I would like to fabricate my own roll cage and was wondering if this HYDRAULIC 16 TONNE PIPE BENDER COMPLETE WITH DIES NEW CT191 would be suitable. I like the idea of adding my own design to incorporate various cages that i have seen. I realise it wont be a certified product but as i will be mainly driving on roads rather than racing i guess it is partly an esthetic thing.

Is this going to be man enough? Has anyone else tried this? Is lining up bends etc a relatively simple process?

YES.

A Lot of people have trouble kinking tube on those benders, I have one but have not tried big bends yet.
Dale

Packing with sand would surely prevent kinking?

a few issues with those, basically yes it works, but in reality you will need tube dies (pipe dies are wrong size for the cold drawn tube you need for roll cages), and then yes they do tend to kink the tube unless you go over 3mm on the wall thickness.

Yep they work, but they're not great.

I own an older, heavier version of one, with tube dies, and its really an ornament, bending gets done on my pro tools mechanical bender

If you search online you will find hints on using them for tube and some good results, usually it requires a few modifications
Dale

As said, these do kink or mark the tube. The one I have here at work has one set of rollers for all sizes of tube so I made a couple of sets to do the smaller tubes plus a pair of formers for the larger stuff. The formers are used with plain rollers and work fine.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Padstar
I realise it wont be a certified product but as i will be mainly driving on roads rather than racing i guess it is partly an esthetic thing.

---

Okay for scaffold tube, go much thinner or expensive CDS as per the blue book and it will kink the pipe.

I gave mine away, people with the correct kit, madral benders usually charge between £5-£15 per bend, I now draw out what I want and use someone like 'tube bender' on eBay, I then get a flat pack to weld up.

Regards Mark

quote:

---

Originally posted by mark chandler
Okay for scaffold tube, go much thinner or expensive CDS as per the blue book and it will kink the pipe.

I gave mine away, people with the correct kit, madral benders usually charge between £5-£15 per bend, I now draw out what I want and use someone like 'tube bender' on eBay, I then get a flat pack to weld up.

Regards Mark

---

Just a point here if doing anything for future MSA events then the main roll bar must be one piece, the use of 90 degree bends welded up is not permitted.

I know you could hide it quite well with weld and grinding a bit of filler and paint. But is your own neck or whoever gets the car after you if sold on.

Adrian

[Edited on 27-2-14 by AdrianH]

for god's sake don't, they're utter garbage.
I had a local motorsport make me the main roll bar and the 2 a-bars for £200 (inc supplying the 2.64mm CDS).
Definitely worth it.

I´ve built a fll rollcage for an Opel Rekord (pics here) using one of those. 1 1/2" pipe, 2.5mm wall thickness, but I agree it´s not worth buying it for just a single car, it´s not so easy to get the lengths and angles right the first time you use it. But if you intend to build cages for a living...

What I made mine with as well as crash bars for mine and several others bikes.
If your using thin wall fill with the tube with sand first.
Getting the the bend in the right place takes some working out but other wise no problem.
Cheers,
Bob

bending video