Exhaust Bender???

[REW_388]

I am looking to buy a pipe bender so I'm hoping ya'll can give me some recommendations. I would like to be able to bend up to 3" exhaust as well as bend smaller but heavier pipe for roll cages on a jeep. I like the manual rotary benders because of the price and smooth bends but I am not having much luck finding one that will do what I want. Any help would be great. I'm also not looking to spend 2k on a bender I may use twice a year.

[tinydb84]

I dont think you are going to find one that does both. Most benders I have seen are limited to about 2 inches. Exhaust benders dont have to bend the thicker metals that a normal bender would do.

I have been trying to not buy a JD bender (mostly because I dont REALLY need it right now) but that is what I would go with. Do you really need to bend that much exhaust tubing? I like to do my own fab but usually farm our my exhaust work as I dont have the equipment to do so.

[PGSigns]

For what you want to do 2K wont cover it I don't think. A good exhaust bender is over 6 grand. I farm my exhaust. Take a look at these guys for a roll cage bender. http://www.trick-tools.com/Pro_Tools..._MB_105HD_5142
Jimmy

[_Ogre]

a $6k bender is a crush bender (without tooling), mandrel benders start at $60k and go up from there
plus tooling for each different tube size on a mandrel bender cost $2k and up

if your only doing an exhaust system or 2 you're better off buying straight tubes and bends
building a custom exhaust system with a mandrel bender typically involves cutting bends and using straight pipe
only when you know the angles and rotation of each bend can you program it into the mandrel bender
we have a mandrel bender for 2.5'' and 3'' tube, anything bigger or smaller we buy bends
every custom exhaust is cut and fit, the production systems get programmed in after a lot of ''prototyping''

for roll bar cages... we have the cheap harbor fright bender

[tinydb84]

Jimmy- do you like the trick tools over the JD?

[PGSigns]

There are a few folks making these type of benders. The first ones were Mittler Brothers and they make some really nice stuff. When I got out of building race cars I sold off all my stuff. So I have been using a buddies bender and he has the trick tools. Seems to work well.
Jimmy