Harbor Freight #38470 / 38471 Bender

[Farmall 1066]

Seems like I'm always needing to bend material for little repairs, or something I'm building, and thought one of these may be useful.
Looks like same thing, but w/o stand on the #38471.
I'm 6'7" so the stand on #38470 will be too short anyway.

Anybody got any experience with one?
Leaning toward benchtop model and mounting to the cutting / welding table outside my shop where I can take it off when not in use.

 

[619DioFan]

I have the version with the stand. I am 6'4 and havent found the unit heigth to be an issue. went with this version as it has pegs on the stand to hold the dies. have it bolted to the floor in my shop. I have found it to be a very useful tool. use it to make various brackets. makes nice 90 degree bends. last bracket I made was out of 2 inch x 1/4 inch thick flat stock. bent it no problem with out heat. instructions say 2 inch will not fit inside the unit but with a little " force " it will. it is for solid stock but I played around with some square tube and was able to make some gradual bends with no heat and little to no kinking. all in all I have found it to be a useful tool in my shop and sure works better then clamping a piece of steel in the vise and beating it into submission with a BFH. they sell a scrolling attachment for it if your are into decorative types of metal work. there are several decent videos on youtube regarding its use.

 

[kkroger]

Works Well, Somewhere there is an instruction sheet for the one it is copied off of, I've got one bolted to the floor in the garage...

 

[pi_guy]

I mounted it to a piece of angle iron and use it in a vise.
Been thinking I might mount it to a hitch vise plate, I have a large heavy table with hitch receivers mounted on it and might go that route.
Not been a bad tool the degree of accuracy is wholly dependent on operator

 

[Arkansas COB]

I have been trying to get the 38471 for about 6 months. They ran it on sale for 50.00 but never had one in stock. after about a month i contacted main office. They said nothing they could do and to contact manager of local store. He kept saying it would be on next truck. This went on for about 4 monthe. I contacted main office again and they said it is a discontuined item and there are none availiable.

I really dont have room for the taller one. This short one will bolt nicely to my little work bench.

I just checked again and it now is in clearance items and still for 50.00. Stuff like this really pisses me off.

Do any of your local stores have the 38471 in stock as it's a store only purchase.

COB

https://www.harborfreight.com/bench-top-bar-and-rod-bender-38471.html

 

[lilredex]

I made up a similar one that I use in the vise...

 

[Farmall 1066]

Yep, the 38471 is discontinued.
I'll get the floor mount and give it a try.
Thanks guys!

 

[555]

I have been trying to get the 38471 for about 6 months. They ran it on sale for 50.00 but never had one in stock. after about a month i contacted main office. They said nothing they could do and to contact manager of local store. He kept saying it would be on next truck. This went on for about 4 monthe. I contacted main office again and they said it is a discontuined item and there are none availiable.

I really dont have room for the taller one. This short one will bolt nicely to my little work bench.

I just checked again and it now is in clearance items and still for 50.00. Stuff like this really pisses me off.

Do any of your local stores have the 38471 in stock as it's a store only purchase.

COB
https://www.harborfreight.com/bench-top-bar-and-rod-bender-38471.html

I'm currently at our Georgia house and will look at our local HF for the short version. I know they had one on display, but the operative word is "had" as the store was recently updated with the new series tools. If I find one, I'll be back in Arkansas in September.
Regards,
John

 

[ducksface]

Northern sells the same unit.
I made perfect 10 inch circles of half inch square tubing.

 

[Arkansas COB]

I'm currently at our Georgia house and will look at our local HF for the short version. I know they had one on display, but the operative word is "had" as the store was recently updated with the new series tools. If I find one, I'll be back in Arkansas in September.
Regards,
John

That would be great. Let me know what you come up with.

Thanks
COB

 

[Coach James]

I found these three online. They all look to be the same as the HF one.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E0QINJA/?tag=atomicindus08-20


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073SMPJBY/?tag=atomicindus08-20


http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200660084_200660084


Coach

 

[Arkansas COB]

Thanks Coach. That one at Northern tools looks good.

 

[Coach James]

Thanks Coach. That one at Northern tools looks good.

I was thinking of getting that one myself. Do you know if it will bend hollow pipe as well as bar stock?

Coach

 

[gungatim]

I've got the floor mounted version, and even bought the scroll attachment for it. I've made a few sign holders and various things, mostly bending rod for making hooks and deer hangers. it works quite well. takes a bit to get used to how to position everything just right and know where the bend will end up.

flat stock and rod works, I've never tried tube or square stock but you'd need different dies for those. they used to sell dies for the ring roller that allowed using square stock, but that doesn't really make bends anyway.

 

[ducksface]

Tubing does not work.
Square tubing works but it gives that odd long dimple you see on BBQ frames across the outside bend if you do much more than a 40 degree bend.

 

[2oolhound]

If you made some round grooved wheels (dies) on a lathe it should bend round tubing. Since the flat dies are 2" high you could place a 3/8" 1/2" 3/4" round grooves all on one set of wheels. Or 1 1/4" and 1/2" on a set and 1" and 3/4" on a 2nd. set etc. depending on what your needs are.

I know cable pulleys require 1/3 the circumference to be supported to prevent the cable from being damaged. Tubing or pipe likely requires more like 1/2 the radius to give the support needed to prevent flattening. 1/2 radius would create friction though so you may benefit from oiling or using a spray silicone lube of some sort.

 

[metlmunchr]

I've had one of the floor models for about 10 years. Well worth the price. It won't bend round tubing with the supplied accessories. I've made dies for mine to bend 1/2, 5/8, and 3/4 OD hydraulic tubing for replacing cracked lines on heavy equipment we own. Made all the dies with a 2" centerline radius. Will bend up to a 180* bend in a single shot.

 

[2oolhound]

Can you post pics of your tubing dies metlmuncher? It would be interesting to see them.

I'm also wondering if you made some big donut type rings that fit over the flat dies in the set you could sandwich 1" square tubing between 2 1/2" thick donuts and that would leave a 1" slot in the centre for the tubing. I wonder if that would help keep the square tubing from distorting as much.

 

[555]

That would be great. Let me know what you come up with.

Thanks
COB

The local HF has removed the one from the display and is out of stock. However they don't show the bench model as discontinued. The lady who checked the stock for me said they may have some on Wednesday's truck.
I'll check back!

 

[dkmc]

My floor model is (of course) bolted to the floor, and it reliably bends 5/8" 303 Stainless solid bar at 90 deg very nicely.

 

[Arkansas COB]

Thanks 555. I heard that wednesday truck thing for about 4 months so Good Luck.
Do let me know though if you can latch on to one.

Thanks
COB

 

[555]

Well, Wednesday came and went and no bender. I went to the tent sale today just in case they found one in back and put it out for sale. No luck. I did talk to the store manager and she believes HF is changing the product name and will have them back in the store.
Regards,
John

 

[kkroger]

Strange I can walk into any of the 3 or 4 Harbor Freight Stores here in my area and buy one with no issues... Grizzly Sells the same tool... H3184, costs $109.95 Shows in Stock in Springfield. Don't know if that helps much... it is the floor model. Others exist too, Same Chinese unit.

 

[Arkansas COB]

Thanks kkroger. Dont know about the others but im looking for the bench top model. Yes they have the floor model here in Arkansas but i do not have room for it unless i want to bolt to my bench and stand on a ladder.

COB