008, 11:48:59 PM »

looks good

unclejpl4x4 · « **Reply #74 on:** Apr 30, 2008, 08:44:54 AM »

I love the color/decals

bluetoy84 · « **Reply #75 on:** Apr 30, 2008, 10:37:55 AM »

Quote from: unclejpl4x4 on Apr 30, 2008, 08:44:54 AM

I love the color/decals

Thanks. Factory paint and decals. Check this out for details:
http://board.marlincrawler.com/index.php?topic=41316.0

GJToyotabug · « **Reply #76 on:** Jul 08, 2008, 12:43:45 PM »

What you do when you bend tube with a harbor freight pipe bender is you just pack the tube full of sand it works great me and my buddys in town do it all of the time. I even had a friend build full tube buggy with it.

jimbo74 · « **Reply #77 on:** Jul 08, 2008, 12:59:34 PM »

Quote from: GJToyotabug on Jul 08, 2008, 12:43:45 PM

What you do when you bend tube with a harbor freight pipe bender is you just pack the tube full of sand it works great me and my buddys in town do it all of the time. I even had a friend build full tube buggy with it.

did he use tube or pipe?

GJToyotabug · « **Reply #78 on:** Jul 08, 2008, 01:54:53 PM »

tube 1.20 wall D.O.M.

Thomas P · « **Reply #79 on:** Jul 08, 2008, 04:07:15 PM »

has anyone ever rolled with a pipe cage, and got some pics to show how it faired? my father in law has the harbor freeight bender and is looking into building a budget cab cage, just wanna see how the sch. 40 holds up, i know there are quite a few on the board running pipe cages, any carnage pics?

KDXSR5 · « **Reply #80 on:** Jul 08, 2008, 04:22:18 PM »

On pirate there is a thread about it, I think it may even be linked in this thread, but a guy built an exocage using pipe and a HF bender (if i remember correctly) and flopped it on video. The cage flexed a bunch and contacted the body a little bit when he did it. You know you guys can get heaver pipe than just schedule 40. Just throwing it out there.

KDXSR5 · « **Reply #81 on:** Jul 08, 2008, 04:30:10 PM »

It is quite possibly this thread that is just a few posts up from here. Look a little closer next time you read a thread, lol.

Quote from: TRACKER on Apr 22, 2008, 10:23:41 PM

this should help answer some of the Questions
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=342992

BLACKDOG · « **Reply #82 on:** Jul 08, 2008, 04:43:39 PM »

Quote from: KDXSR5 on Jul 08, 2008, 04:22:18 PM

On pirate there is a thread about it, I think it may even be linked in this thread, but a guy built an exocage using pipe and a HF bender (if i remember correctly) and flopped it on video. The cage flexed a bunch and contacted the body a little bit when he did it. You know you guys can get heaver pipe than just schedule 40. Just throwing it out there.

Yes, but sched 40 is more readily available and cheaper. RUGER has a sched 40 cage, and I've seen him lay it over onto a rock HARD, landed right on the cage, and it didn't move a bit.

The material of the cage isn't the only factor, also the quality and cleanliness of the welds, # of connection points to the frame, and proper triangulation of the cage.

KDXSR5 · « **Reply #83 on:** Jul 08, 2008, 05:05:59 PM »

Proper cage construction is important as is the quality of pipe. I personally would not build a cage out of pipe, but I see no reason to not build bumpers and other non super critical devices. If I was to do a cage it would be DOM tube. I know the pipe is better than nothing, but if i build one it will be built out of the stuff I believe it should be built out of: DOM tube. Thats just my personal choice, and no I don't want to argue about it.

I have access to all the schedules of pipe from standard 40 clear up to double extra heavy, or double extra strong or whatever you want to call it. It is thicker than schedule 160.

My dad is a pipe dealer so i can get the hookup if i need it.

bluetoy84 · « **Reply #84 on:** Jul 11, 2008, 06:52:19 AM »

If you buy american made structural "pipe", it is made at the same plant, of the same material, using the same process as HREW "tube" , just different dimensions, but yet people still argue that you should not build a cage with pipe and it's inferior to tube. What's your logic behind this?

If you'll read through my posts on this topic you'll see that I have explained there is a diference in quality of "pipe". The foreign made "black sprinkler pipe" is made of inferior materials so Yes it is weaker than tube. However all "pipe" is not the same. Mine came from Bull Moose Tube in Trenton, Ga. http://www.bullmoosetube.com/hss_pipe.htm and it looks exactly like HREW tube. The 1.250" sch 40 even has a thicker wall, .140" vs. .120" wall HREW.

I'm willing to bet that a decently designed exo cage made out of the cheapest chinese "pipe" that you can find is every bit as safe as one of those bolt together in-cab cages sold by the toyota vendors made out of quality tube. I had one of the bolt in cages from all-pro but I decided to sell it and build a pipe exo. I feel way more confident with my exo that's fully welded and tied in to the frame in 8 places than I did with the kit bolted together with sleeves and bolted to sheet metal. Is the in cab cage un-safe? NO, it's a vast improvement from no cage at all. I've actually even seen those cheesy 1980's roll bars that bolts in the bed keep the back of a cab from crushing in a rollover. As cheesy as they are , they are safer than no cage.

Moral of the story: Don't tell people a cage made of pipe is un-safe. Especially if you wheel a truck with no cage at all.

BLACKDOG · « **Reply #85 on:** Jul 11, 2008, 09:24:23 AM »

pipe cage:

bluetoy84 · « **Reply #86 on:** Jul 14, 2008, 12:40:07 PM »

Saw this on Pirate. Very hard rollover. Pipe cage. No damage.

http://s277.photobucket.com/albums/kk57/Karpi/?action=view&current=M2U00274.flv

unclejpl4x4 · « **Reply #87 on:** Jul 14, 2008, 03:01:50 PM »

gotrocks · « **Reply #88 on:** Jul 14, 2008, 03:36:56 PM »

Here's another alternative to the HF bender. I've bent up stuff with it and for the money it works great. You can even download the plans off their website and just buy the dies. It's a mandrel bender and it's barely any more expensive than buying a HF bender if you build it yourself.
http://www.pro-tools.com/200.htm

FAR BETTER than the HF bender. I hate the one I bought and only use it to bend my tube back if i go a little bit to far on my mandrel bender.

This is what I use. Its the cheapest mandrel thats air/hydraulic I've found. It uses the same dies as the 200
http://www.pro-tools.com/302.htm

This is the only thing I'd use the HF bender for.

Here's what I've done with my one shot bender

gotrocks · « **Reply #89 on:** Jul 14, 2008, 03:43:38 PM »

oh yeah and my buggy is all bent with the Pro Tools HB302 One shot as well.

I wouldn't have trusted pipe to hold up to the abuse I put my DOM tube through

OK sorry I'm done ranting. I just know that pipe can hold up and it really comes down to how its built. All I know is for my kind of wheeling using DOM tube vs. pipe isn't a question for me and I want to have the strongest most affordable option out there. I don't even use HREW when I'm building a cage for someone I only use DOM. My life is not worth saving a few hundred bucks. Not everyone wheels as hard as I do and a pipe cage is far better than nothing.


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