Having drawn a blank trying to find a cage for the beetle that gives me any room in the back at all and after seeing how bad they do in crash tests thanks to you-tube, I was going to try and make one myself that follows the curve of the roof, including down the weedy twiglet windscreen pillars, also want to add door bars too. Seeing its not a competition car (might do 60mph if I floor it )

why I need one linky 1

linky 2

Can anyone recommend a tube spec that would work well on these tight radiuses and not deform very much using a pipe bender like below –



thank you

there was a post a while ago to a video with someone using the image of the tube bender, but did not deform the tube.

From what i can remember they sealed one end with gaffer tape, then put water into the tube (to the top), and then filled it with sand. - and then gaffer taped the top.

Then bent it, and it did not deform, i would like to know if someone on the site has tried this - to know if it works, as i mights buy one of the tube bender, as they are not expensive.....

HTH

I'd be suprised if a cage would make a lot of difference to those type of crashes

- a cage would make more difference in a roll over on it's roof. Have you got any videos of those type of crashes to make you feel that you won't be wasting your money?

Cheers

Mark

tube bending video

The bender you show above will put a decent bend in scaffold tube, anything thinner will wrinkle and collapse, CDS will split.

I have one !

You need a proper mandrel bender which cost lots so better off measuring and paying someone else.

Well as I see it there is a type of bender that is between that "pipe" bender and a mandrel bender.

It's the PRO-TOOLS type hydraulic job where the tube is support by the bending die and a support piece on the other side. The tube is drawn through the bender in a similar way to the mandrel bender. It does deform the tube slightly but still aesthetically pleasing.

JC

[Edited on 17/11/08 by SeaBass]