Hydraulic Tube Bender Engineering Project - Page 8

Rockrunner86 · #**141** 07-03-2007, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KeithXtreme

Dude, those are awesome.....man that is where the money is....Making those NC controllers....if you could make those cheap for the Pro-tools 105....you could make a bundle.....I want one.

Sign Me up as well

TheBandit · #**142** 10-23-2007, 02:03 PM

Thank you - all of you! You guys are way too nice. I was very lucky to have access to the equipment that I did when I did and the results were well worth every effort.

The bender has been sitting in my corner for a long time now. During my chemotherapy I stopped working on my roll cage and haven't used the bender since. The radiation treatments I underwent after the chemo destroyed my thyroid and put me in a state of extreme fatigue for several months before the doctor's discovered what was wrong. I am finally getting my energy back and it's a great feeling!

I have spent a little time in the garage lately and I decided it was time to dust off the bender and get to work on finishing up some details. I pulled it out of it's lonely corner and took everything apart. Then I used some Simple Green and some sandpaper to clean all the grease and rust that had accumulated from machining, use, and storage. Once everything was dry, I put on the first coat of BRIGHT YELLOW epoxy paint on the main bender arms. Let me tell you - it looks bitchin'! I have to put a few more coats on it before it'll be ready for pictures, but look forward to some updates in the coming weeks. The bender is going to be yellow and machine gray.

1FastBrick · #**143** 02-13-2008, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheBandit

Thank you - all of you! You guys are way too nice. I was very lucky to have access to the equipment that I did when I did and the results were well worth every effort.

The bender has been sitting in my corner for a long time now. During my chemotherapy I stopped working on my roll cage and haven't used the bender since. The radiation treatments I underwent after the chemo destroyed my thyroid and put me in a state of extreme fatigue for several months before the doctor's discovered what was wrong. I am finally getting my energy back and it's a great feeling!

I have spent a little time in the garage lately and I decided it was time to dust off the bender and get to work on finishing up some details. I pulled it out of it's lonely corner and took everything apart. Then I used some Simple Green and some sandpaper to clean all the grease and rust that had accumulated from machining, use, and storage. Once everything was dry, I put on the first coat of BRIGHT YELLOW epoxy paint on the main bender arms. Let me tell you - it looks bitchin'! I have to put a few more coats on it before it'll be ready for pictures, but look forward to some updates in the coming weeks. The bender is going to be yellow and machine gray.

Sorry to here about you being sick!!! Chemotherapy is a terrible thing for any one to be subjected too... Although I personally have not been directly subjected to it, I Had 2 freinds that went through the process. One was my child hood best freind whom I took to all his doctor appoints and treatments when he became ILL... Best of luck on that!!!
I am new here and came across this on the internet. It was so cool I signed up on this forum!!! While I don't have the wonderfull education you have I do have experince in fabrication. The last year I was working with an auto cad program on a waterjet for cutting flat patternes. ( I no longer work for that particular company but I still have the program and its un locked so I can calculate cut cost) I design all my own parts on it and hopefully I will be able to start my own company. I have successfully replacated the JD2 model 3 arms from scratch using a freinds bender as a template to build my own tubing bender. Not for profit, but just because I could, I also designed and built my own cromolly Fabricated ford 9 inch from scratch. 1. because of cost and 2. because I was not happy with the quality of the products on the market with out spending big bucks Now I have a versitile product that I can change tubing sizes, material thickness, and I controll the quality of the product. I really think if you wanted to produce this machine, ever part can be cut on the water jet machine with very minimal clean up or machineing on your end. That would save so much time for production...

Any way I Hope your getting better and would love to see any updates you may have in the future.

BTW how was the convention they wanted to send you to???

TheBandit · #**144** 02-13-2008, 11:02 PM

1FastBrick, thanks for the comments and welcome to OFN! I'm doing much better now. It's been almost a year since my last chemo and radiation treatments and I'm almost back to my old self. You sound like you've got some good experience under your belt and that's certainly a good thing! Good luck starting out your business. I hope you'll share your work here on OFN.

I'll try to get a bender update on here shortly.

TheBandit · #**145** 02-13-2008, 11:26 PM

UPDATE

Finally the bender is getting some much needed attention. Over the last couple of weekends I've been tearing things down and prepping for paint. First thing was gutting all the hydraulics and electronics.

With the main components apart, I dunked the arms in simple green and cleaned them off with some scotch bright pads. This got off all the grease and machine oil residue. Then I scuffed them up a little and got to work painting.

The colors are Rustoleum Sunburst Yellow and Machine Gray. One thing I picked up at the hardware store for about five bucks was this little trigger gun that piggybacks onto rattle cans.. It fits on just about any spray can and came in really handy.

All the arms will be yellow, the cart/frame will be gray, and the hydraulics and dies will be black. Everything is painted now except the cart. I have some work to do first for sheeting in the hydraulic areas and making shelves. I'm thinking about a combination of expanded metal shelves with tool box liner to keep things from moving around.

rdn2blazer · #**146** 02-13-2008, 11:39 PM

You did an awesome job on your bender. I would take the time to machine that if I had the plans. What would you charge for the plans to something like this?? Machining is the easy part for me but figuring it all out is the tough part. Let me and all of us know if your willing to make up a complete set of drawings to sell.

1FastBrick · #**147** 02-14-2008, 02:41 PM

Glad to hear your better!!! I to am curious If you would be selling the plans or if you will be selling the units any time in the future. although you were discouraged from using the JD2 from there poor customer service I personally would like to see a version of this for the JD2 die's. Perhaps we can work together on that...
The reasons I like there dies is because they are machened and don't have that sleeve that is welded in the center like ProTools main die, also the followers inserts are cheaper to replace then the pro tools follower die, and last but not least I can get a tighter radius bend when I Am doing a role cage inside of a car...
Oh I almost for got. You were saying how you had a hard time figureing bend angles for your exo cage. They make a protractor for that in different radius's. Mittler brothers makes a set. A little pricey though..
about half way down the page...

http://www.mittlerbros.com/Tubebender_acc.htm

I purchesed one from Chassisengineering cause it was a litlle cheaper...

http://chassisengineering.com/shopDe...ProductId=1333

TheBandit · #**148** 02-14-2008, 04:36 PM

Thanks for the kind words.

I have been contacted quite a few times over the course of this project regarding drawings or plans for duplicating this machine. I'm sorry, but I have decided to keep my drawings confidential at this time. While I think it would be really neat to see others replicating this, I would not be comfortable with the liability or loss of intellectual property.

There were a few other reasons I chose PT 105 dies over the JD2 M3s in addition to the lackluster response I received when I talked to them. I am not saying PT dies or benders are better or worse than JD2; the PT design simply lended itself better to what I was doing. For example, one important consideration was that the M3 bender does not have the pin holes in line for the backing block / counterdie, which would have slightly complicated the swingout design of my bender.

Thanks for the link to angle finders. I have used one of those at a buddy's shop and they are definitely quite handy.

1FastBrick · #**149** 02-14-2008, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheBandit

Thanks for the kind words.

I have been contacted quite a few times over the course of this project regarding drawings or plans for duplicating this machine. I'm sorry, but I have decided to keep my drawings confidential at this time. While I think it would be really neat to see others replicating this, I would not be comfortable with the liability or loss of intellectual property.

There were a few other reasons I chose PT 105 dies over the JD2 M3s in addition to the lackluster response I received when I talked to them. I am not saying PT dies or benders are better or worse than JD2; the PT design simply lended itself better to what I was doing. For example, one important consideration was that the M3 bender does not have the pin holes in line for the backing block / counterdie, which would have slightly complicated the swingout design of my bender.

Thanks for the link to angle finders. I have used one of those at a buddy's shop and they are definitely quite handy.

No Problem I can understand that. I have had people want to get involoved in my fabricated rear end setup as far as helping me get parts made. I can get them made no problem. I just need funding$$$

Do you think it would be possible to adapt this to The JD2 dies??? What type of measure ments would you need??? I am curious as to what length cylinders you used for your bender and the Pump specs since you have 2 rams.

rdn2blazer · #**150** 02-14-2008, 09:42 PM

Same here, no problem I understand aswell, never hurts to ask though. I will more then likely just do a regular conversion on my manual bender. I know guys are getting 120 to 130 deg bends with one stroke so that good enough for me. Again, you did a kick ass job on your bender, Im sure your proud of it, as you should be.

Tig Artist · #**151** 02-18-2008, 08:57 PM

Bandit, Nice work man! I have a few questions for you. On your apparent torque requirements you had posted that 1.75" 120 wall dom required 3400
FT. LBS. My first question- are you calculating this based on average gauge readings or is this based on the max gauge readings that you saw?

BRACKETMAN · #**152** 04-06-2008, 10:50 PM

HI CLINT,
JUST LOOKED AT YOUR TUBE BENDING MACHINE. OUTSTANDING JOB. AS AN OLD TIME FABRICATOR IT IS REALLY A KICK TO SEE A YOUNG MAN OF YOUR CALIBER IN ACTION.
HAVE HAD A KIDNEY INSTALLED (FROM BROTHER DENI) AUG.17TH PLUS 5 CABAGES AND GALLBLADDER REMOVED, SO I UNDERSTAND HEALTH ISSUES. CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR SURVIVAL.
IF I MAY SUGGEST A TECHNIQUE THAT WORKED FOR ME. WHEN OPENING UP A HOLE WITH A BORING BAR IN A LATHE OR BORING HEAD IN A MILLING MACHINE. SET A FAKE SIZE SMALLER THAN THE REAL FINISH SIZE. AS YOU BORE OUT TO THAT SIZE EXPERIMENT WITH CUT DEPTH SO YOU WILL KNOW WHAT TO SELECT ON THE REAL FINISH CUT.
ON YOUR SLIGHTLY OVERSIZED HOLE. IF YOU USE AN AUTOMATIC CENTER PUNCH TO MAKE A RING OF PUNCHED SPOTS ABOUT 1/16 FROM THE EDGE OF THE HOLE 1/8 APART IT WILL TIGHTEN THE HOLE ENOUGH TO HOLD THE BUSHING.
MY FEET HURT TOO.

LATER,
MIKE

PS I AM NEW TO THE SITE. NOT YELLING JUST EASIER TO SEE.

Sword · #**153** 09-08-2008, 03:21 PM

Great Job!
I want to make the same machine myself
I use solidworks and I think you use a programme for the drawings too
Can you please please upload your drawings on rapidshare and give us the links to download

Thanks all the way.

rdn2blazer · #**154** 09-08-2008, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sword

Great Job!
I want to make the same machine myself
I use solidworks and I think you use a programme for the drawings too
Can you please please upload your drawings on rapidshare and give us the links to download

Thanks all the way.

He's not going to do that, it's allready been asked, see above posts.

Mopars 4 Life · #**155** 09-08-2008, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sword

Great Job!
I want to make the same machine myself
I use solidworks and I think you use a programme for the drawings too
Can you please please upload your drawings on rapidshare and give us the links to download

Thanks all the way.

Another excellent first post!!!! I love it!!!!!!!!!!

ScooteK · #**156** 09-09-2008, 07:03 PM

Hey Clint, I know your busy and all, but do you have an update on the bender. Is it all painted and asembled? Any pics of it completed?

Oh, and can you send your blue print/files to everyone in the world so they wont ask anymore.