RSOR's Tool Improvement network...

[Team Willys]

"Does anybody know what time it is?"

"Tool Time!"

"That's right! RSOR is proud to present Team, the fabricator, Willys!"

...music plays...

So yeah, you get the idea. I had a little extra time today, so I decided that I really needed to start moving the stuff into the shop, but I didn't want to bolt my bender to the floor in the new shop. Basically, this is because I want to be able to move it around so that it doesn't have to be in my way, and also because if the bender can move, it can make bending larger parts easier. The problem is, with the bender on casters, you cannot use the lever/ratchet style handle to bend the tube because you don't have the floor to pull against. So... I made a phone call to a friend that works at harbor freight, and got him to hook me up with a cylinder for a "On Sale" price of $55. I walked out the door with an air over hydraulic 8 ton jack for $60 with tax.

So without further adieu, here are the pics.

I had to make a bracket to hold the cylinder on the bender:

I put in grease fittings to prevent galling and wear. In the little time I have had it, there was already some wear on the original pin from the pull handle! So I figured I needed to be using something better that WD-40 on the moving parts of the bender.

Since this thing was probably made in China, the metal isn't hard at all. I was able to drill out the hole in the end of the cylinder rod to accept the 3/4" diameter separation sleeve.

So then it was time to mount it up and clamp it down.

So there you have it, a JD2 model 3 bender with an air over hydraulic cylinder conversion!

 

[PacificEd]

You never cease to amaze me with your fab skills. Good job!

 

[stumpXJ]

Nice job dude... so have you put it on casters yet? Thats one of the things I like about my bender, I can just wheel it outside inthe driveway if I want. No need to bolt anything down!

Tried it out yet?

~James

 

[MELKORsXJ]

Heck yeah man!!! That's slick...

like stump said, tried it out yet?
...that's definitely a huge improvement over my skinny butt trying to bend tube manually!!!

...I'll be checking it out soon I'm sure

 

[Team Willys]

Heck yeah man!!! That's slick...

like stump said, tried it out yet?
...that's definitely a huge improvement over my skinny butt trying to bend tube manually!!!

...I'll be checking it out soon I'm sure

HAHA

I haven't tried it with a piece of tube in it, didn't want to waste a piece just for the heck of it. I did put air to it and let it go all the way out, seemed to work great. I like it because I can now bend tube by myself without a spotter to tell me what degree Im at, and lets be honest, its just easier lol. It should really be useful when we're bending all that tube for Dan's cage.

James, I haven't got it on casters yet. I need to get some Heavy steel square tubing to build a base out of so that it will have a low center of gravity and won't flip over with a long piece of tubing in it...

 

[PacificEd]

Dan, you just got replaced!

 

[shortxjdoug]

looks like youll have to find another way to get a buff bod than bending tubing

 

[Team Willys]

Nah, he can be a pain in the butt sometimes, but you can never replace a good friend with any tool, no matter how good it is.

 

[kf_chris]

So that came together nicely. Should work well for ya!

 

[Team Willys]

Lol, I really didn't expect to get it done. But, I had everything I needed luckily, so I spend about 1-2 hrs working on it. Not too bad at all.

 

[YJ-GENRAL]

sweet dude. now we just need some more dies and we will be set

 

[Team Willys]

Yep! Someday I will have a die for 1", 1.25", 1.5" (already have), 1.75", and 2". That should be all I would ever need. The 1.25" is probably the least used, so I'll get that last. I might have time to drive up to you today and get money, stickers, and your wiring harness... but thats a pretty big maybe. I have to change the oil pan on Nigels stroker, and also throw some bigger jets in the carb, it like fuel! lol. If I get that done fast I will come, but I have to get Chris's parts from the machine shop at some point today as well.

 

[shelbyluvv]

Nice job man!

 

[bigalpha]

So now you can just use the jack to bend the tube and the whole contraption won't go rolling around?

 

[YJ-GENRAL]

yeh, before it was manual and you have to bolt it down so it doesnt fall over or twist with you when you pull on it to bend the tube, now the jack will push on it using the bender for leverage so it doesnt have to be bolted to the ground

 

[bigalpha]

Nice, that's a good idea.

 

[Ghost]

Nice, that's a good idea.

Its an old one. Nicely done. I have not seen my bender in a while. I lent it and both dies to a friend.

 

[High2by]

Nice job sir. Looks really good. That should serve you well for several years to come.