Cool new cost effective tool for custom cages!

[whiplash]

Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices

What do you think? Great for the new style curved cages I think!

[RickS.]

I like it. I wonder how well it works?
We have a massive powered bender like that at work. I've always wanted to use some of the larger bends on a frame.

[David M]

I saw a bender like that being used on one of the motorcycle shows.

[yoshi]

that's pretty cool. I think i'll go buy one tomorrow and let you know how it does...

[yoshi]

i'll modify it with an air over hydraulic jack on the top with a gauge so I don't have to slowly bring it to the bend I want. I can just crank it down with the push of a lever, and rig up a gauge of some sorts so I can reproduce exact same tubes, I have a pretty good idea how to do it....

[RickS.]

On that type of bender, as far as I know anyway, you must work the bends slowly by going back and fourth. At least thats how we've always used the mammoth at work.

[151fab]

You have to do it gradually otherwise the roller won't grip the tube. You also run the risk of kinks. Think of the tool the way you would an English-wheel; you have to incrementally work the tube into the desired shape.

Those roll-formers also change the shape of the tube and you no longer have a round tube. This will effect the strength of the tube so I wouldn't recommend it for a structural application.

[bdkw1]

On that type of bender, as far as I know anyway, you must work the bends slowly by going back and fourth.

Yup!

You have to do it gradually otherwise the roller won't grip the tube. You also run the risk of kinks. Think of the tool the way you would an English-wheel; you have to incrementally work the tube into the desired shape.

Those roll-formers also change the shape of the tube and you no longer have a round tube. This will effect the strength of the tube so I wouldn't recommend it for a structural application.

Those rollers will distort the tube some. A good name brand one like an Ercolina will not, it just costs 20X as much.....

[N8ball]

Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices


What do you think? Great for the new style curved cages I think!

I would like to see one of the new style curved cages. I mentioned it the other day in a thread that I don't see any more. The reason I ask is, one of the guys I share my shop with has an Eagle that works on the same principle, but it is all automatic. We also have one at the shop I work at. If someone has a pic of a buggy with nice smooth curves making up the cage I would like to see it.

My $.02- I hate to rain on anyones parade, but I have been let down by some harbor freight tools in the past. I have not used this, so I can't be sure. My notcher from there was garbage and needed to be rigged up, right out of the box. A podwer coat gun I got there didn't work at all, and had to be returned. The drill press left me wishing I would have ponied up the money for something better. If you need a hammer, that's fine, but for the most part, if you want something that will last, shop around and compare. I guess you could say that I have low expectations for anything I get there.

[standfast]

I really like the curved cage look like the Kreger cars but there is one problem I see with it. When you bend a tube you weaken a tube at that particular point. Then you go in and reinforce the bend with bracing. When you have a long bend like that there is no way you can brace the whole thing. The wall thickness on the outside of the tube is gonna be thinned out the whole way. I guess the bend on the cage is in the opposite direction (curved up) helps prevent failure but I would agree with 151fab in saying generally it's probably not the best idea for a structural tube. Maybe with the bends really gradual it won't make a difference but in principal it isn't ideal.