Who can bend tubing well?

[Lucky]

I have a potential backrest replacement, I need someone who is skilled at bending pipe.
email or pm please.

--Lucky

[louthepou]

I've always wanted one of these... some day...

http://cgi.ebay.ca/16-TON-HYDRAULIC-PIPE-BENDER-W-6X-3-DIES-ROLL-CAGE_W0QQitemZ160152758904QQihZ006QQcategoryZ104220QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

LOu

[Tiger]

 8) That will work 'Pou... 8)

[Lucky]

I've practicly never bent steel tubing (of course never doing something before never stopped me..) & i'm not dropping $100 i don't have on equipment i'll only use once...

However, i might be game to using the kind of bender for conduit, if it's strong enough, but i'd need advice (like should it be heated first?)

and, is this the proper type of pipe? (not worried about finish, the rest of the backrest/rack is crome, & i'd want it painted or powder coated satin black)

search # 9220K391
www.mcmaster.com

[dieseler]

I'm no expert,  but I have bent up more than one roll-cage and multiple sets of suspension components. So here's my 2 cents.

You're probably going to want something thicker walled than .049,  it's going to kink easy when bending ( unless mandrel bent) and is easy to blow through if welding.  I'd recommend .065, much easier to work with! DOM is my preferred tubing, but welded seam works fine as long as you keep the seam along a neutral axis on the bend.

We used to get all of our tubing from WEBCO, The Yard Store, or MetalsDepot.   I haven't priced stuff in awhile, but McMaster-Carr is usually somewhat pricey.

I haven't bought a tubing bend yet... but one will be coming within the next year.

[Lucky]

You're probably going to want something thicker walled than .049,  it's going to kink easy when bending ( unless mandrel bent) and is easy to blow through if welding.  I'd recommend .065, much easier to work with! DOM is my preferred tubing, but welded seam works fine as long as you keep the seam along a neutral axis on the bend.

I just used that measurement off the oem piece i have, so whatever you guys reccomend.  there shouldn't be any welding involved.

keep 'em comming!

[zore]

You're probably going to want something thicker walled than .049,  it's going to kink easy when bending ( unless mandrel bent) and is easy to blow through if welding.  I'd recommend .065, much easier to work with! DOM is my preferred tubing, but welded seam works fine as long as you keep the seam along a neutral axis on the bend.

I just used that measurement off the oem piece i have, so whatever you guys reccomend.  there shouldn't be any welding involved.

keep 'em comming!

Filling it with sand and heating should keep it from kinking.  You'll need to have a good vice and a sturdy table i woudl guess.

[xdshooter]

I have a potential backrest replacement, I need someone who is skilled at bending pipe.
email or pm please.

--Lucky

I can bend it, do you need advice or an extra set of hands?

[Lucky]

here is the situation: I was given 2 different backrests/ luggage racks. I have a black one on my bike now which i like.  i also have hard luggage bags clamped to the rack.  the bags have integral lights, so switching to stock lights, even temporarily will me a project, so i'm trying to avoid that.

one of the rack/rests is the type where you can extend the rest to the drivers back (i never carry passengers anyway) except that it's missing that part. 

the other rack/rest has a neat flip up rack. i'm not going to use that one at all. i also don't care for the pad.

i'd like to have tubing bent for the extendable one to make a new backrest, plus have mounts welded on to the assemblys frame for the hard bags. 

i can do a lot of things, but bending, welding & finish work are not among my skills.

i'm also very low on cash (wife is going thru a thyroid thing) so i'm down to one income. BUT i do have my very very nice original rack & the other back rest to offer in trade.

so i need:
1) the proper size pipe
2) pipe bent

plus these which i can have done locally:
3) mounts put on the frame of my rack, a pad made, & the whole thing powdercoated black.

I could probably have the pipe bent locally too, but i've only been here a year, & i really don't know anyone i'd trust...  i'd trust a Visionary who i've never met first, lol.

I do have a design in my head, & you'd need pictures, which i can supply, with crude drawings & accurate measurements for the pad frame.

in trade for one or both of my other racks...

XDshooter has first dibs if he's interested.

--Lucky

[Lucky]

How reasonable does this sound?
supply the pipe & bend it to fit in trade for the rest with the flip up rack.

or

make the backrest frame, weld on the mounts & powdercoat it all in trade for my very nice backrest/rack & the bacrest with neat flip up rack.

is that reasonable? too much? not enough?

i'll post pics in a day or so.

[kiawrench]

lou,, i rented  that pipe bender you linked to,,, it is great for a lot of things, but it didnt work very well to make a back rest or luggage rack--- am thinking ,it had more to do with my lack of experience than the device .

it did however work like a chinese railroad crew when it came to making my hand rails for my front steps and the perimiter railing on my deck. it also works well when combined with the scroller and flat steel .

   lucky,, if no one here is near enough, with experience to assist you, i suggest your local napa parts store-- many have a "machine shop" type add on, handling the resufacing of heads,off block valve jobs, resurfacing of rotors and drums, etc, those same guys may be your best bet in getting some help(after all, you will be the new go to guy at ace for them)

[Lucky]

i'll take some pics soon.
had 2 thoughts:
1) i'll bend a prototype out of PVC with a heat gun
2) i might use the flip up rack with it. if so i think i'm going to need to use solid pipe to hold the weight...

[Kevin]

 I made the saddlebag brackets for Calie's bike out of 1/4" black pipe,heated and bent around a template make of 1/2" plywood.