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Thoughts on making a tubing bender....

Discussion in 'Builds and Fabricators Forum' started by Old Bill, Nov 19, 2006.

  1. Nov 19, 2006
    Old Bill

    Old Bill Aggressively passive....

    Really Southern...
    Joined:
    Nov 12, 2004
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    Ok, as the story almost always is, I don't have a bunch of money, but wanna do all kinds of neat things in the garage. I was thinking it over the other day, and I *think* I could make my own dies for round tubing out of plywood. I might be able to do it out of aluminum, but that's a biiiiig chunk of aluminum, and again, money is tight.

    So what do you guys think, would a (good grade) of plywood be usable as a die for 1.5"~2" diameter tubing?
     
  2. Nov 19, 2006
    DanStew

    DanStew Preowned Merkin salesman Staff Member

    Lexington, South...
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    Sep 22, 2002
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    i dont think it will fly.. it would crush the first time, the die is what makes the shape and for wood to take all that force, i dont think it willbe able to.
     
  3. Nov 19, 2006
    Colorado_Baja

    Colorado_Baja JEEPS!!

    Fort...
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    I also, am going to say no dice.
     
  4. Nov 19, 2006
    Mcruff

    Mcruff Earlycj5 Machinist

    Albertville, AL
    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2002
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    5,349
    Well I'm going to be different here. I have bent 1" heavy wall tubing with dies made of standard plywood. It worked good but it wouldn't have lasted for alot of bending, I used it for 4-6 bends at most.
    That being said, laminated solid oak probably would hold up, to how much effort or abuse I'm not sure but we set 100,000lb molds on oak 2"x12"s daily at work. They routinely hold up to abuse for about 4 years before splitting.
     
  5. Nov 19, 2006
    Dummy

    Dummy I kick hippies

    Escondido, CA
    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2004
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    646
    I don't know that much about wood. I guess it could work with the right materials, etc. but to put it in perspective, I've already bent the 7/8-inch diameter die pins that came with my bender. I upgraded to some Grade 8 bolts w/ the threads cut off so there's nothing left but the smooth shoulder to cope with the force of bending good tubing. Not sure of the pressures, but that's some pretty hefty force required to bend a pin of that diameter. Keep in mind the heaviest stuff I work with is 1-3/4 0.120-wall chrome moly.
     
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