Which Dies to buy for my cage

[rjkharry]

So I am going to purchase a tubing bender and I wanted to see what diameter DIES to buys. I am using 2" .120 tube but they sell 4.5", 5.5", 6.5", 7.5" diameters etc. I am hoping I don't need all of these. Can I get away with just one to do pretty much all my bends. If not what are the applications where I will need different diameters. Like If I'm making a bumper I may need a 4.5"? or if I'm making my cage I will need a 6.5"? Things like that.

 

[rdn2blazer]

The smaller the radius the more it thins out the tube wall on the outside of the radius bend. I'd go with the 6.5 for everything. Thats what I have and it's just fine for me. 7.5 is a little big to me. At the smallest I'd go with the 5.5, but would not go the 4.5. It's harder to bend tube round a smaller Radius too. Gradule bends are easier, hense a larger radius is somewhat easier to manually bend.

 

[wage92]

The smaller the radius the more it thins out the tube wall on the outside of the radius bend. I'd go with the 6.5 for everything. Thats what I have and it's just fine for me. 7.5 is a little big to me. At the smallest I'd go with the 5.5, but would not go the 4.5. It's harder to bend tube round a smaller Radius too. Gradule bends are easier, hense a larger radius is somewhat easier to manually bend.

what he said ^^^^


To answer your other question. Yes it might be handy to have a bigger/smaller radius, in different situations (like a bumper or tube doors) but 6.5 will be able to do everything, might not be as tight of a radius, but it wont stop you from doing it. Might have to change the design slightly, but its really not that big a deal.

 

[ktmoutfront]

I went 5.5 on mine. Did the 3 main hoops with it.

 

[Greg72]

Is this a tube bender or pipe bender?

I've never seen such tight CLRs offered for a 2" die. Usually the max is 6 -7"...

Seems like those really tight dies are just going to kink and ruin a lot of tube.

Got a link to the dies your looking at?


-G