QUOTE(Warthog @ Dec 29 2006, 10:58 AM)

Researched Tube benders for awhile and this type seem the most favourable:
USA WWW:
http://www.vansantent.com/model_3_bender.htmUK WWW:
http://www.straightforwardsupplies.co.uk/a...conversion.htmlI know they are twice the cost of the model you are looking at though! But they end up in most serious builders images on the US Fabrication forums. The pound is pretty good at the moment. So an email to the US www could be the oppo to get a good deal?
Plus the Angle plate will make easy work of achieving good symetrical shape to ya cage etc.


Mark
I have one of these and a Staffa crush type bender and there are advantages to both. The US style will give a better bend with less deformation, the angle plate is useful, and repetitive. It's slow to use, and can be tricky to get all the bends starting from the right direction, as it pulls past the wiper die. It is easy when all the bends are in the same plane like a rear hoop, but for the front hoop, wheere it lays back against the screen, one bend needs to be done from below and one from above that bend. Not impossible, but you need to be accurate to get them both in the same palne. You also need a garage big enough to bolt it to the floor so you can pull against the lever, or convert to hydraulic, and to allow the end to swing about. The choice of dies is limited for UK tube, as they don't do many metric formers, but you can get one for 1 1/2" NB pipe, which is Blue Band. It will also do 180 degree bends which is useful for shock hoops etc.
The crush bender will not give quite such nice bends (you tend to get 3 little ridges form in the inside of the bend, which are barely noticeable unless you know to look for them), is a little quicker and is more portable. There is a greater choice of formers available.
Which one? Well I use both for different jobs, tending to use the US style for the important bends and the UK type for tweaks and less important bends/funny sizes. Hope that helps.
Toby