What better way to fill the void left by blacksmithings relocation than a tube bender!
http://jd2.com/p-32-model-3-bender.aspx
And whatever size die set that is deemed appropriate
http://jd2.com/p-44-m3-round-die-sets.aspx
cough cough 1.75" .120 wall 6.5" full 180* bend radius cough
So as a total noob with tube bending, can you bend square tube? Can I bend rod? Pipe? How much space does this need? Is this something we can create a spot for it outside and then set up as needed?
How can we prevent me or others from breaking this?
They make square tube dies for it. I canât say for the JD2 but the pro-tools they do. I canât say for certain about solid rod. These style benders typically need âsomeâ room around to work. They rely on ol fashion muscle power & leverage. So it actually would need to be bolted/boltable to the floor.
There are dies for square tubing.
http://jd2.com/p-46-m3-square-die-sets.aspx
You can bend rod as long as itâs relatively small. If you look at the smaller die sets there is a max wall thickness of âsolidâ. Obviously 2" rod will be impossible to bend manually but 1/2" wouldnât be so difficult.
This specific machine would need to be affixed to the floor via studs or mounted to a heavy table. Not terribly portable but also not entirely immovable.
As far as keeping the dies from getting boned from people using too thick of material, I volunteer as tribute to treach a class on how and how not to use the machine. It might also be a good idea to make a few sets of pins for when people inevitably bend them by trying to bend too thick of material.
Just FYI, the tubing bender gets kicked around every so often. So far none of us (including me) has had enough convergence to actually get any solution into DMS (though there have been some loaners, there is currently a tubing roller, which rolls tubes into arcs, and a pipe bender which appears to mangle everything it touches).
Here was one of the threads with big talk
Search will reveal several more
https://talk.dallasmakerspace.org/search?q=tubing%20bender
Among those was this much more recent one, which includes links to some of the best fabricator videos Iâve seen on youtube
so the desireâs out there.
@AlexRhodes if you check out the video in that last link, you can see the sort of thing that can be done. Square tube, yes. Pipe, rod, others depends upon size/construction/die availability. You can see the available dies from JD^2 in the second link above.
What stops you from Hulking it into mangled scrap? Nothing more than stops that from happening to all the other tools: our collective intent to keep our equipment in good working order.
The one I built uses the âgot trikesâ ,modified of course,plans. Itâs on wheels & uses the 8 ton pneumatic jack to used. Something like that might be better suited. It doesnât have to be bolted down & can be maneuvered around. I wouldnât be opposed to building one better than what I have. The better one calls for bushings, instead of metal to metal pins. Also a spring retraction or hydraulic return would be cool too.
There is also a hydraulic ram attachment for those of us without any upper body strength.
http://jd2.com/p-35-hydraulic-cylinder-10-ton-14-stroke.aspx
Yeah I knew that part but it could be conceived as part of a workout. Dallas Makerspace Crossfit, lol. When your done bending, go move the trailer around the parking lot.
Iâll take a picture of the one I built when I get home tonight. It required welding. Lol.
Foot stomp shear for lower body, tubing bending for upper body, and finish up with a little trailer for cardio?
Perhaps add in cleaning out the storage area or âdonationâ shelf.
Doesnât a bend remove the need for a weld!?!? 
I like the idea of a bender.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a6/Bender_Rodriguez.png/220px-Bender_Rodriguez.png
Do any of these come with blackjack and hookers?
I think an important question is whether or not a hydraulic ram is more or less safe than a manual lever.
I want to say safer. Donât have to worry about a not-so-strong-armer hurting themselves or a not-so-smart tipping the machine over on themselves trying to run or jump at/on it. Do hydraulics of this type have overload protection built in?
Edit: https://youtu.be/5SFs4O64RlE
I really want one (square die pleeeeease) for a very specific project. It turns it from 2 hours of this hack MIGing to 2 hours of bending which is waaaaaaaaaaaaay cooler imho.
Edit2: @AlexRhodes the JD2 Model 32 hydraulic will bend bar up to 1.5".
Someone could just as easily get a hernia with a manual floor mounted one. Then there is studs or shields that would need to be put in the floor. This could be a trip hazard if they were studs. Also the swing could need to be 10ft for the output of the material bend. Tubing is sold anywhere from 17-21ft for a stick. 1 bend in the middle (not likely) would need that 10ft swing. This is ultimately why I built the one I did was due to space restrictions. I certainly donât have room for that kind of swing. Do you know what size square tube you want & the CLR (centerline radius)?
Radius and size are negotiable, but 1.25" is probably the smallest Iâd use. Radius doesnât matter to me.
You know those rolling shop seats made from a single bent square tube? Thatâs what I want to do except not so damned close to the ground. I swear theyâre 12" highâŚ
Personally, I think the hydraulic types would be/are better because they arenât manual so you arenât âtorquing itâ, they donât have to be fixed to the floor and can be on casters. Hydraulics exert all their pressure inside without wanting to wander around. If you are putting a bend, say 4 feet into the material, youâll need at least four feet behind it - or set back from the wall. Being able to roll solves this problem.
Also hydraulics usually have a wide range dies mandrels available: tube, square, rod, etc. If you get a bender, Machine Shop would probably support getting a notcher - would have to be put to a committee vote, but Iâd support it. Between bending and notching it would be ready for for some first rate welded assemblies.
im putting in my vote for one of these, bender+notcher. Then we can build a DMS sandrail!!!
I was a member of Techshop in Austin for 3 years. And they had one of these with a bender attachment. You ran hydraulic hose to the bender. lots of money but would be the best economies of scale tool available if that black smith space is going to be opened up
