Staffa or Tubela

[blenkie1]

Seen a Staffa and a Tubela pipe bender that will bend up to 4" pipe. Anyone used either brand? One I think is electric and the other looks like hand operated. Need to bend 88.9mm (8mm wall) gas pipe for this job just wondering what they were like.

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/bending-88-9mm-8mm-wall-pipe.57625/

 

[Wallace]

I have a Tubela H3PR manual hydraulic pipe bender and the dies on that only go up to 2".

 

[tinman123]

unless im badly mistaken its going to take a big bender to be able to bend 90mm pipe with an 8mm wall on it, thats heavy pipe.

could you use weldable bends instead, they mightnt be 8mm wall but they would be damn colse.
maybe you have a reason not to use them tho.

fine looking harvester there in your link, and a damn fine looking cage your making.
many moons ago i used to work for a company who made harvesters and forwarders as a service fitter.

 

[chevy2]

You'd need one hell of a machine to bend 8mm wall at that diameter,
As said, weld-in preformed bends would be a better option.

 

[blenkie1]

unless im badly mistaken its going to take a big bender to be able to bend 90mm pipe with an 8mm wall on it, thats heavy pipe.

could you use weldable bends instead, they mightnt be 8mm wall but they would be damn colse.
maybe you have a reason not to use them tho.

fine looking harvester there in your link, and a damn fine looking cage your making.
many moons ago i used to work for a company who made harvesters and forwarders as a service fitter.

Yeah we use the weldable bends now for the tighter radius which I would still have to use its more for the other bends in the legs. You have to cut, prep and weld and then clean up each joint so hopefully these benders I've seen will do it. Its going to save time and give a better finish. Both said they would bend 4" pipe not sure if they would do 8mm wall. Not much of a bend so hoping they would just wondering if anyone had used them.


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tubela-Hydraulic-Pipe-Bender-Tube-Bender-/291663094309?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Staffa-hydraulic-pipe-bender-/252256264408?

Thats the new 951 sold a few to Ireland

 

[tinman123]

Yeah we use the weldable bends now for the tighter radius which I would still have to use its more for the other bends in the legs. You have to cut, prep and weld and then clean up each joint so hopefully these benders I've seen will do it. Its going to save time and give a better finish. Both said they would bend 4" pipe not sure if they would do 8mm wall. Not much of a bend so hoping they would just wondering if anyone had used them.


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tubela-Hydraulic-Pipe-Bender-Tube-Bender-/291663094309?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Staffa-hydraulic-pipe-bender-/252256264408?

Thats the new 951 sold a few to Ireland

yeah, there is a lot of extra work in the weldable joints so i see your point.
i didnt see them when i had a quick google, on their web sites which to me both of them seem to be the same thing now a days but they had nothing like that on their sites.
hard to beat the old school stuff.

im only guessing here but id say if your only looking to do slight bends in 8mm walled pipe then either of them should do that.
indeed its quite possible that either would bend it to 90dgs, it id be a fair bend tho.
the tubela is handy with the electric on it, but to me even tho the base is deep, your still only relying on the two pins holding the guides, to me id be thinking that anything above what its rated for could bend a pin maybe.
the staffa has more support for the pins but is a handball job.
if i wasnt worried about the pins bending id go for the tubela one as putting the pipe on and off is going to be a lot easier.

either way, its not what i thought you had in mind originally, but fair play, its up there with what you need, they are fine benders i must say, i never came across one as big before tbh.
the biggest i have here is a rothenberger that dose up to 3" iirc.

 

[blenkie1]

I might have a go at one of them the staffa does flats as well but I suppose the Tubella could as well. Seem like they have a lot of dies with them as well so might be worth it really. Will have to see what they go for!

 

[tinman123]

seems like more are interested in the tubela one anyways.
it comes across as the more user friendly machine is suppose and the wee coat of paint is helping it too id say.

e bay can be very funny, the middle of the month seems to me like the best time to buy stuff, it must be to do with the half ways point of the monthly pay cheque to me but even that isnt a set rule either as anything in the engineering world seems to always make decent money no matter what day of the month it is.
as you say, time will tell but the money they are right now isnt bad for what your getting, ive seen benders up to 3" make fairly silly money at auction but the last 2 seconds will tell the tale on e bay.
a world of folk sniping bids these times, a lot more than used to be anyways.

 

[addjunkie]

I must confess to using a sniping tool, the odd occasion i bid on things, saves sitting watching it, if nothing else

 

[tinman123]

I must confess to using a sniping tool, the odd occasion i bid on things, saves sitting watching it, if nothing else

and why wouldnt you, we all have our tactics at auction, its fair game as far as id be concerned.
its going to sell for what it makes, like you im sure, id normally have a limit in my head, if i get it for less its a bonus, if it goes above my limit times id chase it a bit but not too far.

there are a few sinping crowds out there, ive half thought at times of using one but ive never signed up, do the charges vary or are they all about the same.
id buy a fair shot of stuff off e bay but as much as i would id still be no fan of it, its just a platform.
their charges add up to a right bit which kind of takes the gloss off selling stuff on it imo.
altho for certain things its about the only place you can sell certain items to such a global audience.

 

[lionleg]

The tubela machine would have done the job. Good machines , used them many times in the past.

 

[malfazer]

i have a tubela biggest die i have is 3 inch it bends 3 inch 4 mm wall tube no problem but not sure how you would get on with 8 mm if it bends think it may suffer from a lot of deformation ripples ect

 

[Kent]

That's a heck of a thing to bend I bet it works out cheaper to carry on with the weld in bends once you figure in the machine

I used to use a tubella many moons ago but not up to that size

 

[blenkie1]

Still be using the bends for the tighter radius the bender (I think) won't do them that tight but the ones halfway up the legs and the 2 main rails I thought I could do with the bender.

These are just slight bends and mitred in the saw prepped, welded and then cleaned up so there's a fair bit work involved with it. It's not a nice and rounded bend either which I would prefer, a more factory look!

I think it will pay for itself just doing this work not just in the time but effort having to clean them up. I hate grinders! Loads of dies as well so it will get used for other stuff.

Did look into buying a rotary draw one but it only did 6mm and cost £25,000 so I give up on that idea!

 

[tinman123]

Still be using the bends for the tighter radius the bender (I think) won't do them that tight but the ones halfway up the legs and the 2 main rails I thought I could do with the bender.

These are just slight bends and mitred in the saw prepped, welded and then cleaned up so there's a fair bit work involved with it. It's not a nice and rounded bend either which I would prefer, a more factory look!

I think it will pay for itself just doing this work not just in the time but effort having to clean them up. I hate grinders! Loads of dies as well so it will get used for other stuff.

Did look into buying a rotary draw one but it only did 6mm and cost £25,000 so I give up on that idea!

yeah, 25k is a bit ott for a couple of bends alright...

did you buy one of the two on the bay?, the one at £766 or £450..

 

[blenkie1]

Yes I won the tubella went for more than I thought to be honest. Not picked it up yet. Currently have two machines to get ready as soon as possible so not got the time! Fingers crossed it should bend the pipe. I'll let you know if it manages to do it.

 

[tinman123]

Yes I won the tubella went for more than I thought to be honest. Not picked it up yet. Currently have two machines to get ready as soon as possible so not got the time! Fingers crossed it should bend the pipe. I'll let you know if it manages to do it.

health to wear sir.
you bought the best of the two when all is said and done, it will come in handy for a few jobs and you can always sell it.
do indeed, it ill be interesting to hear how you get on.

 

[blenkie1]

I hope I got the better one Tin Man! Yeah should be able to use it for other jobs as well. Often get bent bolster pins in so might give them a go as well. Just need to find some time to go and get it!

 

[tinman123]

I hope I got the better one Tin Man! Yeah should be able to use it for other jobs as well. Often get bent bolster pins in so might give them a go as well. Just need to find some time to go and get it!

it was the one everyone was after in the end so its the favored machine.
is it far away from you, could you get a courier company to lift it if he strapped it to a pallet for civil money?
i can get anything shipped on a pallet for 60 odd euro's at the most and cheaper if i looked probably.
but maybe you want to actually tun up for it.

 

[blenkie1]

Might have to use a courier. They must deal in machinery so I thought I would go and have a look to see what they had. York is about 2 1/2 hours away from me. See how well I get on with the machines I need to do. Another machine has turned up today but not sure if it's been sold. Gets busy before the end of the tax year!