CK5
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Opinions on this bender....
- Thread starter TheBeast_88K5
- Start date
looks pretty much like the Speedway bender I got....
not top quality, but did the job on my cage pretty good. After you get the price of 3 dies in there its about 2/3 of the cost of a JB2 or similar.
Eric has used mine, and better ones...he might be a good one to ask on a comparison.
not top quality, but did the job on my cage pretty good. After you get the price of 3 dies in there its about 2/3 of the cost of a JB2 or similar.
Eric has used mine, and better ones...he might be a good one to ask on a comparison.
On Daves we ended up replacing some of the bolts cause they were cheapies.
On the most important aspect the bends are quality, just about like any other mandrel bender I have used.
Its pretty easy to use too.
The biggest disadvantage is the fact it can't do 180* bends which is no big deal and can easily be solved with a little creativity and sleeving.
On the most important aspect the bends are quality, just about like any other mandrel bender I have used.
Its pretty easy to use too.
The biggest disadvantage is the fact it can't do 180* bends which is no big deal and can easily be solved with a little creativity and sleeving.
63chevyll
1/2 ton status
The biggest advantage the JD bender has over that one is a JD goes up to 2in. May or may not be a concern for you but I like the option of going 2in if I have to.
Also, all my buddies have a JD, so we swap dies
Also, all my buddies have a JD, so we swap dies
Personally I wouldn't waste my money on one like that. For one thing, it will only make a 60 degree bend in 1.5, 1.625 or 1.750 tube, and in only .083 wall at that. IMO you need to be able to make at least a 90 degree bend. Granted a JD2 or Pro Tools 105 is more money once you buy a die or two, but it will also retain a higher value and be much easier to sell should you decide you don't need it anymore. If that just isn't in the budget, then consider buying the plans and building the Got Trikes bender. it is designed to use Pro Tools' dies. Speaking of Pro Tools, they have a free set of plans you can download from their website, for a fairly simple bender you can also build yourself.
Im not a fan of those style of benders.
Would much rather pay a little extra for the JD bender
https://www.jd2.com/p-32-model-3-bender.aspx
Would much rather pay a little extra for the JD bender
https://www.jd2.com/p-32-model-3-bender.aspx
Buy a used bender. There are plenty of guys selling benders for 1/2 what they paid. It's not a top quality bender IMHO, and if your wanting to save but a used better bender like a Pro Tools or something. Just my .02 cents.
if you are buying to do one or projects, I say save the money for gas and beer, there are plenty of guys in ethe area that have them and I am sure at least one is willing to help for some beer, or maybe a BBQ too.
I like to own my tools because I do a lot of work with them which justifies it, but I didn't buy the bender becaue I will not make more than one roll cage if I ever do.
Interestingly enough from someone who has used quite a few benders, I don't really consider the less expensive benders like the model 3 and the pro tools 105, top quality benders
. So take it for what its worth. That bender can bend .120 wall, like I said it takes a bit of modding, and it will bend 90* it looks exactly like Zimms bender.
One other big disadvantage to it is it bends the tube wider than a 105 or model 3 would. I didn't look at it again but I think most of those will bend 1.75 @ a 7 CLR while a better bender with full dies will bend it at 5.5 (with the correct die)
If you are planning on building a cage and some bumpers maybe a couple other things, then not really doing much tube work, its worth it.
If you plan on doing your stuff plus some buddies stuff, plus some other stuff later, get a better bender
the gottrikes bender is cheap if you have a bunch of metal laying around. but if you have to buy all of it it gets expensive quik. The cage on daves Iron Maiden was done entirely with a bender like the one in the OP. I used it myself and liked it alot. Granted my JD2 is sweet. but its not hydraulic. I got mine to do lots of other projects and start a small buisiness. if i was doing one cage i never would have bought it. the Used route mentioned is a great idea too though.
TheBeast_88K5
Banned
Oh, sh*t.... I forgot you had a bender!
Yes sir! I only have a die for 2" cause that's what I do everything in (I think it looks better on the fullsize rigs) but it works great. We can bend tube if you need to.
TheBeast_88K5
Banned
Whats the price of a stick of 2"?
I pay about 2.25 per foot, have to buy min 20 ft at a time.
TheBeast_88K5
Banned
Holy sh*t, that's it!!!?
Pfft... Let's bend some tube...
You got a notcher?
No notcher!, but I need one
I used to pay 2.40 a ft, but bought enough to lower the price
Interestingly enough from someone who has used quite a few benders, I don't really consider the less expensive benders like the model 3 and the pro tools 105, top quality benders
That bender can bend .120 wall, like I said it takes a bit of modding, and it will bend 90* it looks exactly like Zimms bender.
One other big disadvantage to it is it bends the tube wider than a 105 or model 3 would. I didn't look at it again but I think most of those will bend 1.75 @ a 7 CLR while a better bender with full dies will bend it at 5.5 (with the correct die)
If you are planning on building a cage and some bumpers maybe a couple other things, then not really doing much tube work, its worth it.
If you plan on doing your stuff plus some buddies stuff, plus some other stuff later, get a better bender
So that bender will bend .120 DOM./ 1.75 and 1.5....my whole cage was built with it...sure there are much better ones out there though.
TheBeast_88K5
Banned
No notcher!, but I need one
I used to pay 2.40 a ft, but bought enough to lower the price
Well... I do have a buggy build around the corner...
Let's lower that rate, again...
