Tube bending the fast and easy way

[bjowett]

I finally found one of these for a decent price. They make quick work of bending just about any tube... not to mention they are nice for exhaust work.

 

[Mace]

so, how much?

 

[John Smith]

Any idea on the radius that thing will do? The ram appears to be super short unless you have to repin a bunch. The dies appear to be small radius also. It looks nice and industrial though.

 

[D'Animal]

It looks nice and industrial.

That's exactly what I was thinking. How much pipe do you have to bend before you can justify buying one of those?

 

[yotawheeler]

alot

 

[splitshot]

alot

Why it's nice to have a couple of buddies who forked out the dough.

 

[bjowett]

It cost me $2995 and it's only 4 hours away (the hook). New with the dies it runs over $8k. It bends 180 degrees, pretty sure that is in one stroke. It comes with four 3" radius dies, one 4" radius, and five 5" radius dies. Fast bending dosn't even begin to cover this.... It will pay for itself quickly.

http://www.ben-pearson.com/mc-59.shtml

 

[photogod]

OK, so what are you gonna charge me for a custom replacement 3" catback in stainless for a '94 80? You could ba a busy boy with that tool.

 

[bjowett]

Hmmm... how about $2995... Seriously, I'd have to figure it out.

 

[Hank]

I owned a Huth for several years and did custom exhaust. It bends exhaust great but it does not bend DOM correctly. The bending is done on a different principal if you will. The ram pushes the pipe in to the dies which distorts the bent part of the tube. With a proper tubing bender the tubing is drawn around the radius die which distorts much less.

 

[D'Animal]

I owned a Huth for several years and did custom exhaust. It bends exhaust great but it does not bend DOM correctly. The bending is done on a different principal if you will. The ram pushes the pipe in to the dies which distorts the bent part of the tube. With a proper tubing bender the tubing is drawn around the radius die which distorts much less.

Isn't there a difference between mandrel bent and die bent when it comes to strength?

 

[Hank]

IIRC anytime the tube is distorted the strength is affected. Also, the exhaust dies are machined for ID pipe and the tubing bender dies machined for OD tubing in my experience. I'm no master but I've bent a lot of exhaust and a lot of cage/bumper tubing and the difference is drastic.

Also of note, in order to test the theory a few years ago the pressure had to be turned up past the recommended specs of the exhaust bender to even start to tweak the .120 wall DOM. I don't think it would last long doing it.

 

[bjowett]

Hank, do you know which model Huth you used? I do plenty of exhaust, and don't want to burn this up bending things it shouldn't... Thanks.

 

[Hank]

http://www.huthbendersdirect.com/56.html

I had the HB10. A buddy still owns it. Great money maker. I had dies up to 3". It isn't set up to go bigger for diesel exhaust.