Metal Bending Machine

Trail_Banger · 02-19-2008, 06:20 AM

Hey folks!

A friend of mine and I are thinking about making some off road parts (plates, rails, exos etc) and are looking for some machine suggestions. We can get a hold of a welder, grinder, cutters, drill press, CAD software etc but when it comes to a bender, those things seem way out of our price range. It's not like you can walk into Harbor Freight or Northern Tool and get a 20,000lb plate bender. There are industrail types available but I'd have to sell my house.

Does anyone know where you can buy a handyman version that would handle 3/16 steel?

While I'm at it, anyone have two cents they'd offer on what gear you'd need to do home projects like I mentioned above?

wjwerdna · 02-19-2008, 08:02 AM

until you can afford a bending machine of somesort, you may have to just weld and grind more, but that sucks...

The hydraulics are going to be expensive no matter what, and large dies (and longer machines) (to do longer sections) will get much more expensive fast

I would look for something that has a capacity of around 12-36" enough to do small plates, and some skid hardware, along with pieces for bumpers.

4Crawler · 02-19-2008, 02:14 PM

Not sure the size pieces you need to bend, but I use a 24" press brake in my 20T press and it'll handle up to 3/8" steel:

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...atchallpartial

wjwerdna · 02-19-2008, 02:17 PM

That's pretty cool, I didn't even think of the press brakes... how much is a press?

4Crawler · 02-19-2008, 02:19 PM

I think mine was about $200 at Harbor Freight.

wjwerdna · 02-19-2008, 02:19 PM

nm, it says directly under what it fits on

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...Default-_-1459

Trail_Banger · 02-22-2008, 10:50 AM

You guys fricken ROCK. I didn't know Northern had this stuff????!!!!!!

A press and a brake is under 500 bucks new. I bet I could search EBay and Craigslist for a used model.

Hell yeah!

infiltrator · 02-22-2008, 10:56 AM

maybe make friends with someone at a muffler shop?

02-19-2008, 06:20 AM	#1 (permalink)
Trail_Banger Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 101	Metal Bending Machine Hey folks! A friend of mine and I are thinking about making some off road parts (plates, rails, exos etc) and are looking for some machine suggestions. We can get a hold of a welder, grinder, cutters, drill press, CAD software etc but when it comes to a bender, those things seem way out of our price range. It's not like you can walk into Harbor Freight or Northern Tool and get a 20,000lb plate bender. There are industrail types available but I'd have to sell my house. Does anyone know where you can buy a handyman version that would handle 3/16 steel? While I'm at it, anyone have two cents they'd offer on what gear you'd need to do home projects like I mentioned above? __________________ 1989 Truck, Regular Cab, 3.slow, 5-speed, Trail Gear rock rails, Bud Built full belly skids & E-Locker Mod. Last edited by Trail_Banger : 02-19-2008 at 06:26 AM.

02-19-2008, 08:02 AM	#2 (permalink)
wjwerdna Contributing Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Montague, MI Posts: 1,856	until you can afford a bending machine of somesort, you may have to just weld and grind more, but that sucks... The hydraulics are going to be expensive no matter what, and large dies (and longer machines) (to do longer sections) will get much more expensive fast I would look for something that has a capacity of around 12-36" enough to do small plates, and some skid hardware, along with pieces for bumpers. __________________ Andrew J W = WJwerdnA '99 4Runner SR5 - Pioneer MP3/IPod w/Infinity all around - lifted 2.5-3in susp. - 33's to fill the gap - sliders - ISR & Deckplate, yada yada - Satoshi - AIM:wjwerdna YotaTech Profile Custom Bumper Link for sale: "six-spoke" stock alloys, PM if interested :) ... also, stock running boards, pm offer, and stock panhard bar, great for mod'ing longer for lift adjustment

02-19-2008, 02:14 PM	#3 (permalink)
4Crawler Contributing Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: SF Bay Area, CA Posts: 6,266	Not sure the size pieces you need to bend, but I use a 24" press brake in my 20T press and it'll handle up to 3/8" steel: http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...atchallpartial __________________ 1985 Toyota 4Runner SR-5, 22REC engine, dual t-cases, 4.88 gears, dual ARBs, 33x10.50 BFGs. r.c.brown@ieee.org TruckEditor@tlca.org Project: 4Crawler 4Crawler OffRoad Gettin'Off 4WD Club

02-19-2008, 02:17 PM	#4 (permalink)
wjwerdna Contributing Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Montague, MI Posts: 1,856	That's pretty cool, I didn't even think of the press brakes... how much is a press? __________________ Andrew J W = WJwerdnA '99 4Runner SR5 - Pioneer MP3/IPod w/Infinity all around - lifted 2.5-3in susp. - 33's to fill the gap - sliders - ISR & Deckplate, yada yada - Satoshi - AIM:wjwerdna YotaTech Profile Custom Bumper Link for sale: "six-spoke" stock alloys, PM if interested :) ... also, stock running boards, pm offer, and stock panhard bar, great for mod'ing longer for lift adjustment

02-19-2008, 02:19 PM	#5 (permalink)
4Crawler Contributing Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: SF Bay Area, CA Posts: 6,266	I think mine was about $200 at Harbor Freight. __________________ 1985 Toyota 4Runner SR-5, 22REC engine, dual t-cases, 4.88 gears, dual ARBs, 33x10.50 BFGs. r.c.brown@ieee.org TruckEditor@tlca.org Project: 4Crawler 4Crawler OffRoad Gettin'Off 4WD Club

02-19-2008, 02:19 PM	#6 (permalink)
wjwerdna Contributing Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Montague, MI Posts: 1,856	nm, it says directly under what it fits on http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...Default-_-1459 __________________ Andrew J W = WJwerdnA '99 4Runner SR5 - Pioneer MP3/IPod w/Infinity all around - lifted 2.5-3in susp. - 33's to fill the gap - sliders - ISR & Deckplate, yada yada - Satoshi - AIM:wjwerdna YotaTech Profile Custom Bumper Link for sale: "six-spoke" stock alloys, PM if interested :) ... also, stock running boards, pm offer, and stock panhard bar, great for mod'ing longer for lift adjustment

02-22-2008, 10:50 AM	#7 (permalink)
Trail_Banger Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 101	You guys fricken ROCK. I didn't know Northern had this stuff????!!!!!! A press and a brake is under 500 bucks new. I bet I could search EBay and Craigslist for a used model. Hell yeah! __________________ 1989 Truck, Regular Cab, 3.slow, 5-speed, Trail Gear rock rails, Bud Built full belly skids & E-Locker Mod.

02-22-2008, 10:56 AM	#8 (permalink)
infiltrator Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Valencia, California Posts: 1,294	maybe make friends with someone at a muffler shop? __________________ Old Rig: '95 4runner \| White \| ISR \| 193,000mi. \| Totalled.

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