Anything welding

Continuous trigger and I do cursive E’s to make it look like that

 

Thank you for your response. I'm sure the new peeps appreciate it as well.

 

I'm researching and pricing out tube benders and this one seems like a pretty great deal for only $1,000. With a bracket from SWAG offroad and a hydraulic ram from harbor freight, $200 to convert it to hydro and not bolt it to the floor. Just posting here to share what I found. Will purchase it soon and report back on it.

https://www.jmrmfg.com/collections/tube-benders/products/jmr-raceline-bender-notcher-fab-pack

Bender with pedestal
Two dies
tube notcher
vice mount for said tube notcher

 

Who uses a respirator for welding and other metal work? I’ve been looking into the Miller half mask.

It’s nearly impossible to find anything mask related, I have 2 respirators but they have the larger filters and don’t fit under my welding hood. I’d like to get some pancake filters for it but I’m having no luck finding p95 or above filters due to the current issues.

 

I imagine it's going to be tough sourcing masks for awhile. I was able to get a P95 for some painting but nothing that would fit under a mask.

I have this for welding and grinding, which seems like a knock off miller half mask

$45 GVS SPR457 Elipse P100 Dust Half Mask Respirator with replaceable and reusable filters included, blue, m/l size

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013SIIBFQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

seems like a good deal, cheaper than my JD2. Just in my experience is to make sure the dies are not 90*, you say you never need more but eventually you do.

 

Agreed. The ones that come with it are 120 degree which should be good. Can always jump up more if needed. The notcher swings out to 210 degrees which I liked. Can notch any angle you want. I noticed while searching some don't have much of a range.

 

As long as the dies are easily available and seem to have good customer service I would say its a good deal with the notcher.

 

I think they'll be a good company to work with. I sent them an email asking about the CLR on the included dies and they responded same day. I worked backwards by looking at swag offroad to see what benders their adapter works on. Then researched those companies. That's how I found them.

 

I never bought a notcher and on some days I kick myself for not buying one. It's not hard without but it does make it much more efficient

 

I've tried notching by hand with an angle grinder. Even on a 90 degree I suck at it. No way I could do any real angle lol

 

haha.. I was the same but its gets easier. I still screw up on occasion though

 

Buy a JDsquared and never look back, it will up your fab game big time. Spend the money once and do it right

 

I personally don't see the difference in the two, at least not to justify the price. For the stand, bender, one die, and shipping is about $1,000. For an extra $130 I can get a second die, and a tube notcher as well from this other company.

Now keep in mind I'm still a hobbyist with zero intention of building production stuff, like sliders for people. I think it'll be well suited for me. My theme so far has been to buy mid-level tools and I've been very pleased.

 

I would have to agree with that theory. As a hobbyist, we can spend top dollar for tools and then have little left for the projects OR get good quality stuff and still have money for projects. I would love a full shop with all the goodies but then what... I’d be poor and have nothing to work on. I think the bender setup you’re choosing is gonna do anything you’ll want to do anyways.

 

Speaking of no money for projects...

 

Got a little extra steel today.... may start a rear bumper soon

 

My tool philosophy: buy the best cry once.

That’s an overstatement for sure, but I would never buy a “hobbiest” tool without a user endorsement that I trust. Depends on the type of tool, too, for sure. Sometimes the difference can be hard to discern but then you use it and all your notches are 3/8 off center... ugh.

FWIW I found that the limiting factor in the angle my tube notcher can cut is is not the angle swing - it’s the hole saw and the shaft length.

Today-I spent 3 hours getting last minute supplies and then 9 hours fabbing. We are supposed to leave tomorrow! This was a welding disaster but I learned a ton and have a million questions. Probably should not have tried to do this in aluminum. LOL.

 

Spend a little more money for a good bender, it will pay for its self 10x over even if you are just a hobbyist.

I bought my first JD2 almost 17yrs ago when I was in high school and the first couple projects I did were for other people which paid for the cost of the bender.

17yrs later I still have the same bender and have built everything from bumpers to tube chassis trucks with it. The best part is the dies haven’t changed and over the years I’ve acquired every size from 3/4” up to 2”

The bender has never given me a single issue in 17yrs... I’d say it was well worth the little extra up front

 

I was gonna post this exact thing but didn’t cause I felt like it was a waste. I like you have had my jd2 model 3 for 16-17 years. Over that time I’ve collected all the does from 1/2-2” but I only started with 1 die size 1.25. Over the years as I’ve needed them or as I’ve had spare cash I’ve added to my collection.

At the time I bought it with one purpose in mind but over the years I’ve added to it and it’s been very versatile. I’m very glad jd is still in business making the model 3 of mine broke (which they do sometimes after a lot of use) I’d be able to call up trick tools and order a new bender which is pennies compared to the cost of replacing all my does plus a bender.

I’d also never buy a 120* die. While for most everything you do it works. But that one time you need to go more than 120 now you have to buy a whole new die that will replace the one you already own.


Btw nice purchase on the 252. They are so awesome.