Date:         Thu, 30 Sep 2004 09:41:47 -0600
Reply-To:     John Connolly <john@AIRCOOLED.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Connolly <john@AIRCOOLED.NET>
Organization: Aircooled.Net, Inc.
Subject:      Re: Home Made Bull Bars--Pipe Benders
Comments: To: jimt <wetwesty@tactical-bus.info>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

you don't want a tubing bender, you want a mandrel tubing bender. There are
only a few in the entire USA that do 3", and finding someone that will stop
production on their 4X4 truck bumpers to do some for you on the side will
require a lot of luck.

With a Harbor Freight bender, you MAY end up with the correct angle, but it
will have those nice "wrinkles" in them, which you may feel is stylish, but
likely you'll think they are ghetto. That's fine for OEM exhaust tubing, but
not for a tube bumper (my opinion).

Similar tube bumpers were developed in the USA by us (Aircooled.Net), I had
no idea that any were available at the time. I found out after we did ours
http://www.aircooled.net/new-bin/viewproductdetail.php?keyword2=exg0005

http://www.aircooled.net/new-bin/viewproductdetail.php?keyword2=exg0006

that Projectwo and Volks Cafe had some. I'm biased, but feel ours are the
nicest, LOL.

Jim,

.090" thick 3" tubing is very VERY strong, and they are not light. I also
feel that if you try to bend .090" 3" tubing with a harbor freight bender,
you'll also end up with the nice wrinkles in the bender (besides the
tubing)!

We determined the 3"/.090" to be the optimium size after a lot of homework
and figuring. We have had customers with our bumpers hit stuff (or stuff hit
them) and barely scratched the powdercoat; way WAY stronger then anything
resembling stock bumpers. I would not go bigger or thicker on the tubing if
you are going to make them yourself, but again this is my opinion.

John
Aircooled.Net Inc.