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Thread: H&F Bar Benders

  1. #1
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    Default H&F Bar Benders

    With their sale on, I'm tempted to finally get a bar bender from Hare and Forbes.

    There's two cheaper ones here: https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/Bar-Benders

    I'd normally just go for the $330 one with the greater capacity, but in some ways the $297 unit looks a better design.

    Anyone with any experience with either of these?

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by RustyArc View Post
    With their sale on, I'm tempted to finally get a bar bender from Hare and Forbes.

    There's two cheaper ones here: https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/Bar-Benders

    I'd normally just go for the $330 one with the greater capacity, but in some ways the $297 unit looks a better design.

    Anyone with any experience with either of these?
    Yes, I've done a reasonable amount with the $297 unit. They are much better than using a vice, but they do not bend square out of the box (deflection in the push block assembly) and need a bit of massaging to produce quality bends of any consistency. They are certainly not over engineered and the pin that the adjustable push block pivots on will likely be the first casualty of overzealous usage. They are what they are, however the next step up will likely cost over double the asking price for one of these.

  3. #3
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    At a former employer we had the smaller ones on the trucks to bend 50x3 Galv flat bar to make earth grids for communication towers.
    All of them broke eventually, mostly through the base casting where the pivot attaches, although one did snap the pivot itself.
    As already mentioned, they didn’t bend square either, but we never really got too hung up on that, as it all got buried after the grid was completed.
    Not really suited to industrial use, probably ok for home use.

    I opted to build a die set for my press. If you have a press, give some consideration to that, you can bend wider, thicker material with much less effort. If you don’t have a press, buy one instead.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by RustyArc View Post
    With their sale on, I'm tempted to finally get a bar bender from Hare and Forbes.

    There's two cheaper ones here: https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/Bar-Benders

    I'd normally just go for the $330 one with the greater capacity, but in some ways the $297 unit looks a better design.

    Anyone with any experience with either of these?
    If ya win the Lotto tonight buy a Bramely from New Zuland. If you don't win lotto buy one that,s built like a Bramely.
    Built like a brick outhouse.

    Grahame

  5. #5
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    Thanks for the comments. I'm after something that will offer more convenience and consistency than the vice option. The bend radius issue is something I hadn't considered, and the $330 unit looks like it may have a sharper bend than the cheaper one.

    The press option is definitely something to think about - I've got a cheap Gasweld 12T press that is kind of janky, but is still *much* better than no press. I've been looking at replacing it with a ~20t press with a gauge and an air option, but haven't quite justified that yet...

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Grahame Collins View Post
    If ya win the Lotto tonight buy a Bramely from New Zuland. If you don't win lotto buy one that,s built like a Bramely.
    Built like a brick outhouse.

    Grahame
    Nah! If you win the Lotto, get a Hossfeld, with all the dies and attachments. You won't have much money left, but you will have one hell of a bender
    https://www.hossfeldbender.com/uploa...log_2018lr.pdf

  7. #7
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    I’ve had the cheaper UB100 for six years and found it very useful. Whilst not apparent in HF’s page, it includes three radius formers plus one for rod; each former has a different radius on opposite sides so you can do sharp or gradual bends (6 options in total). I’ve used it extensively for flat bar although I haven’t stressed it for its maximum thickness. The UB100H would be a better option for thicker material although you can always heat the bar with a torch to make it more pliable for bending. There’s a bit of a learning curve to achieve consistent accuracy, multiple bends in one piece also requires thinking through the sequencing. If you’ve ever used a pan brake, you’ll know what I mean.

    The attached photo shows four top mounting brackets for a panel I fitted to the rear wall of my ute. I wasn't able to get two closer 90 degree bends in each bracket due to the bender's limitations so I packed out the brackets on the panel. However I was able to make four identical brackets with fairly tight tolerances. - Peter
    Attached Images Attached Images

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by peterbilt View Post
    it includes three radius formers plus one for rod
    Cheers for that - I think that's been mentioned in the past on this forum, but I'd forgotten about it. That'd make it considerably more versatile.

    I'm sure there'll be a learning curve, but hopefully leading to more consistent results than with my belting over bits of steel in the vice.

    Longer term I'll also upgrade my press which will add an alternative method and give me some options to choose from depending on the task.

  9. #9
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    Default H&F Bar Benders

    Your current press should do a pretty decent bend. I just ducked out to shed and bent this bit of 3”x1/4” flat on my 6T Supercrap press.
    Lower die is 3 bits of angle welded back to back in a “M” shape.
    Upper one is a piece of thick flat bar shaped to a point. Very crude but gives you an idea of how simple it can be.




    Steve

  10. #10
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    I have the bigger 330 dollar unit. I think I had it bout 5-7 years. It does everything I need well ....u need a fair bit of space in front of it because the handle is quite long. Miles in front of a vice and hammer no Comparison.....Sometimes my wallet I so fat from notes that when I fold it I can’t fit it into my pocket......if anyone else here has the same problem I guarantee u can fix it by visiting a hare and Forbes display rooom on a Saturday morning. Works every time

  11. #11
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    I've had a UB70 for over 15 years. I wish I had of bought the UB100 the time, but money was short. I've done quite a bit of bending with it over the years and it's still as solid as the day I bought it, but it doesn't get used everyday. As Peterbilt said mine came with different formers. The local welding shop down the road from my work has the $330 dollar one and personally I don't like the design. I would have to look at it again, but I'm pretty sure that the UB100H has a hollow base where as the UB70 is solid.
    All The Best steran50 Stewart

    The shortest way to do many things is to do only one thing at once.

  12. #12
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    Went with the cheaper UB100 and received it on Friday - as mentioned, it comes with a bunch of different dies offering various bend radii. The stop peg is a very rattly fit in the holes, so I think I'll need to drill them a little more round and turn something for a tighter fit. The long handle could be a pain unless I can find somewhere with enough room. so it's not in the way. If not, I might just bolt it on when needed, or make up some kind of sleeve and pin arrangement.

    In the couple of days I was waiting for the bender to turn up, I had a go at making one up for my press as Steve had done above:
    IMG_3557.jpg

    Despite the dreadful welds (started with TIG, turns out it doesn't like mill scale - who knew?) it works remarkably well, and with different lengths, could do some very handy sheet metal work.

  13. #13
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    Glad it worked for you!

    Yes, clean metal is everything with TIG - the cleaner the better.

    Steve

  14. #14
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    I have had mine for about 10 years now, used within its limits it is fine. Like most things Chinese it needed a bit of tuning up but that is what backyard engineering is all about. I don’t use mine on anything over 6mm stock and it works fine. I have recentLy mounted it to a multi fit stand than can cam lock onto a base permanently bolted to the garage floor. It also takes my speed works pipe bender and 6 inch vice. Yes I would love a Bramley or similar but I probably couldn’t get the money from the minister for finance and I don’t think I could lift it. Once again used for The size of material they were designed for they are fine.
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  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by OxxAndBert View Post
    Your current press should do a pretty decent bend. I just ducked out to shed and bent this bit of 3”x1/4” flat on my 6T Supercrap press.
    Lower die is 3 bits of angle welded back to back in a “M” shape.
    Upper one is a piece of thick flat bar shaped to a point. Very crude but gives you an idea of how simple it can be.




    Steve
    Looks like a nice bend, what degrees is the upper die out of interest?

    Is that just 25 x 25 angle for the lower die? Does it handle thinner materials ok?

    Thanks

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