Bending a 2X4 Steel tube

[Bigwoods]

A buddy of mine needs to get a steel tube bent for a project. The tube is a rectangular 2 X 4. Anyone know where you would find someone to do that kind of work. He is striking out locally.

[Nitetimes]

There's not a lot of places you are going to find with the dies to do 2x4. Even a lot of the 2x3 is squish{technical term} bent.
What kind of bend is he looking to do?

[Bigwoods]

He needs a 90 degree bend. He was talking about a 6' piece of steel with the bend in the middle. He is really hoping to find someone anywhere in the country that can do it.

[Podunkfla]

He needs a 90 degree bend. He was talking about a 6' piece of steel with the bend in the middle. He is really hoping to find someone anywhere in the country that can do it.

Hmmm... Does he want it bent with the 4" side up or the 2" side" Kinda hard to describe that. Also what radius bend?

Methinks it would be a lot simpler to notch it a few places and bend it... then weld up the knotches and grind them smooth? My bender will do up to 2" square tubing... but even that sorta caves in a lot. Doing 2 x 4" seems like a problem to me. I'd prolly cut some flat plate for the curves the wrap flat bar to close up the box and grind it smooth... Would be stronger and prolly look better too. Just my .02

[Arne]

That is heavy duty stuff.... notch, bend and weld would be my choice.

[angib]

It's no help to you in finding someone to do it, but here's a photo of a 'sideways' bend in a Scamp frame that's 1.5"x3"x1/8", so your 2"x4" tube is the same proportions.



But I bet your friend wants the bend the other way, which is asking a lot more.

Andrew

[Jiminsav]

fill the tube full of sand and cap the ends off..find a sturdy tree and hook some chains to the ends, securely, and hook the other ends to his car hitch and slowly put pressure on it..it might bend.

or it might rip the tree down

[ALAN GEDDES]

I suggest www.metalmeet.com as a good place to ask this question. A great forum for metal working.

[Gerdo]

I had a 2x4 bent localy in Denver. I would have to scourer my records to get a name. It did squish the inside, or the bottom as it sits. Another option cor getting bends in square stock is to make a series of cuts/slits on the inside of the "bend", position the bend and then weld up the slits. The slits are cut three of the four walls of the tube leaving only the outside of the bend.

[Arne]

Don't know if this would work, but what about beating the inside down with a hammer (a large hammer) to collapse it where you want the bend. That is, after all, what is keeping it from bending... then find a tree the right diameter, and put a heavy rope loop around each end to a trailer hitch... I'll bet it would bend... maybe not pretty, but if it were me, I'd try it.... but then, I do a lot of off the wall stuff anyway.

If you look at some of the pics, the roller that does the bend does exactly that, it deforms the tube where the bend occurs so it does not kink...

[Podunkfla]

Gerdo... Now that's different! What's it for???

[McTeardrops]

Art Morrison http://www.artmorrison.com/frames/straightframe.cfm does bends on both axis of 2 x4 tubing for his custom frames. Not cheap, but a potential source.

[Steve Frederick]

Gerdo... Now that's different! What's it for???

Yeah! Look at the racks to carry it!

[coreyjhen]

You might try calling BendTec in Duluth. Also talk to local stock car racers - they have big tubing bent all the time.

[Bigwoods]

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. I gave him the information. Some great ideas out there.

Jiminsav,
He said it didn't work. Now, do you know anyone that can weld a bumper on a Jimmy?



ps I almost wrote grate for great. Long timers remember Ryan?