looking for tube bending 101 experience

[smalltowncowboy]

in january im going to buy a manual tubing bender.

heres what im thinking so far:
pro tools 105 or JD2 Model 3 from medford tools

1.5 inch die set, but not sure what radius to get. ive heard the smaller the better for tight corners, and also heard that a 6" is about average.

and what degree wrap around? i see 120, 180, and 240.

any info would be helpful, i remember using a tubing bender back in high school but now that i look at buying one i realize how much i didnt know.

 

[smalltowncowboy]

also is 1.5- .120 wall good enough for a cage or is 1.75- .120 wall better?

 

[Mark m.]

Pirate 4x4 has a good write up on tube bending.

 

[smalltowncowboy]

thanks, i have been doing some more reading on here. im thinking 1.75 DOM for outside bars and a couple cross bars and 1.50 DOM for inside bars and handles.

i guess it might help if i put down what its going into.

a 73 blazer with full removable hard top.

 

[Cascade_Crawler]

With a rig as big as yours go with 1.75 or 2". I went 1.5 on my YJ and wished I had gone with bigger tubing. Troy always says it looks better and I'm starting to agree. Oh well it will save my ass regardless

 

[426rider]

http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/bendin_tube/index.html

 

[smalltowncowboy]

thanks, i remembered seeing that before but couldnt remember what sight it was on.

 

[Outback]

Any rig over 4000# should be 2" x 0.120 minimum tube.

I have yet to need to bend more then 90-Deg. Others do...

 

[sucmah]

180 degrees is nice to have. I have needed it a few times. Last one was a roll cage for my mail box to keep the local hoodlums from smashin it.