considering a tube bender

[F.J.]

I am considering investing in a tube bender as the company I use (barnshaws) are an hour round trip and have to go once to drop an item off and again to pick it up which eats into my week and fuel.

Can anyone recommend a bender or who to see who can point me in the right direction? I dont have a clue how to work out clr but I have a sample that I could take to the shop so I come away with the correct dies and followers.

Thanks

 

[chevy2]

Centre line radius is exactly that,

Imagine a piece of say 2" diameter tube rolled into a complete circle and the circle measured across the outside is for example 12",

Subtract 1" from each side so that you are now measuring the circle across the centres of the tube,
you now have a 10" diameter across the centres which equates to a 5" centre line radius.

If you need to measure for example an existing 90 degree bend to determine what centre line radius its been bent to,
Draw two lines around the inside and outside of the bend onto a board etc,
Put three marks between the two lines at the start, middle and end of the bend,
Get a compass and keep adjusting it until the pointer picks up on all three marks,
Measure across the two points of the compass and thats what centre line radius the tube has been bent to,

Bit more info needed on diameters, tube type, cds, moly etc and wall thicknesses of the tube?

 

[F.J.]

Thanks for the info, the explanation of the full circle makes it easier to understand it that way and i follow everything else you say to the point of drawing a line on the inside and out side of an existing 90 degree bend. Where you say though to put three marks between the two lines, should the ones at the ends be marked square with the two lines (so if i continued the lines they would meet creating a 90 degree 'L' shape) and the middle one being drawn up from the meeting of the first two at a 45 degree angle? If that makes sense!!!

 

[Welderpaul]

Before you invest in one, and depending how much you are likely to use it, have a look round for some of the smaller bending companies. There's a couple round our way who can do up to a certain section size at very reasonable prices. We only use Barnshaws and Angle Ring for the big heavy stuff that they can't do. Barnshaws/Angle Ring charge a premium for what they do - and rightly so, some of their kit is worth millions.
Sometimes its just not worth fiddling about and give the job to someone who does it day in day out.

We have two Ercolina manchines - a ring roller and a 'proper tube bender' - a rotary draw bender - good bits of kit, don't get loads of use, but are there for the every day stuff. I paid 6 grand each for them - as new, off a bloke who was potless and trying to get rid of some gear so we got a good deal. Think they are 10K new.

 

[chevy2]

Sometimes a pic is easier

The two solid lines are the ones drawn around the bent tube,
The three marks between them that are arrowed is where the arc of the compass has to pass through from somewhere roughly where the big dot is.

 

[F.J.]

Sometimes a pic is easier

The two solid lines are the ones drawn around the bent tube,
The three marks between them that are arrowed is where the arc of the compass has to pass through from somewhere roughly where the big dot is.

Your a gent, not totally different to how I pictured it but makes perfect sense when put on paper

Thank you

 

[F.J.]

Before you invest in one, and depending how much you are likely to use it, have a look round for some of the smaller bending companies. There's a couple round our way who can do up to a certain section size at very reasonable prices. We only use Barnshaws and Angle Ring for the big heavy stuff that they can't do. Barnshaws/Angle Ring charge a premium for what they do - and rightly so, some of their kit is worth millions.
Sometimes its just not worth fiddling about and give the job to someone who does it day in day out.

We have two Ercolina manchines - a ring roller and a 'proper tube bender' - a rotary draw bender - good bits of kit, don't get loads of use, but are there for the every day stuff. I paid 6 grand each for them - as new, off a bloke who was potless and trying to get rid of some gear so we got a good deal. Think they are 10K new.

I only get charged £15 a bend which I see as reasonable but some hobs require 6 or 8 bends which does Mount up. The bender would get used on a weekly if not daily basis so having one would not only save me money but a lot of time Travelling back and forth from barnshaws. I would only need one set of dies for round tube as that is all I use