HarborFreight Tubing Bender item #99736
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GeneD14
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Jul 29, 2003
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- Tennessee
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- Kubota B26 TLB, Allis Chalmers D17 series IV, Kubota ZG-23 Mower, Kubota ZD 1211, Kawasaki Mule 610, Stihl 361, Stihl 045 AV Super, and a Stihl 660 Ported and tuned
A few years ago I bought the 7 ton Harbor Freight model for $69.99. I have used it several times and it has done a very nice job. It is a little slow, but since I use it one or twice per year it is tolerable. I would say this is one HF tool that I would recommend. 
Stimw
Elite Member
HF sells pipe benders. Pipe is measured inside, tubing is measured/called by outside.
If you want to use it to bend tubing there is a trick. Using 1" for example. First bend a piece of 1" pipe then cut that bent piece around the side of the bend to make an insert to put on the bender shoe. Using the insert you can bend tubing.
The HF bender does a fair job, there is a learning curve to pipe/tubing bending and you will make some mistakes.
If you want to use it to bend tubing there is a trick. Using 1" for example. First bend a piece of 1" pipe then cut that bent piece around the side of the bend to make an insert to put on the bender shoe. Using the insert you can bend tubing.
The HF bender does a fair job, there is a learning curve to pipe/tubing bending and you will make some mistakes.
techwrtr2
Platinum Member
I saw a tubing roller on their website for about 180. Looks like it will do from 3/4 to 2" tubing.
Brad_Blazer
Veteran Member
99736 is the roller.
- Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices
- Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices
Hooked_on_HP
Veteran Member
I would like to see them bend 2" tubing . There just doesn't seem to be enough leverage.
Bill
Bill
So, There should`nt be any crushing to the inside of the bend? I want to build a chasiss for a mini bugggy but I don`t want it to look like a Wally World swing set.:laughing:
Also , I am working on a dual axle dumper using an older Snapper rear engine rider and I would like to to keep it cohesive with the center member.Which was specifically why I was looking at the tubing benders.
Also , I am working on a dual axle dumper using an older Snapper rear engine rider and I would like to to keep it cohesive with the center member.Which was specifically why I was looking at the tubing benders.
Egon
Epic Contributor
That is what pipe wrenches are for. The steel ones not aluminum. That gives you a place to slide the pipe over for real leverage.
For this kind of work you may have to look at more expensive commercial grade hydraulic benders.
The 99736 is not the tool for building roll cages or chassis.
It will not have the power to bend the wall thickness needed for a cage, nor will it probably be able to bend a tight enough radius.
These are the low cost units that will do the job.http://www.summitracing.com/parts/HCK-WFB2
http://www.medfordtools.com/mb3.html
There may be others, google manual tubing benders.
There is a difference in a pipe bender and a tubing bender.
Usually a pipe bender wont do the job with out crimping the inside bend, which is unacceptable for a roll bar bend. As already noted you can sometimes modify a pipe bender to work, but from my experience ( running a race car fab shop for 10 years) the results are a bit spotty.
It will not have the power to bend the wall thickness needed for a cage, nor will it probably be able to bend a tight enough radius.
These are the low cost units that will do the job.http://www.summitracing.com/parts/HCK-WFB2
http://www.medfordtools.com/mb3.html
There may be others, google manual tubing benders.
There is a difference in a pipe bender and a tubing bender.
Usually a pipe bender wont do the job with out crimping the inside bend, which is unacceptable for a roll bar bend. As already noted you can sometimes modify a pipe bender to work, but from my experience ( running a race car fab shop for 10 years) the results are a bit spotty.
crazyal
Super Member
I started off with an el-cheapo bottle jack pipe bender, 10 or 12 ton maybe. I then bought a set of dies for one of the $600 hydraulic benders. The set came with a 7" radius steel die that could bend 110 degrees, a strap to hold the pipe at one end, and an aluminum block about a foot long with a groove cut into it. Using some scrap steel (I made the mistake of using 3/8 plate so it weighs a ton) and copied the design of the bender the die fit on.
All and all I probably have $250 (may cost more now, I don't know) into the whole thing and have bent a dozen or so roll cages. Currently my step brother is using it to make a cage for a Suzuki Samurai. It would be easy to use a hydraulic press in place of the bottle jack if you had one. I've never used a non-hydraulic bender, not sure if I would want to bend a lot of tubing with out the help of hydraulic pressure. If interested I can get some pictures of it.
All and all I probably have $250 (may cost more now, I don't know) into the whole thing and have bent a dozen or so roll cages. Currently my step brother is using it to make a cage for a Suzuki Samurai. It would be easy to use a hydraulic press in place of the bottle jack if you had one. I've never used a non-hydraulic bender, not sure if I would want to bend a lot of tubing with out the help of hydraulic pressure. If interested I can get some pictures of it.
valley
Platinum Member
Couple years back I bought a HF, the kind with a bottle jack. It was bad, flattened the inside of the bend ,not worth having, I took it back.
crazyal
Super Member
I got the dies from Pro-Tool in FL. I did a quick search for the company and came across this website.
Tubing Bender
It's someone who, like me, made a tubing bender. The difference between his and mine is mine sits horizontal and the base of the jack mounts to the end plate. I mounted the jack so the handle to pump it sits on the bottom so it doesn't run out of oil as you pump it up. I made a simple swivel stand. Because I used a pipe bender I used one of the top rollers for the aluminum track to ride on, I just slid a short piece of pipe over the roller to give it a smooth surface. I used a 3/4" grade 8 bolt for the roller and have multiple holes since the jack doesn't have enough stroke to do a full 120 degrees.
The main reason I went horizontal vs vertical like he did is I wanted to be able to bend a single length of tubing in different directions. With his you would have to put it on a table or something but it takes little to no effort to bend tubing so it wouldn't be hard. My plan was to use a potrapower cylinder like an Enerpac with a longer stroke. Just never got around to doing it.
If you would still like to see a picture of mine I'll be seeing my step brother next week and can take a picture or two.
Tubing Bender
It's someone who, like me, made a tubing bender. The difference between his and mine is mine sits horizontal and the base of the jack mounts to the end plate. I mounted the jack so the handle to pump it sits on the bottom so it doesn't run out of oil as you pump it up. I made a simple swivel stand. Because I used a pipe bender I used one of the top rollers for the aluminum track to ride on, I just slid a short piece of pipe over the roller to give it a smooth surface. I used a 3/4" grade 8 bolt for the roller and have multiple holes since the jack doesn't have enough stroke to do a full 120 degrees.
The main reason I went horizontal vs vertical like he did is I wanted to be able to bend a single length of tubing in different directions. With his you would have to put it on a table or something but it takes little to no effort to bend tubing so it wouldn't be hard. My plan was to use a potrapower cylinder like an Enerpac with a longer stroke. Just never got around to doing it.
If you would still like to see a picture of mine I'll be seeing my step brother next week and can take a picture or two.
crazyal
Super Member
The weather has been a little crazy around here lately so my brother-in-law waited until this weekend to drop off the bender. If you still like me to take a few pictures I can.
