Rent a Tube Bender?

[barlowrs]

Hey guys/gals

I REALLLY want to start my roof rack build, I have so many ideas in my head I need to start getting them out. I have a welder and can weld, but I do not have a tube bender, nor do I want to spend the money to buy one for a single project.

Does anyone know if you can rent tube benders? If so, anyone know if a place in southern california to rent from? Anyone here have one that they wouldnt mind letting me play with, and if so, how much would you charge?

Thanks

 

[bobtail4x4]

I have one, but I dont think you wanna come over to borrow it:Wow1:

 

[Willman]

Check with local metal/fence fabricators - draw up what you want and they can get her done for you.....Or if you have an in....They will let you bend it yourself for free. I have a few shops around here like that.

Another idea.....buy a cheap unit from Harbor Freight.

:ylsmoke:

 

[barlowrs]

I have one, but I dont think you wanna come over to borrow it:Wow1:

haha thanks, yeah, might be an expensive project then...though it would make for a nice vaccation..haha

 

[barlowrs]

Check with local metal/fence fabricators - draw up what you want and they can get her done for you.....Or if you have an in....They will let you bend it yourself for free. I have a few shops around here like that.

Another idea.....buy a cheap unit from Harbor Freight.

:ylsmoke:

I was actually thinking that, My roof rack is all small stuff, 1" max, so a harbor freight unit would probably work...heck I coudl even knock it out quickly and return the thing..HAHA.

I think my old professor will let me use the schools bender now...I hope...problem is, I am not sure what dies he has.

 

[SunTzuNephew]

Have you checked with tool rental places?

Or, a cheap unit from HF...and when it breaks, return it.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

You might even be able to use an electrician's pole pipe bender. They use them to bend conduit, and you might even be able to rent them at Home Depot or something. It's really simple device, just a pole with a cast mandrel thing on the end. They can't handle a heavy wall pipe, and the radius is a little wide, but it might work for you.

 

[barlowrs]

You might even be able to use an electrician's pole pipe bender. They use them to bend conduit, and you might even be able to rent them at Home Depot or something. It's really simple device, just a pole with a cast mandrel thing on the end. They can't handle a heavy wall pipe, and the radius is a little wide, but it might work for you.

Yeah, I already looked into that, as I was originally going to make the rack out of conduit, but the 11" radius will kill me...I need to get tighter than that.

Thanks though

 

[Maximus Ram]

Harbour freight 89.99..might have to go and grab one myself for the price,

or look on craigslist...

 

[bat]

A 1" pipe foot bender has a radius of 8" that is what I use on my racks. I have used .095 pipe but it is very hard to bend, I try and use .063 when I can much easier to bend.

 

[barlowrs]

Harbour freight 89.99..might have to go and grab one myself for the price,

or look on craigslist...

Ihmm it says $199 on the website

 

[Maximus Ram]

link
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=32888

 

[Youngunner]

I went to a performance shop that builds race car cages. I think it was about $50 to bend the hoops and notch the tubes. I did the welding.

Sadly, with the amount of work i put in, this thing is probably going to be sold along with the bajarack and RTT when i get my Flippac.

 

[barlowrs]

I went to a performance shop that builds race car cages. I think it was about $50 to bend the hoops and notch the tubes. I did the welding.

Sadly, with the amount of work i put in, this thing is probably going to be sold along with the bajarack and RTT when i get my Flippac.

Hey actually, speaking of the baja rack, can you tell me what tubing size that is? That is essentially the same tubing and bend radius I want to try to get.

Thanks

 

[Backwoods Rambler]

Depending on the project, you could do the Cut/Weld process. It's not very typical, but here's what I did....don't laugh too hard...

I had been waiting for access to one of my club members benders, but it never happened so...

Here's the cut part of the cut/weld method.

Since it's not my first time doing this method I had a pretty good idea of how many cuts/inch I needed in order to make a decent bend.

And here's the Weld part of the Cut/Weld process.

Yes I use Flux core wire instead of gas.


Finished welding

A little bit of grinding yeilds a bent, round tube. Not perfect, but neither is my XJ.

Rear propped up for test fitting.

[side note]I love it when the Built-not-Bought sticker is in a picture of one of my build threads :sombrero: [/side note]


Clearance testing for the Yakima rack...PERFECT!

For the record, my Roofrack isn't done yet, which is why you don't see it in the Homemade Roofracks thread

DISCLAIMER: I do NOT recommend this method for anything structural or that involves occupant protection.