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HAND-HELD TUBE BENDER???

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Posted (edited)

Where can I buy a hand-held tube bender for 1/2" diameter aluminum tube, and how much do they cost?  Cheaper is better!   I heard that there is a bender like this for copper pipe.  My tube bender only bends 1/4, 5/16 and 3/8 tubing.  Guess if I get serious and really cheap I can make one out of the right sized pulley.  EDMO

Edited by EDMO

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Posted (edited)

Won't an electrician's conduit bender do the trick?  I have several different sizes.  JImChuk

 

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Edited by 1avidflyer

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Posted (edited)

Jim, I have one large conduit bender, but I want to bend aluminum to a small radius, 90 degree bend, for top of window/door frames.   I had a good floor-mounted rod / tubing bender In Alaska, but sold it.   Ed

I think I found one or three at Harbor Freight - got to go for Presidents Day sale.   Ed

Edited by EDMO

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Posted (edited)

I bought one from Baileigh, It does work nice, but there is many cheaper ones on ebay for less than half what I paid, They look identical just different colors, I have learned the more money I spend on tools, the easier they are to use, :)

 

100_1079.JPG

Edited by TJay
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Posted

I totally agree TJay, but for just making 4 bends for 2 windows, I don't want to spend a lot for tools - maybe cheaper to just have someone bend them for me if I don't find or make a cheap tool?  EdMO

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Posted

Draw out or describe what you need Maybe I can help.

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Posted (edited)

Draw out or describe what you need Maybe I can help.

OK - later today - got to go measure door frames.  Do you have different size inserts for your bender?  Thanks,  Ed

Edited by EDMO

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Posted

Yeah on 1/2 I can only bend 2.25" radius. 

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Posted (edited)

Jim,  I just made a quick check on the door radius - looks like it is around 1" inside radius - going to be hard to cold bend 1/2" tube to fit inside that.  Got to think about this some more.  Possibly use conduit, copper or plastic 90's?  Thanks anyway for the offer.   EdMO

Edited by EDMO

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Posted

Is there any reason you can't use a hard angle for them so that they can just be put together with a gusset and riveted? Obviously I would weld them if other than aluminum but sounds like it would be lighter to go with the AL. 

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Posted (edited)

I will have to do some thinking about this possibility.  Maybe square tubing would work better?   Thanks,  EDMO

Is there any reason you can't use a hard angle for them so that they can just be put together with a gusset and riveted? Obviously I would weld them if other than aluminum but sounds like it would be lighter to go with the AL. 

 

Edited by EDMO

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Posted

I think I may just put in a sliding window.  EDMO

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Posted

What do you use for an H channel.

Or what about a fiberglass window frame that is about an inch wide laid on to your window for a perfect fit, Then cut out the window underneath and rivet the top of the frame to the existing window, the fiberglass would act as a hinge, If you only want it to open like 3 inches, Sounds really nice in my head, not sure if that makes any sense on paper,

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Posted (edited)

I've got some 1/2" U channel and some 3/8" U channel - one slides inside the other.  The material I have looked for the most is some 1/2" 90 degree Z shape for several uses.  Just another engineering or design challenge to be figured out.  Now wondering if I want the front half or the rear half to slide.  ???  EDMO

Edited by EDMO

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Posted

Better be careful, you get the windows in that means its ready to fly, and that means you'll be looking for something to do.

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Posted

Better be careful, you get the windows in that means its ready to fly, and that means you'll be looking for something to do.

Ha!  Probably Not!  And, I can always take the doors back off and do more work!  EDMO

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Posted

Thanks for the post.  I was looking for a bender to bend 1/2" aluminum tubing, however the ad for this one says 3/16" tubing.   EDMO

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Posted

I bought one from Baileigh, It does work nice, but there is many cheaper ones on ebay for less than half what I paid, They look identical just different colors, I have learned the more money I spend on tools, the easier they are to use, :)

 

100_1079.JPG

I like that. So it is more geared to bending steel conduit?

 

Sorry for the thread hijack ED! :ph34r:

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Posted (edited)

Don't apologize for the honest post - And if thread highjacking got people banned then not many of us would be on here.  :BC:  EDMO

Edited by EDMO
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Posted

 

 

100_1079.JPG

I like that. So it is more geared to bending steel conduit?

 

Sorry for the thread hijack ED! :ph34r:

She is pretty robust, I wouldn't be afraid to put 1/8 walled tubing in it,

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Posted

EDMO,  You may already know this but... One thing I do when bending up some tubing is to fill it with sand first.  This keeps it very round around the radiuses.

 

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Posted (edited)

I was looking for a bender to make aluminum door frames, but so far I have not found one that will make a radius that small in 1/2" tubing.   Maybe welding them is more practical, and you could make them with square tubing?

Thanks,  EDMO

Edited by EDMO

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Posted (edited)

EDMO,  I used a version of that bender I posted above to perform compound bends in 1/2" polished stainless around fairly tight radiuses on a supercharged corvette I built some years ago.  https://www.amazon.com/RIDGID-38048-Heavy-Duty-Bender-2-inch/dp/B008ULY74G/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1490981683&sr=8-2&keywords=1%2F2+tubing+bender

I have to think this tool is up to the job of bending up AL for a door frame.

41J7fuKGLsL.jpg

Edited by Knuckledragger
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Posted

That one looks like a winner!  If I was going into door production I would spend the $$$ for it.  With my bum shoulder, I guess I better stay retired!    Thanks,  EDMO

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