Metal bender/scroll attatchment

I need a GOOD bender/scroll maker. I used to have a Hossfeld scroll bender. I paid $185, and now the same item is $550.

Oh, well, gas used to be $.31 a gallon too, and that don't mean anything today.

I keep seeing benders like the one listed below. I bought one of THESE for $149 from BreakDown Industries in 1984. Now the same thing is $589 from Shop Outfitters.

Anyone have one of these? I am going to bend mostly 1/8" thick flat bar at any time. At tops, 1/4". I do need a good scroll machine that will make from 2 1/2" to the large 8 or 9" 1 1/2 turn scrolls. I would also like it if it would take small square rod, say 3/16" to make some square bar spirals.

I need the spiral maker to be good steel so that it doesn't deteriorate with use and get sloppy. Looks like that will be another $150, making it a grand total of about $750.

This is an investment that will earn the cost back in a short time, so a $750 outlay is not the problem.

I just want to know if people have these ......... if they like them ......... if they have a brand name preference ................. where they got the best price .......... any caveats.

TIA.

Steve

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Reply to
SteveB
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Steve,

We got one of the Shop Outfitters benders about 10 years ago and it's well made and does what is advertised.

Harbor Freight has a cheap knock off of the same thing for a lot less money - caveat emptor.

However, we found that style of bender is a pain to use unless you're doing exactly the same identical single bend in a workpiece repeatedly. You have to 'unthread' your workpiece if you need a reverse bend, and you have to completely disassemble the bender to change the bend radius. It also does not reliably clamp the workpiece so your bend position can 'crawl' without you noticing it.

If you're serious about bending, try finding one of the Diacro style benders - a world of difference.

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We found ours used on eBay but still spendy... and worth it..

Carla

Reply to
Carla Fong

By all accounts they are a decent bender

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I have one made by Security Lock IRRC..and its identical the the HF unit, though US made. and accessories interchange.

Here is another type..though nearly as spendy as the shop outfitters unit.

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Gunner

Liberals - Cosmopolitan critics, men who are the friends of every country save their own. Benjamin Disraeli

Reply to
Gunner

One of the posters here..Leigh at MarMachine occasionally has the DiAcros and similar. snipped-for-privacy@aol.com

Gunner

Liberals - Cosmopolitan critics, men who are the friends of every country save their own. Benjamin Disraeli

Reply to
Gunner

I wonder if their leverage multiplier would fit a 31980...

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Reply to
Larry Jaques

I have this bender and their wheel bender for making rings. GREAT STUFF! I have a friend that went and purchased a "Look Alike" and his broke the first week. These folks are a little high but it IS QUALITY and we have never had a problem with the equipment. I just wish the wheel bender would do larger stock. ... Good Stuff! Good Luck. Fred.

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Reply to
FredG

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If I am not mistaken, those tools and descriptions seem to be exactly like Shop Outfitters.

Richard

Reply to
rburge58

wrote

Looks identical to me.

Steve

Reply to
SteveB

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