Topic: Tube bending near Seattle? Anyone?

Team Wankelr is in need of a roll cage.  We've got everything we need (even a certified welder) except a tube bender.  There are so few bends in a cage when you get down to it, we'd love to find a team near us that has one and needs beer badly.  And if that doesn't exist, then leads on a shop that has a bender and needs beer badly.

Specifically we're in West Seattle, but happy to travel anywhere in the Seattle area with measurements and mock-ups, assuming beer-needing entity is north of Tacoma.

Thanks,

Dave

Re: Tube bending near Seattle? Anyone?

If you approach cage building with the attitude that there are 'so few bends in a cage' you are likely going to create a crappy cage.   Trying to use as many straight bars as possible, especially in a small car, will cause all kinds of problems.  The bender is your friend, use it. 

-John

Gosh, my business card says 'Tech Tyrant'

Re: Tube bending near Seattle? Anyone?

Thanks for that reminder, John.  I probably overstated things (or is it understated?).  Anyway, our real hope is that someone has the bender that is sitting around doing nothing, and would like to generate some gas money with it.  We are committed to a correct cage, not a short-cutty one, in spite of what I might have implied.

So, anyone?

Re: Tube bending near Seattle? Anyone?

The bender may be your friend, but the price to make one cage of 10-12 bends then to become a paperweight for 2-6 years is absurd for what they want for a good bender now.

Mistake By The Lake Racing (MBTL)
88 Thunderbird "THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO!", Ex Astris, Rubigo / Semper Fracti
A&D: 2014 Sebrings at Sebring (NSF), 2014 NJMP2 Jurassic Park (SpeedyCop), 2012 Summit Point J30 (PiNuts)
2018 Route Sucky-Suck Rally Miata, 2019 World Tour Of Texas 64 Newport

Re: Tube bending near Seattle? Anyone?

Have you tried Doug Chase in Duvall? He has a good bender, makes good cages, and races in Lemons. I doubt he'd let you borrow his equipment, since it is part of how he makes his living, but he might work something out to do just the bending if you want to do the rest yourself. He's a good guy.

http://chaserace.com/

1982 MG Metro 1300: IOE 2015 Pacific Northworst GP, Longest Distance 2010 Cd'L Box Wine Country Classic
1980 KV Mini 1: Worst of Show and Fright Pig Supremo 2009 Concours d'Lemons
1978 H Special: Second-Round Elimination 2010 Lemons Pinewood Derby at Sears Pointless
1967 SAAB 96: IOE 2012 Pacific Northworst GP, Organizer's Choice 2022 Hell on Wheels California Rally

Re: Tube bending near Seattle? Anyone?

Guildenstern, that's exactly the conundrum we're trying to avoid.

mharrell - Thanks.  I'll give him a ring. Duvall is pretty far out, but it's worth a call to see if we get lucky.

Dave

Re: Tube bending near Seattle? Anyone?

Well sure the answer 'hire a professional'  or maybe 'hire a good professional' is always the answer...
When you need tools that are pricey to get a job done, renting them is good if available.
But the other option is to buy a used one and the resell it when done.  For example a cement mixer,
bought one for $100, sold it for $100..   This can be difficult for some things that are not common,
like a tubing bender.   But you can buy a new one, use it, then sell it.  You take a loss, but consider it the cost to rent.

Speedway has one for $400. 
https://www.speedwaymotors.com/3rd-Gen- … ,6614.html
Which is clone of the 'affordable bender' design,
https://www.affordablebender.com/collec … n-7-radius

Or if you're the cheapest cheapass hardcore diy'er like me, you make your own,  buy a die for $150 and fab the rest, it isn't hard,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1zs3WExdog

Now these are not the easiest and fastest and bestest way to bend tubing, but they work,
When done with it, you can sell for $200 in a day for sure, probably $400. 

Or 'hire a professional'   wink

Re: Tube bending near Seattle? Anyone?

Where do you live with such a vibrant market for second hand tube benders?

Mistake By The Lake Racing (MBTL)
88 Thunderbird "THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO!", Ex Astris, Rubigo / Semper Fracti
A&D: 2014 Sebrings at Sebring (NSF), 2014 NJMP2 Jurassic Park (SpeedyCop), 2012 Summit Point J30 (PiNuts)
2018 Route Sucky-Suck Rally Miata, 2019 World Tour Of Texas 64 Newport

Re: Tube bending near Seattle? Anyone?

Thanks, Nimble.  I'd originally seen those exact benders, but as I researched and found videos of people doing bends, the results didn't always look like what we wanted. 

But you bring up a great point about the reselling part.  We're partial to either a JD2 or Pro Tools HD bender, which run about $850 for the bender and 1 die, delivered.  But given that any I've seen for sale used go immediately, if I can find one at all, it makes me fairly confident that one could resell it for $650 pretty easily.  Since I'd happily rent a bender for $200 if such a thing existed, that's probably the way to go.  Thanks for that reminder.

Dave

Re: Tube bending near Seattle? Anyone?

Closing this topic.  Snatched myself by the nads and bought a JD2, Model 32.  Still TBD if we keep or sell it when we're done, but happy with the decision.

Thanks for the input.  Consider this topic closed, at least for my purposes.

Dave

Re: Tube bending near Seattle? Anyone?

Where are you located? I have one of the affordable bender types with 1-3/4 and 1-1/2 dies. I'm up in Marysville/Everett area. You're welcome to borrow it.

bilcoh wrote:

Guildenstern, that's exactly the conundrum we're trying to avoid.

mharrell - Thanks.  I'll give him a ring. Duvall is pretty far out, but it's worth a call to see if we get lucky.

Dave