Alloy tube bending - hydraulic or not?

[zedhead]

I've got some 1" aluminium tube with 2mm wall that I need to bend, so have been looking at a variety of benders online (errrr, should I reword that?)
Seems that the Record, tripod style benders come in at about the same sort of price as the Clarke Strongarm hydraulic benders... what would be best for my needs?

 

[Luke]

What sort of quality of bend are you looking for?

 

[pedrobedro]

Try a 22mm plumbing spring in the tube and bend it round something like a cylinder.

 

[Paul.]

I use a Hilmor tripod type bender for 1" ally tube with good results, have a read through this thread for some more information, http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=23981&highlight=hilmor

 

[chevy2]

The hydraulic benders that simply push the centre of the former (bow and arrow type) will make the ali tube collapse,
You need a bender that pulls the tube around the former with a guide that runs around the outside.

 

[zedhead]

Ahh, I didn't realise that the hydraulic benders could crush the tube - that's them out then! Just missed a Record on ebay for sixty quid...
TIG Paul - that's just the sort of thing I need. Not too bothered about any orange peeling, as the subframe I'll be making will be pwder-coated when it's done. I've been told that I need a 1" former with the Record type benders, but that link suggests I'll get away with 25mm formers, which seem to be more common? Or are 1" formers easy to find, and cheap?...

 

[zedhead]

Oh yeah, while I'm here... what are the vice-type clamps on the Record / Hilmor benders for?

 

[chevy2]

Dont try bending 1" tube (being 25.4mm) in a 25mm former, it'll crack the former.
Edit, if it's not that critical why not get 25mm o/d tube?

 

[Paul.]

Mine is 1", so they must be available, its a proper industrial tool with the guide that chevy describes, mind you mine was probably made before mm were thought of !
The pipe vices built in are for holding while you cut and thread the pipes

 

[zedhead]

Edit, if it's not that critical why not get 25mm o/d tube?

Because I was told that all alloy tube is 1", and that no-one makes 25mm tube! I thought that a bit odd at the time...

I'm watching a few on ebonk at the mo, but they seem to go for more than I was hoping But it'd definitely be a handy tool to add to the collection, and somewhat easier than having to traipse around to someone with a bender each time...

 

[zedhead]

And it is 25mm OD tubing that I have!

 

[armalites]

The hydraulic benders that simply push the centre of the former (bow and arrow type) will make the ali tube collapse,
You need a bender that pulls the tube around the former with a guide that runs around the outside.

Rothenberger do a bender called a Robull that you can buy with Aluminium specific formers. The formers enclose 50% of the tube so stop it crushing.

I have one with formers for steel and it does a nice job even on 3-4mm thick scaffold tubing.

They sometimes come up on ebay, they are not cheap when new £1000+

I have a friend who got one with the Ali formers for £120 but he had to free up the pump and it worked fine after.

 

[Tigman]

As I understand it , Aluminium products allways come up imperial , I had some success bending 1" tube in a hilmour bender , bends came out quite well !

 

[graffian]

I bent a lot of 1" ali tube and 1-1/4" with my Hilmor
builders pipe bender, I don't have a guide
for 1 inch so I definitely do it with the roller.

 

[zedhead]

I've won myself a Record bender with 20 and 25mm dies, let's see how I get on!...