Bending 1018 3/8 Rounds-What Machine?

I have been thinking...whats the best machine/method for bending a 3/8 or so rod into a sort of a "U" shape, where you don't have that much room between each leg? (Say about 4-5 inches) The two parallel legs are pretty long. (say about 8-10 inches) And each 90 degree bend has to be "sharp" but of course with a small radius...

Would appreciate any input as to machines and methods that can do that cold-don't want to use a torch and hammer...

Thanks!
Eric

Hi neighbor. I use a 49 dollar HF bender all the time for my wrought iron work with bigger dies on top of the frame. I can get you dies or you can have them made local. Just use the dies and a longer 5/8 pin and bend away. Here are some pics of how i do it...Bob in Salem O
Pic 1 railing with 4" bends.
pic 2 2 large 1/2 rings to make a 9" circle.
pic 3 big bends in 3/8" rod, the leg is short so i use vise grips to hold.
pic 4 the bigger dies burned from 1/2" plate.
pic 5 the bigger dies and longer 5/8" pins (bolts).

Ops didn't see the sharp part, sorry. You can still bend reasonable 90 degree bends with the bender and i have some pics of 90's in 3/8" sq tube...Bob

Here are some 3/8" sq bends. Come on up to my shop and we can bend some. You are like 1 hour away...Bob

Wow, Bob- you get about the most quality usage out of that HF bender I have ever seen.

Me, I am a hossfeld man- which is kinda like the big brother of the HF bender, with much larger capacity, many more dies available, and a lot of flexibility.
But the basic principles are the same- it just costs more, does more, weighs more, and takes up more space.
While the Harbor Freight bender probably about tops out at 1/2", I have bent a lot of 1 1/4" stainless, 2" pipe, and even 1" x 4" flatbar with my hossfeld.

http://www.hossfeldbender.com/

I have a Diacro #4 and I think it will do that...some fiddling around...mostly because I don't use it enough to remember exactly how to set the job up quickly...but bend a few test pieces, set the stops, make marks, etc, and the parts start piling up. Once setup with the stops it will make very repeatable parts as quickly as you can pull the handles and load and unload the material.

On this bender there is no "double support" instead the center pin is a 1" dia dowel pin. With a specialized "turned down" center pin (anything is possible...with the limitation of the strength of the cantilevered pin) then you can get tighter radii.

There is a "sharp corner" die which is sort of shaped like a right triangle, but still uses the rotary "wiper" action. I haven't used that one recently though, to recall the capacity or performance.

Ries said:

Wow, Bob- you get about the most quality usage out of that HF bender I have ever seen.

Click to expand...

That i do Ries. I also am a Hossfeld man as i used one when i was a Millwright working in the weld shop at a local factory. We bent 5/8" SS all day long making furnace hooks. 2 guys used it daily for 20 years until i came up with a better hook.
I never thought a 49 dollar bender could do so much and last so long. I do have 2 hossfeld copies that i made for the real big stuff and one of them i am going to make hydraulic someday. Tooling is a killer so i just make what i need.
Here are a few pics of mine...Bob

Thanks guys, very enlightening information!!!! I'll have to check into the Diacro and the Hossfeld, I've seen them before but really haven't studied in depth too much about them!

Bob, I might have to take you up on your offer to come up to your shop and do some bending! Its for a little project that might get going...bends like you did in the 3/8 square would be great...I've been in your neck of the woods quite a bit, been to auctions up there in the Alliance area, and also bought a CNC lathe from a guy thats about 10 miles outside of Salem!

Thanks!
Eric