Roll Bar tubing bender

[roverman]

Clan, I"m  looking for real value in a proffessional quality bender. I'm considering "Tube Shark" model #'s TSA-2-1-0004 or TSA-2-1-0002. Both are air/hydraulic. Anyone have suggestions ? Thanks, roverman.

[tr8todd]

I have a JD Squared bender and it works great.  You can hook up an air/hydraulic cylinder to it or just use a big pipe for leverage to bend.  1.75"X .120 gives you a good workout.  Anything smaller bends like butter.  The key is to have a good solid base and lots of room.  I use to have a stand mounted on the shop floor, but it's a pain moving everything else out of the way to use it.  Now I have holes drilled in the deck of my open trailer to mount the stand to.  Lots of room and portable.

[roverman]

I have heard JD is the #1 seller. You have a portable compressor for the trailer ?  Should also mention, I need a tubing notcher.  The "Lo-Buck" unit I bought, is worthless. Thanks Todd,  roverman.

[tr8todd]

I never bothered to hook up a cylinder on my bender.  Just slide a big pipe over the handle and let er rip.  I have used a JD squared bender with an air powered cylinder and I could get used to that in a hurry.  Kind of like shoveling your driveway for years and then buying a snow blower.  That being said, I do have a nice portable air compressor.  As a plumber, I need it to do air testing of plumbing systems and for blowing out irrigation systems and winterization of cottages and such.

[roverman]

Ok, so a Model # 32 it is. Now the bitter pill, die prices, around $300. set, average. Why not buy the "biggest" diameter, you plan to use and tubing "shims" for smaller tubing ? I've heard of this done(no pictures), but what if ? roverman.

[DiDueColpi]

I have the JD bender as well and it works great.
It is pretty traumatic to have to buy the dies for each tube size and bending radius.
I never thought to try sleeving a larger die. But it should work.
Like Todd says the bigger tubing gives you a pretty good workout.
I put an actual air cylinder on mine not the air over hydraulic unit that is normally used.
You can't use it to power the bender it's just an assist. But it does reduce the effort dramatically.
Cheers
Fred

[roverman]

What diameter on that air cylinder ? Obviously with a 2 stage compressor peaked at 175 psi, its not going to push like 4k psi hyd. ? Pack thinwall tubing with sand, for use without internal mandrel ? Thanks, roverman.

[DiDueColpi]

I use a 2.5" air cylinder. My air compressor is set to 125 psi but you still need a regulator to step it down. Usually start at 20 psi then go up from there otherwise it can push you around pretty good. I built a dump valve from an old natural gas shutoff valve so that you can release the pressure to reset the ratchet quicker.
If I used it more the hydraulic setup would be much better but I'm too "fiscally sensitive" (cheap) to do that.
Haven't had any problems with thinwall as long as it's clean and lubricated.
The trick with your low buck notcher is to bolt it down solidly to a drill press. Use lots of cutting oil and you'll be surprised how well it can actually work.
Cheers
Fred

[BlownMGB-V8]

Just make sure you are well aligned with the quill. We darned near destroyed a chuck with one that was off a bit.

JB

[roverman]

On non-chrome moly, couldn't one chalk mark the notch and use "plasma " ? My Lo-Buck notcher is shear type. Problem is 2 sets of dies are supposed to shear 6 different sizes ? Not really ! Cheers, roverman.

[rampant racing]

gety yourself a notcher called the old joint jigger.it uses hole saws and works great.there are different companies that make them so prices vary.goodluck.