Bending stainless tubing

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I going to need to bend some 3/4" stainless tubing for a boat top sometime in the near future. Should be fairly thin wall. I want to do it myself but don't have a tubing bender and I've never bent stainless before. Also, I can't spend the bucks on a big name bender.   Hate to ask this...but is there a bender at Harbor Freight that will do this job on stainless?
Reply:Whats the tightest bend will you be making?Owner G&S Mobile Welding & Millwright Services, LLCSpencerville, Ohio Adult Ed. Instructor at Apollo Career Center Lima, Ohio
Reply:The rigid one doesn't really do very tight bends. I like to use the vise mounted one by Lakeland, it does much tighter bends...but they are all almost $400. Haven't seen the hf ones.
Reply:http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo...b25_bender.php  Don't know if it will handle the gauge you are bending.  How thin is    " fairly thin wall"?
Reply:I guess I don't know the pipe gauge yet. I'd say thicker than thin wall conduit but thinner than pipe. I'll need to make four 90 degree bends and a few less than 90.I like the Baleigh bender. Price is a little more than I wanted to spend but I can handle that. I think the money I save by doing this myself will more than pay for the bender. My wife is going to sew the canvas. It may be that the rigid bender will do.This top is going on a 20' Shamrock Predator.
Reply:If you look at alot of the sights that sell benders and check the dies, they actually state the minimum wall thickness for each die. 3/4" tube is on the small side i would say, I would go with at least 1". As far as say the jd2 model 32 dies it looks like the wall thickness needed for 1" is at least .058" for a decent kink free bend. I have done a few rails and such and usually use 1" with around .065" wall.
Reply:Have you checked at any tool rental places to see if they have one?
Reply:You need a bender to do this with any degree of quality. If you don't care that the end result looks like $h!t, then take your pick at bad ideas.Some things you really need the right tool for. Again, if you don't care about looks that is one thing. If you want to do a good job, get a bender with a die and tubing that will meet the dies specs for a kink free bend.Granthttp://jackalopefab.com/MM210Synchrowave 200DXMiller XMT350 w/60series feederMiller Bobcat 250 with SGA 100 and spoolgunHTP PlasmaFull Machine shop with everything
Reply:first you had better learn the difference between tube and pipe; particularly if you are buying dies.   3/4 .05 wall ss tube would be better suited for constructing a kite rather than a top unless of course you decide to skip the canvas.   if i were you i would do some foraging at a marine salvage store and save yourself some grief.  don't even know why i am spending time writing this;  the project's outcome is fairly easy to see.http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/STAIN...item22fa568b70
Reply:If I were to do a bimini I would use at least 1" .065 wall stainless tube. Some use 3/4 sched 40 alum pipe. fittings are available for both. I would way rather do a T-top out of anodized pipe but not like the one in the above link that is just silly.
Reply:Use dairy bends, you'll end up with seamless lines, without the hassle
Reply:deletedLast edited by hvw; 09-21-2011 at 06:22 AM.