aniesigh
Member
- Messages
- 18
Thought i'd share the build of my new tube bender, didn't fancy building my new truck build with a centrepress bender, if not purely because its hard work! plus hopefully can make some ££ on the side doing bits and bobs, will be buying Bend-tech soon so can design stuff on laptop and acurately bring them to life, seems to get some really good reviews!
so anyway, i cheated and ended up buying the bender arms, had the drawings to get them machined myself but by the time i had bought/made pins and bought a degree ring the price probably wouldn't have been much different! Matt at stakesys did a good price :wink:
looked around on the net//youtube etc, theres loads of people converting them to hydro in different styles, i prefer the horizontal ones as although it takes up more space its easier to handle a 7.5m length of tube horizontally and easier to visualise whats going on!
Hydraulic wise...most use 230v motors rigged to pumps which is great but they don't half make a racket, its not that big'a deal but i liked the idea of not having to keep turning it off between finishing a bend and setting up for the next. also with the setups that use a spool block you have to stand where the lever is while bending, i fancied being able to move around so i can get a better view of whats going on.
Soooo.....i bought the hydraulic setup from a lorry tail lift, ram was about the right size and DC pump means i can have it operated from a wander lead. it will also be 100% portable.
mocked it up roughly, then made a framework for it to all sit on
Ram didn’t have an eye at each end but managed to butcher the part from the tail lift that the ram slotted into a useable fitting to go onto bender arms
Then a couple months passed by, as when I tried to get it running initially although it powered out fine, I couldn’t get it to retract as the original hydraulic line/valves had flow restrictors in them to make the tail lift drop controllably, but in my application meant I couldn’t close it for s***!
That kind of ruined my motivation for it, coupled with a lack of funds and time it sat unfinished until this weekend when I got motivated! Went to local hydraulic supplier and bought a diverter valve, in one position the ram extends , in the other position it returns the fluid from the ram back to the tank through a newly fitted return line.
On with the frame:
Pretty much finished now, just need to get a 12v solenoid (motor and solenoid was 24v, motor runs fine just slower on 12, solenoid won’t operate! ) and need to sort return springs, was waiting to check it does return ok with the new hydraulic setup, which it does!
and of course got to purchase a die set, need to save up!
About 100degrees in one hit
Also got an ebay bargain on a brand new Bailegh angle finder, means I can get the plane of the bends perfect now . next to make is a couple stands on castors to support the ends of the tube during bending.
cheers
so anyway, i cheated and ended up buying the bender arms, had the drawings to get them machined myself but by the time i had bought/made pins and bought a degree ring the price probably wouldn't have been much different! Matt at stakesys did a good price :wink:
looked around on the net//youtube etc, theres loads of people converting them to hydro in different styles, i prefer the horizontal ones as although it takes up more space its easier to handle a 7.5m length of tube horizontally and easier to visualise whats going on!
Hydraulic wise...most use 230v motors rigged to pumps which is great but they don't half make a racket, its not that big'a deal but i liked the idea of not having to keep turning it off between finishing a bend and setting up for the next. also with the setups that use a spool block you have to stand where the lever is while bending, i fancied being able to move around so i can get a better view of whats going on.
Soooo.....i bought the hydraulic setup from a lorry tail lift, ram was about the right size and DC pump means i can have it operated from a wander lead. it will also be 100% portable.
mocked it up roughly, then made a framework for it to all sit on
Ram didn’t have an eye at each end but managed to butcher the part from the tail lift that the ram slotted into a useable fitting to go onto bender arms
Then a couple months passed by, as when I tried to get it running initially although it powered out fine, I couldn’t get it to retract as the original hydraulic line/valves had flow restrictors in them to make the tail lift drop controllably, but in my application meant I couldn’t close it for s***!
That kind of ruined my motivation for it, coupled with a lack of funds and time it sat unfinished until this weekend when I got motivated! Went to local hydraulic supplier and bought a diverter valve, in one position the ram extends , in the other position it returns the fluid from the ram back to the tank through a newly fitted return line.
On with the frame:
Pretty much finished now, just need to get a 12v solenoid (motor and solenoid was 24v, motor runs fine just slower on 12, solenoid won’t operate! ) and need to sort return springs, was waiting to check it does return ok with the new hydraulic setup, which it does!
and of course got to purchase a die set, need to save up!
About 100degrees in one hit
Also got an ebay bargain on a brand new Bailegh angle finder, means I can get the plane of the bends perfect now . next to make is a couple stands on castors to support the ends of the tube during bending.
cheers
)
