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Compact Floor Bender

ducdon

Super User
Premium Member
I have a Princes Auto Compact Floor Bender that's surplus to my needs. Was obtained for a project that never happened. Princes Auto price $149.00. Asking $50. It's located in Airdrie.

Bender.jpg
 

CalgaryPT

Ultra Member
Vendor
Premium Member
That’s a good deal. I’m sure someone will pick it up. Thanks for offering it.
 

DPittman

Ultra Member
Premium Member
If it comes with floor space I'll give you $100 for it! I need the space as much as the bender but the two together would be great!

Just joking... I'm sure you will get rid of easily without giving away any floor space!
 

kevin.decelles

Jack of all trades -- Master of none
Premium Member
I use mine more than I thought I would. My last bend was interesting.... was bending some 5/8 bar stock from and old John Deere disc that I salvaged. Metal was hardened I think, heard the shriek of it snapping a micro second before I landed on my ass

Still hurts as I sit here thinking about it....... I never really trust my concrete bolts but so far so good




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

CalgaryPT

Ultra Member
Vendor
Premium Member
I've posted this link before, but it's a good trick with these benders and those of us with little floor space. Mitch Dillman in the vid is a character:

@kevin.decelles sorry about your ass. Wait. That didn't sound right. I take it back.
 

Tom O

Ultra Member
I’ve tried anchoring to the floor before but was stoped due to rocks in the cement about 1/2 inch in!
You have to be careful pulling on things with great force that may let go!
I know I have a crack in my ass too! :rolleyes:
 

CalgaryPT

Ultra Member
Vendor
Premium Member
I've got a JD squared Hydraulic Bender like this: https://www.jd2.com/model-32-bender

I knew I wouldn't have the floor space to bolt it down so I went hydraulic, mounted on a platform with casters and now can wheel into my driveway for long bends. It will do 1/4" wall tubing, but I've only done this once. I could have got by with the manual model except for the floor space issue.

I did the same with my ring and tubing rollers...I can wheel into the driveway for rolling 8 foot circles w/o hitting my ceiling.

Most of the fab shops I've seen use manual benders, not hydraulic ones. I guess they are easier to finesse. Another idea if you have a bolted or heavy welding table is to clamp to it instead (the top of these benders is removable from the pedestal).

Having said this, I learned the hard way when I was younger and never thought about this stuff before I bought tools. I once hit rebar drilling holes for a manual bender, so I get it.

I just want to be young again, but take everything I learned back in time with me :(
 
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DPittman

Ultra Member
Premium Member
I've got a JD squared Hydraulic Bender like this: https://www.jd2.com/model-32-bender

I knew I wouldn't have the floor space to bolt it down so I went hydraulic, mounted on a platform with casters and now can wheel into my driveway for long bends. It will do 1/4" wall tubing, but I've only done this once. I could have got by with the manual model except for the floor space issue.

I did the same with my ring and tubing rollers...I can wheel into the driveway for rolling 8 foot circles w/o hitting my ceiling.

Most of the fab shops I've seen use manual benders, not hydraulic ones. I guess they are easier to finesse. Another idea if you have a bolted or heavy welding table is to clamp to it instead (the top of these benders is removable from the pedestal).

Having said this, I learned the hard way when I was younger and never thought about this stuff before I bought tools. I once hit rebar drilling holes for a manual bender, so I get it.

I just want to be young again, but take everything I leaned back in time with me :(
Oooh that bender looks fun! The hydraulic component just makes it that much cooler, and bonus that it is portable! I wish I could dream up a project that needed that then I could dream about having one of those. Haha if it wasn't for dreams some of my days would be pretty dreary.
Any neat stuff you've bent that you can show us to fuel our dreams?
 

CalgaryPT

Ultra Member
Vendor
Premium Member
I don't have anything completed in the shop but here are some leftover scraps / test pieces. The middle one is actually 1/4" wall. Amazing to watch actually. The larger square piece with the holes was a hitch crane for a pickup almost 10 years ago. It was a test that I later improved on but I kept it in my scrap heap.

3.jpg 2.jpg 1.jpg
 

DPittman

Ultra Member
Premium Member
Oh that does look fun and impressive. Surely 1/4" wall stuff can't be bent without a hydraulic system? Huh.

Ya those nice bends kind of make my hack and weld angles look archaic and crude.
 

CalgaryPT

Ultra Member
Vendor
Premium Member
I think the average guy can easily bend 1/8 wall. But 1/4 requires hydraulics unless your arms are as big as my gut. I messed up years ago and accidentally swapped out the shorter holding pins with the longer ones and actually bent the 7/8 frame followbars. I was able to get replacements, but learned my lesson and painted the pins different colours so it doesn't happen again.

Nothing wrong with hack and weld. You machinist guys on the forum would cringe if you saw my hack and weld parts I make because I am a poor machinist.
 

DPittman

Ultra Member
Premium Member
Ha ha I really have my wife worried now...I said with one of those " I could build a really nice grill guard for the minivan!". I'm not sure whats worrying her more...that I might spend more money on another tool or the possibility of me making a grill guard for the van!
 

Janger

(John)
Administrator
Vendor
I've posted this link before, but it's a good trick with these benders and those of us with little floor space. Mitch Dillman in the vid is a character:

@kevin.decelles sorry about your ass. Wait. That didn't sound right. I take it back.
So for my shop I bolted some 1”x1/2” bar stock to the bottom of the bending mechanism where it bolts to the tower. I can then clamp it into my big vise which is attached to the table which is attached to the wall. It’s kinda portable and somewhat convenient.
 

CalgaryPT

Ultra Member
Vendor
Premium Member
So for my shop I bolted some 1”x1/2” bar stock to the bottom of the bending mechanism where it bolts to the tower. I can then clamp it into my big vise which is attached to the table which is attached to the wall. It’s kinda portable and somewhat convenient.
Yup. Good idea John. I do that with a smaller bender for hobby stuff but my table isn’t secure enough for bigger stuff.
 

Ben Brownlee

New Member
If that hasn't gone yet, I'd make a place for it in my shop. It's on my "ToBuy List" anyway, and I can't pass up that kind of deal.
 

ducdon

Super User
Premium Member
If that hasn't gone yet, I'd make a place for it in my shop. It's on my "ToBuy List" anyway, and I can't pass up that kind of deal.

It's still here. My cell is 403 808 8324. Give me a call and we can set something up. THANKS

P.S. It's located in Airdrie AB,
 
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