Tubing benders:What do you guys use at the pro shops?
 

I have seen a lot about tubing benders for cages on here and on other sites but i want to know what you guys at the pro shops use for tubing benders. Im in the process of opening my own shop and im still trying to find out what kind of bender i want to get. My only requirements is that it be powered due to i am a 1 man operation and dont want to deal with pulling that damn lever over and over and not be extremely expensive (3000+). I am willing to spend about this if I'm getting a good unit. I only wish i could afford a mandrel bender! I will be using it for cages and chassis and anything else needed. I would like to hear what you have to say about the bender you use and what clear pros and cons of it are. Any other input would be greatly appreciated! thanks:D

I'm definately not a professional shop. I just play around with things from time to time, but I have the Pro-tools 105 HD bender. http://www.pro-tools.com/105.htm I have the manual version, but they have an air-over-hydraulic kit for it. It seems to be a popular brand/version with some of the professional shops that I've seen on one of the fabrication forums that I check out on a regular basis. The other thing that you definately need is the 2020 Software Solutions' Bend-Tech Pro or SE http://www.2020softwaresolutions.com/ . It is definately a time saver when designing and bending.

thanks for the reply. i really like the one they have thats hydraulic powered. the kick in the wallet is the power unit to go with it is as much as the bender itself is. seems to be where most of the money goes with most of the units out there. so does anyone else wanna chip in on this thread? i really wanna see what you guys use and think of your units!

Marc

www.vansantent.com
i got the jmr tubing bender, billet dies, can bend 180º and will bend to .250 wall
2500 with 2 dies, works killer
http://www.vansantent.com/tube_bendi...005_bender.htm
works awesome and is well worth the extra 500 or so over the mittler bros bender

i have the same one as jake posted .

thats cool, when did you pick up the air/hydraulic bender?

I am definately not a shop but i have the manuel version of that JMR hydraulic bender and i love it. I plan on converting mine to hydraulic but regardless it is a sweet bender.

Josh

Ercolina Super bender with all the various radius's. I also have the Bailegh orbital notcher. Awesome equipment

Anybody in the northern MD or Southern PA got one of these that they would want to hook up one week end? Got some bending to do for a small project.

yeah that looks like a nice bender. much more simplified! i was wondering two things though, whats the model number of the notcher you have? i didnt see which one said orbital. And did you contemplate a bailegh bender too and if so why did you shy from that? i just saw they had a similar design and was curious if you had looked at them before the ercolina.

thanks again guys for the responses, it really helps me narrow it down. :hail: :lateral: