Dies for 31980 HF Bender?

[Dirt Rider]

I just ordered this bender w/ stand and scroll attachment $105 shipped. Has anyone confirmed the dies from metalcraft.com or shopfitters.com will fit this unit? The price is sure right! Also wondering if anyone has tried the larger square tube dies..like 1 1/4" seems aweful stout.

[ChadRat]

The metalcraft stuff will not work on that bender. Shopoutfitters claim that their stuff doesn't work on the compact bender. I would like to find someone with some shopoutfitter's dies so I can see for myself. Here is a site that claims their dies work with the HF bender. http://www.metalbendingtool.com

I haven't tried them so I don't know if they work or not.

If you are serious about getting in to Ornamental iron work then please join our group at

Yahoo Ornamental Iron group

lots of good tips and tricks.

[Dirt Rider]

Thanks! I may be the guinnea pig on the dies then. I'll wait until the bender arrives, get it up & going and order up a die or two and try it out. The bender, scroll maker & a set of tube dies will still be cheaper than ONE set of dies only for the JD2 bender I'm getting for larger tubing.

Great board, thanks for the quick reply!

[morpheus]

read this thread, this guy used some non HF dies in his HF bender:

http://www.hobartwelders.com/mboard/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1759&highlight=dies

- jack

[Dirt Rider]

That's the thread I was trying to find! Thanks morpheus.

[alden]

bending dies

Dirt Rider I ordered and used the 3/4 square tubing dies from metalbendingtool.com So far have had good luck with them.
Don't know if the HF bender is stout enough to do 11/4" but he has and sells the dies. The guy I talked to when I ordered them was very helpful and he will probably know if they will work.

[alden]

You will really enjoy the scroll bender you ordered. If you ordered the twisting attachment you may not be so happy about it. I bought mine several years ago and tried it once and went back to my pipe threader to twist bar. It seemed to put a bend in the bar kind of arc it never could get the bars to straight after.The dies he sells can be used for tight or long radius. E-mail me at
[email protected] I will tell you more about the dies.

[bjdenommee]

Alden

Funny how we twist, I use a power drive and a large adjustable.

I never thought to buy the twister from HF.

Bernie

[Dirt Rider]

Thanks for the info guys. Sure saves a lot of trial & error! I'll get the bender set up and order some dies.

[Sundown]

Anybody know if the tubing dies will also fit the 44094 benchtop compact bender. In the store it looked to me the only difference was the stand. Is that right?

[Dirt Rider]

I just got an email back from a guy at metalbendingtools.com , he said they are getting ready to release 1-1/4 & 1-1/2" ROUND dies for their bender! If they're priced like the others that will beat the heck out of some of the stuff out there now! Now chances are bending that larger material with the HF bender may not work in it's stock form, but with a little beefing up it could work nicely....especially for weekend warrior's like me that aren't using them everyday.

[morpheus]

that's good news to hear. let us know how they work out once you get them.

- jack

[Roger]

Originally posted by Dirt Rider
I just got an email back from a guy at metalbendingtools.com

Correct link is
metalbendingtool.com

[Dirt Rider]

Thanks Roger...one wrong letter these days and you can be looking at **** instead of tools!

Anyway, yes I hope to get a few of these dies and try them out, for the price it's hard to beat!

Side note: we may need to start a Harbor Freight support group here. I find myself browsing the site and actually trying to convince myself I need stuff. Very sad. Today I ended up ordering a the nicer tubing notcher, a Makita 9/16" hammer drill/drill & some safety wire pliers that I guess I need?? But, for a $100 to my door for all of it...I HAD TO DO IT!

[Roger]

I solved my Harbor frieght tool habit by visiting their store now and then. At least 2 hour drive. After seeing the tools I often don't buy them.