Outer Limits 4x4 Board

Hey all.

I've bought a cheapy bow and arrow style 16 ton bender and a 32 dawn die, i tried to bend 32NB tube and all that is happening is, the tube kinks, not nice uniform bends. I've seen 90 degree bends near perfect, even up to 120 degree bends

What am i doing wrong, why aren't my bends forming nicely?
is there a correct set up on the bender to bend the tube uniformly,

Silly question does the former die have to have 32NB on it or is 32 the same thing?

Thanks

what are the specs on the material your bending?

42.4MM ID 3.2MM WALL THICKNESS, MILD STEEL

Have you got the rollers at each side of the "bow" in the right positions for NB32?

3.2mm wall thickness in nb32 is medium gauge pipe and should bend ok.
Put the inner seam to the inside of the bend too.

The die you are using may also be for heavy gauge nb32 pipe which has a larger OD, and causing it to crush, in which case you can shim up the die with strips of tin.

If that fails try filling the pipe with sand and plug the ends.

Where on the bow is the correct position for the rollers

MYLUX wrote:Where on the bow is the correct position for the rollers

If its a 1/2" to 2" bender then the holes closest together are for 1/2", then 3/4" > 1" > 1&1/4"> 1&1/2" > 1&3/4" > 2".

2" being the outer most holes.

You said you are bending nb32 but then said its 42.4mm inside diameter??!!

Does the die fit snug on the tube and what sort of tube is it , you can have say sprinkler pipe 3.2mm wall and it will bend fine in one batch , but the next will warp , crush , split when bending , try the third hole from the end , if it does not work , try the second. Some guys put solid plastic rods down the middle of the bends to keep the wall in position , others slide a close fitting second pipe down the guts and bend them together , it is practice and trial to get good bends. Obvioously bender quality comes into it and I'd say the former might not be right , all my tube bars are 3.2mm sprinkler pipe and I have some tight radius bend on a chinese bender but mine came with two sets of dies , one black and one red , so I have always managed to get a good close fit requireing the die to be removed with a mallet after bending , also is the pipe seamless , that also makes a difference , Cheers Paul.

all you need to do is move the rollers out to the 2nd last outright hole.

your die is the correct one for the steel you are using. it does help to smooth the ripples/ bumps from the die so it is really smooth but this does not really help the bends.

as said move the rollers out and you will be fine.

cheers mark.

I've just done some bending a day ago my self, 32 dawn die, bow and arrow bender, as mud4b said I found second hole from the outside the right ones, and got 4 perfect 90 bends, I used 32nb black pipe


one thing i also I found the dawn die had a bigger mounting hole so wrapped a heap of duck tape round the bender's spigot, might have to get a spacer machined at some point.

The forms that come with the cheap benders are worthless. U need to go to blackwoods and spend $90 on a dawn former.

when bending mild steel pipe make sure the seam is facing striaght up or down because if its face into the bender or away from the bender it has a tendancey to crush and ripple itself its a bastard like that,

good idea some times to preheat the area 100mm each side of your center mark to where its going to be bent, < dose weaken the pipe>

make sure its fitting good and tight in the cast radiouse otherwsie it be on the piss

i`ve got a speedwerx tube bender and never had a bad bend. a lot of money but i use mine all the time.

cheers.....

what have ppl payed for benders and formers??
$200 bender and $100 former??

i bought a heavy duty bender from glenfords tools in brisbane yesterday... $500, include formers up to 3inch... bloody thing weighs 120kg all up... yet to test it but it bloody better work okay for the money spent!

ROGQ wrote:i bought a heavy duty bender from glenfords tools in brisbane yesterday... $500, include formers up to 3inch... bloody thing weighs 120kg all up... yet to test it but it bloody better work okay for the money spent!

how good do the formers look???
let us know how you go hey!