Howron Bending Tools

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Looking to buy a bending tool.  Looking at Pro-Tool, JMR, JR2, Shopfitters, Hossfeld, etc.  Through this site came upon this company, http://www.metalbendingtool.com/rhin.../rhino-package.  Looks like a fair price for all that's included.  Anyone have any "direct" experience with this companie's benders?  There's very little on the web about them so that concerns me a little.  I'm not looking for race car precision but more than HF quality.  Also looking for more than tube bending, so looks like Hossfeld might be the default (but WOW, could spend a fortune on die sets).  Again, hope to hear from folks that have or have used this product.Thanks.
Reply:Workable set up. Guess it depends upon what you need bending, the precision needed and cash available. From looking at the die sets offered, you probably won't get the degree of precision of a Hossfeld, JD2 or Shop Outfitter bender, but the cost savings may be enough to set the hook. For the price they want for the bender I'd just save the money for die sets and fab up the bender myself. There isn't any rocket science involved in that design by any stretch of the imagination and a 20 ton press, drill press or mill for the holes, bit of welding and off the shelf hitch pins will get you the same bender much cheaper. From the utter simplicity of the tubing die sets I'll say that the bender was designed somewhere between the Harbor Freight benders and the Hossfelds, JD2s and Shop Outfitters...you going to get less deformation than the Harbor Freight, but more than the other models due to not having a follower/backing die included in the die sets.Lincoln PrecisionTig 275Miller 251Miller DialArc 250Bridgeport millHossfeld bender & diesLogan shaperJet 14 X 40 latheSouth Bend 9" 'C'Hypertherm 900Ellis 3000 band saw21"Royersford ExcelsiorTwo shops, still too many tools.
Reply:Thanks for the reply.  I guess I missed that there wasn't a backing die.I'll assume that you'd vouch for the Hossfeld?  Looks like it's made fairly solid.  If you had your purchase to do over would you change from Hossfeld?
Reply:If you'll do a search I think you'll find that there's a CAD drawing of a Hossfield #2 out there. It gives all the dimensions of the bender and normal tooling. I downloaded it years ago not to long after the guy put them on the web but I've never had the time to actually build it.Millermatic 252XMT 304'sDynasty 280DXHypertherm PowerMax 1250Miller Trailblazer 302 EFIOptima PulserXR feeder and XR Edge gun and more athttp://members.dslextreme.com/users/waynecook/index.htm
Reply:No, I'd stick with Hossfeld...or American bender which is a very near clone. That said, I bought the Hossfeld for what it is able to do. If I was doing mostly round and square tubing I'd have seriously considered the JD2 style bender over the Hossfeld due to the cheaper die sets, same quality of bends and better, or at least easier, bend indexing. Take your time to consider what sort of work you'll envision doing on a bender as a hasty decision gets more or less set in stone by the time you pay the expense of a couple of die sets.Lincoln PrecisionTig 275Miller 251Miller DialArc 250Bridgeport millHossfeld bender & diesLogan shaperJet 14 X 40 latheSouth Bend 9" 'C'Hypertherm 900Ellis 3000 band saw21"Royersford ExcelsiorTwo shops, still too many tools.
Reply:I worked at Shop Outfitters for 12 Years.  They made very good tools.  Great company to work for as well.
Reply:This might be larger then you are looking for but check out frank's bender and join  the many have built and love it.  http://www.gottrikes.com/Tube_Bender.htmmine is the first one in the coustomer's pictures.really a great design.Have funTom
Reply:@jester, who's dies fit the Air/Hyd bender?@Dan, I do like the Shop Outfitter's bender but they're $$.  Sure wish they still had the 2040 model available, or at least a more basic entry model.
Reply:I have the Pro 2 model from Howron, pleased with the build quality and it being USA made.  It has done everything I have needed it to do.  Primary uses have been making strap hinges, bending flat stock and making ornamental hooks, etc, etc.I haven't had a need to bend any tubing but the instructional DVD shows you how to make your own dies for bending tubing, so you can make whatever size / radius you need.Andy-------------------------Miller Bobcat 250 / Dynasty 200DXHobart HH 140Hypertherm PowerMax 380Kalamazoo 8C BandsawHowron Bender / Hossfeld #2 Bender
Reply:Originally Posted by NC4ABI have the Pro 2 model from Howron, pleased with the build quality and it being USA made.  It has done everything I have needed it to do.  Primary uses have been making strap hinges, bending flat stock and making ornamental hooks, etc, etc.I haven't had a need to bend any tubing but the instructional DVD shows you how to make your own dies for bending tubing, so you can make whatever size / radius you need.
Reply:I think this is where I got mine.http://www.pro-tools.com/diesets.aspxhere is another http://www.jd2.com/p-44-m3-round-die-sets.aspxLast edited by acourtjester; 03-03-2013 at 07:51 PM.
Reply:Here is my hom made bender that takes Hossfeld dies.  I bought if off of a guy who built race cars for a living.  I like the Hossfeld dies, since they are readily available too.---No good deed goes unpunished---