IronCraft tubing bender

[marioandluigi66]

I picked up this old IronCraft tubing bender at a flea market last weekend, it still looks good, but I'm not sure how to use it properly. Tried bending some 3/4" aluminum tubing for a DIY kayak rack, but the bend came out all kinked and uneven.

Anyone here familiar with these older benders? Not sure if I'm using the wrong type of tubing or just missing a trick. Any advice or tips to get cleaner bends? Thanks in advance!

 

[steel&wood]

From experience, to keep the aluminum from kinking, you need to use a mandrel (an internal support rod). This is especially important with soft aluminum. Aluminum also hardens quickly, so make the bend in one smooth motion and don't stop halfway. If your IronCraft has them, you might want to fill the tube with sand or use the right bending dies.

 

[HerrFixIt]

I picked up this old IronCraft tubing bender at a flea market last weekend, it still looks good, but I'm not sure how to use it properly. Tried bending some 3/4" aluminum tubing for a DIY kayak rack, but the bend came out all kinked and uneven.

Anyone here familiar with these older benders? Not sure if I'm using the wrong type of tubing or just missing a trick. Any advice or tips to get cleaner bends? Thanks in advance!

That kinking happens due to the thin wall tubing, especially with softer materials like 6061 aluminum. I agree with @steel&wood about that sand trick! It's a great old-school way to support the tube's inner wall and prevent it from collapsing. Just make sure the sand is packed really tight and the ends are capped off. Also check if your bender has different dies or shoes. Using the correct size for your tubing is crucial for a clean bend. If the die is too big, it won't support the tube enough, and if it's too small, you'll get kinks or even crushing. He's also spot on about doing one smooth motion since a hesitant or jerky bend can cause all kinds of problems with soft metals.