DMoneyAllstar wrote:
Yep, still got the plans. Let ne see if u can't find the site I downloaded them from free & clear. If I can't, I'll email the PDF's.
Found 'em!
Here are the plans and instruction booklet from "The Chopper Handbook", all FREE PDF downloads. There are two different bender versions:
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http://www.chopperhandbook.com/bender.htm-
http://www.chopperhandbook.com/cbh-bender-1.pdfSkip the ratchet and handle parts and just get the HF air/hyd ram, TRUST ME. Although it does use good amount of air volume, so you'll need something a little more than a simple pancake compressor. Here is the hydraulic cylinder from HF (don't forget to find a 20% coupon in their ad or in Four-Wheel & OffRoad magazine):
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http://www.harborfreight.com/8-ton-long ... 94562.htmlHere is the cylinder bracket from Swag Offroad (I chose the un-welded version):
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http://www.swagoffroad.com/Tubing-Bende ... _p_53.htmlFor the tubing holder (mounts on the die), I found these 1/2" thick square "spacers" with a perfect 1.25" hole in them on evilBay for like $2. Hey, go figure, they still sell them for $2!
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http://www.ebay.com/itm/Square-Washer-S ... 2c63f9f4e5Ordered all my steel online, too:
- 2-1/2x1/2 CRS 1018 flat bar:
http://stores.ebay.com/Industrial-Metal ... 7675.l2563 (only 60-minutes from me in MI)
- DOM tubing from evilBay, as needed.
- Bolts/pins either had or got from the local big box hardware store
It's a functional basic tubing bender, but then add the air/hydr cylinder and and nice die, and you have a pretty nice, tough, affordable bender you can build MOSTLY WITH JUST A DRILL PRESS, CUT-OFF SAW, AND DECENT WELDER. Well...you'll have to buy dies or make them (accepts JD2 dies), and the guide shoe has some machined parts (or figure out something different). The guide shoe could easily be made using the 1.25" ID spacers (halved) and some heavy square tubing.
The plans are straight-up on-target. I just modeled them in Pro/E to make sure everything was A-okay, and made myself some 1:1 templates for locating holes with the punch.
I've only made THREE bends on my bender, but they've been pretty nice with minimal deformation (all bends deform the tube slightly). Should be getting more use soon.