Harbor Freight POS pipe bender mods, what have you done?

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I use my crappy HF pipe bender quite a bit simply because it is faster then my other bender. I don't use it on structural or safety stuff. Anyhow it never mattered much till now but I am working on getting it to do a little better looking bends and no divots.I couldn't find much on the internet of mods, just people saying get rid of them. lol Some day I'll get something with a foot control or buttons but for now its what I have for fast production   bends. Pretty obvious I think what I did to it. The die is 1", I am bending 1.250" tubing, I still had to add a cut tube as a shim to tighten up the fit to the tubing I am bending. I used a tapered head screw to hod the shim down to the die and filed it in to match the die arc.Had to lift it to put wheels on the bench.The bench before wheels and leg braces.The brake is the only thing completely bolted down. All the benders and roller/shear are bolted down with one bolt so they can be swiveled to clear each other when bending longer tubing/pipe.
Reply:Completly useless for bending tube, so i built a press brake.easily bends up to 5/16" x 8" flat bar Attached Imagesɹǝʌo ǝɯ lloɹ 'sıɥʇ pɐǝɹ uɐɔ noʎ ɟı
Reply:I have been using a H-Press that I built in High School Vo Ag class 40 years ago.  I had never seen nor had I thought of making a press brake. I have a sheet metal brake modeled after one we used in Ag.  Looks like I will be adding another function to my press.  Thanks
Reply:Tsor,  Glad you replied with something useful. My first comment would be to add chain and make a boat anchor!http://jackalopefab.com/MM210Synchrowave 200DXMiller XMT350 w/60series feederMiller Bobcat 250 with SGA 100 and spoolgunHTP PlasmaFull Machine shop with everything
Reply:Originally Posted by jackalopeTsor,  Glad you replied with something useful. My first comment would be to add chain and make a boat anchor!
Reply:i have one of these   POS's   ,      that   pile    makes a better  table then a bender .     like  your inginuity  though>Innovations are what i leave behind for History
Reply:Originally Posted by VPT=
Reply:No sand, empty tube. Yes that is a B16 head, lol. Good eye!
Reply:I have one of those benders...but have not set it up and used it....Am I missing something here ?   You did not put sand into the tube.... and it distorted.... did you not know that that was recommended or something ?  Or perhaps looking at the result ' necessary ' ?    I ran and bought mine while it was on sale because I saw some really nice tube bending  the seller of my Weldanpower had done with his.... I don't understand calling it " POS" .... unless out of habit.....Weldandpower Lincoln 225 AC,DC with Briggs 16hp gas engine.WW2 era Miller TIG.
Reply:It is a PIPE bender, not a tube bender.If you need a Tube Bender buy a phucking Tube bender and stop wasting your time and $ on trying to make a Pipe bender in to a Tube bender.Ed Conleyhttp://www.screamingbroccoli.com/MM252MM211 (Sold)Passport Plus & Spool gunLincoln SP135 Plus- (Gone to a good home)Klutch 120v Plasma cutterSO 2020 benderBeer in the fridge
Reply:See that thing next to it? Thats a tubing bender...
Reply:Originally Posted by VPTSee that thing next to it? Thats a tubing bender...
Reply:Here are a few pics of mine after added the DRO. What is a bummer is the guy (Clint) that designed, built, and sold the Tube Bandit has taken his product line off line for now as he is working on other things in his life. His DRO has made my bender an amazingly simple tool to use coupled with the Bend Tech software. Attached Imageshttp://jackalopefab.com/MM210Synchrowave 200DXMiller XMT350 w/60series feederMiller Bobcat 250 with SGA 100 and spoolgunHTP PlasmaFull Machine shop with everything
Reply:best thing i did with mine was give it away.. It would have been better if i sold it, but it sure didnt hurt my feelings any watching it leave, got more space on the shelf now.tackleexperts.comwww.necessityjigs.comhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/mach...dingequipment/
Reply:My shelf was too light to be stable in anything above 5.0 earthquake. HF Bender comes in handy that way.City of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:Originally Posted by Broccoli1Then why don't you use it?( I hope you understand my humor, just ribbin' ya)
Reply:Used the POS yesterday to straiten a prop shaft. Got it from .750" out to within .006" runout.Also touched up the prop.