Could get a few interested and import a few!!
Exchange rate is good.
http://www.pro-tools.com/index.html
I have come up against my first problem with building project X.
I need 4 curved 1 1/2" round tubes for the chassis.
I tried a test piece on a pipe bender, but although I only need gradual curves, the formers left little dents in the tube.
I need someone fairly local with pipe rollers rather than benders.
Anyone know someone?
Why don't you make yourself something like Alan B's tube bender?
It sounds perfect for what what you are planning.
Cheers
Alex
tightly packing the tube with sand before bending can help prevent the small dents.
Ray
hmmm tricky one!! I don't know of anybody, and you do need rollers to do that really.
Case of ringing round all your local fabrication shops i'm afraid, will be cheap once you find a man that can as it will only take a min or two!
I know someone with straight rollers, but I don't think that they have the former groove for 1 1/2"
[Edited on 28/5/2007 by nitram38]
can't you hand bend them over a large radius?
Seen Jesse James do it with a motorcycle frame on monster garage. Heated the tube and bent it round a mdf former.
Long bar and leverage should do it.
It is only 16 gauge to keep the weight down so I think that it will still kink.
fill it with sand , lots of headers are made this way , they use a ring burner so the heat is distributed evenly around the tube .
You need one of these, thougt about getting one , only in the US though.
Could get a few interested and import a few!!
Exchange rate is good.
http://www.pro-tools.com/index.html
Those benders won't do a long gradual bend which is the effect everyone wants now. When I worked in the steel industry we used to use a machine for roughly straightening billet for rolling which would have been ideal
I might end up doing the sand filled option with a wooden block former if I can't find a local business.
quote:
Originally posted by Peteff
Those benders won't do a long gradual bend which is the effect everyone wants now. When I worked in the steel industry we used to use a machine for roughly straightening billet for rolling which would have been ideal
i cant imagine it giving a good consistant bend. Have you looks at alans site, at his roller? Seems it might be the best solution is no one has one.
quote:
Originally posted by JoelP
i cant imagine it giving a good consistant bend. Have you looks at alans site, at his roller? Seems it might be the best solution is no one has one.
looks like he doesnt have a build diary for his new project, these are gathered from the site:
Description
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=56167&page=1
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=56045&page=1
Useful Links below
http://www.metalgeek.com/archives/2005/05/01/000047.php
http://www.blindchickenracing.com/Tools/Tube%20Bender/Tubingbender.htm
It's important for people to know the difference between rolling and bending.
As Joel has linked below that is my setup for rolling tube for big radius/long sweeping bends. To do smaller/tighter radius bends you really need a
proper bender as shown higher up the thread (just like the one I have).....The two processes really don't overlap in the work that they do and
trying to use the wrong type of tool will almost certainly end up being a bodge.
IMO...
quote:
Originally posted by JoelP
looks like he doesnt have a build diary for his new project, these are gathered from the site:
Description
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=56167&page=1
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=56045&page=1
Alan, I have been looking high and low for a bender.
Unfortunately I cannot find a roller type cheap enough.
As an electrician I bend conduit in a former which is tight. I can roll a curve very well without any kinks in the tube.
I am willing to spend around £500 for one if anyone sees one!
I have another option. As an electrician, I use a bender to bend conduits. I think that I should make a pattern in conduit and give it to a company
with the correct machine to copy again in 1 1/2"
[Edited on 29/5/2007 by nitram38]
JZR used to make the long bends in their main rails by placing the steel tube on blocks and standing on them in relevant places. Cant think of anything more locost !!
home made plans if you send me an email address i can send you some plans too big to upload
[Edited on 30/5/07 by timf]
quote:
Originally posted by timf
home made plans if you send me an email address i can send you some plans too big to upload
[Edited on 30/5/07 by timf]
just going to say, if you can find the time, which I know is always tricky, then for a lot less than £500 (prob around £250) you could make a set of
rolls.
Stout pieces of 20mm steel plate, held apart by distance pieces, 3 rolls between them, radiused to suit your tube size, 2 fixed in 4 bolt self-lube
flange bearings and the 3rd roll adjustable on off the shelf self-lube takeup units located in slots milled in the cheekplates, big handle on one of
the roll axles and jobs jobbed. Not a 5 minute lashup as you'll need a machine shop with a big mill to machine the cheekplates, but still a lot
less than £500 and once its done, its done.
another option is to make something like this
make the rollers from birch ply laminated together sandwiched between steel plates, will last to do 4 bends easily .
[Edited on 30/5/07 by timf]
Here's another, taken from this
thread on the LocostUSA forums.
Exactly what I was suggesting, good pics!
Rather than making all the bearing holders etc, just use these for the fixed shafts:
and then mill slots in the (somewhat thicker than in the pics) cheekplates and use these for the adjustable roll:
all these bearings are off the shelf and cheap as chips, and saves making the moving bearing hanger etc, the takeup unit just runs in milled slots
with nuts dropped into the cutouts in the sides.
There is a chap in Uxbridge who did my roll tube, let me know if you need contact details.
Smiths welders
James
have a link to a site that has free plans for making your own pro tool style bender on it. I aint at home at the mo so ill post the link when i get back next week.
I have details of a guy in hastings who will do it for me. It is a bit of a drive, but he will copy a conduit template.
It seems the most cost effective option, although I still fancy my own roller set up.
I also now have access to a local hot rod builder who has the bender to make the tighter bends.
Please keep the discussion going as this has been very useful.
Cheers Martin
As promised. Go to the downloads section theres three types of tube benders to choose from plus loads of other usefull info.
http://www.chopperhandbook.com/neatstuff/index.html