10 Best Roll Cage Tube Benders Reviews [Buyers' Guide 2023] (2023)

Roll cages are a necessary safety feature for many types of racing cars. To install a roll cage you will need to use a pipe bender. But what's the best?

In this article, we will review the best tube bender for installing a roll cage and compare their features.

We'll also give you tips on how to choose the right folder for your needs. So read on to find out more!

Our Top 10 Tube Benders for Roller Cage Blades:

Here are the detailed roll cage top tube bender reviews

1. Baileigh RDB-050 Manual Tube Bender

High functionality, capacity and efficiency are the hallmarks of the Baileigh RDB-050 manual tube bender. It's a powerful and robust folder for any body shop or DIY workshop.

However, it is expensive. This bender easily handles mild steel with 2.5" OD and .120" wall thickness. Also, it works on a 2" OD chromoly with a wall thickness of .120".

It requires no assembly or disassembly to make a fold. It is ready to use.

You have the option to choose between three bend speed settings depending on the type of material being bent. The first speed setting is 4° per stroke. It produces the greatest torque for bending 2" OD chrome-moly steel or 2.5" OD mild steel.

The second speed setting produces 8° per sweep for standard materials, while the third speed setting produces 12° per sweep for lighter materials.

The Baileigh RDB-050 manual tube bender bends up to 200° at a time without the need for adjustments or readjustments. It features an anti-springback mechanism to keep every turn stable while driving.

Thanks to the quick-release hook arm, changing to other pipe sizes is easy and takes less than a minute.

Baileigh used an aluminum bronze bushing and spring washers at the pivot points of this bender to make it long lasting. When you purchase this tool it comes in a box along with a stand, scale and bending handle.

Note that this tool does not contain any data. You need to buy matrices separately.

Advantages

• heavy tool
• Requires no assembly or disassembly during use
• Bends up to 200° at once
• Continuous
• 3 speed adjustment to cover all your bending needs

In contrast

• Caro
• Does not come with matrices

Check the price on Amazon

2. SWAG Offroad Rohrrolle „HULK“

The SWAG Off Road brand is an American manufacturer of innovative, unique and efficient metalworking tools. Its HULK tubular roller is made from ¼" thick American steel and 4340 chromoly shafts that are heat treated for durability and strength. Its customization mode is a 2-ton bottle jack.

It has a lateral tilt on the two outer non-driven rollers to prevent the material from twisting. Additionally, the length of the chromoly 4340 shaft pins are threaded +/- 0.003 mil.

There are two adjustable spindle collars that ensure the dies are centered between the ¼" thick steel frame rails. Speaking of dies, SWAG Off Road has about 69 different die sizes that fit this tool for bending round tubing and round tubing.

There are also other dies for bending flat or square bar with diamond profile and a full line of Delrin dies ideal for finishing copper, aluminium, brass and chrome.

Delrin matrices are made of hard plastic that work well and will not scratch surfaces. However, it is limited to some materials.

In addition, the HULK pipe bender can bend rectangular wall stock up to 2" x 2" .1250" NPS pipe.

It features an electronic digital readout for downward motion, ideal for consistent, accurate, and repeatable rolls. In addition, roller bearings are installed on the two non-driven outer rollers to ensure smooth movement.

Advantages

• Manufactured in the United States
• easy to use
• It has a large collection of matrices to make folds in different materials
• Create precise bends
• Electronic digital readout function for consistent, repeatable rolling

In contrast

• none

Check the price on Amazon

3. Fab Woodward Tube and Tube Bender

The Woodward Fab tube and tube bender is one of the high quality tube bender for bending motorcycle chassis, roll cages and frames. It's cheap and great value for money.

This pipe bender is made of heavy duty steel to ensure a long service life. The dimensions are 37"L x 13"W ​​x 14"H, making it compact and easy to handle. It uses a ratchet system with an ergonomic 29" handle.

Therefore, when bending the pipe, you need minimal effort. This tool allows you to effortlessly bend tubing up to 2 inches in diameter.

In addition, all pockets are CNC machined to allow for the most accurate and precise bending. Woodward Fab stock a large selection of hardened steel dies in a variety of sizes ranging from ¾" to 2" ⅛" wall round tubing.

In addition, there are square jaws from ½" to 1½" with ⅛ wall thickness. These jaws work with this manual tube bender to bend round and square tubing in mild steel, stainless steel, aluminum and many other materials.

No dies are supplied with this pipe bender. All you need to do is purchase Woodward dies that match the size and shape of the material to be folded.

However, when you buy a die for your tool, it consists of three parts: the main die, the secondary die, and the shoe to hold your workpiece securely.

The Woodward Fab tube and pipe bender features an engraved degree ring and pointer for accurately counting angles to create precise bends. It requires little assembly but is easy to assemble. There is also optional support for it.

Advantages

• Hard work
• Very reasonably priced and offer great value for money
• Precision CNC machined parts
• Features a wide range of hardened steel round and square dies
• Engraved degree ring for counting angles accurately

In contrast

• Only works with Woodward matrices
• Does not come with matrices

Check the price on Amazon

The affordable brand AB103 1½" Hydraulic Tube Bender is a premium tube bender that is inexpensive and works well. This tool will help you easily bend a roll cage, cutting frame, prerunner guard or rails from the ship.

It is an excellent tool for DIY enthusiasts and small craft businesses. Its design allows you to make turns up to 110°. However, its 8-ton hydraulic jack only bends 1½-inch round tubing.

This hydraulic tube bender is compact, lightweight (50lb), portable and easy to use. It bends .080 to .120 wall HREW or ERW and .080 to .095 DOM or 4130 chromoly tubing. Its 1½" die and mandrel feature 1" shanks for added strength and durability.

One of its characteristics is the beautiful, clean and smooth folds it creates. It makes corners that pass NHRA, SCORE and SCCA technical inspections with flying colours.

Please note that this tool is not recommended for use on thin walled silent pipes and does not need to be mounted to a surface for use.

Other die sets are also available with 1" x 5" radius, 1¼" x 5" radius, 1½" x 7" radius, 1⅝" x 7" radius and 1¾" x 7" radius. Each of these die sets is compatible with the AB103 1½" hydraulic pipe bender.

Advantages

• Accessible tube bender
• Rotates up to 110°
• Portable, lightweight and easy to use
• Create clean, smooth curves

In contrast

• without return spring

Check the price on Amazon

Since its inception in 1923, the RIDGID brand has built a solid reputation for manufacturing tools with high standards of quality, strength and endurance.

Their expertise is clearly evident in this RIDGID 38048, Model 608 tube bender. It's a simple yet highly functional tool, perfect for bending stainless steel and other tough tubes like steel and titanium, to name a few.

This tube bender has two 16" long ergonomic handles with rubber padding at the base for grip and a firm grip. It features a two-stage design that allows you to bend from 90° to 180° without the handles crossing over.

The handles close and release with a simple half turn, making this tool very easy and straightforward to use. It features a bending carriage with roller jaws to reduce the force and flatness of the tube. In addition, there is a visible protractor from 0° to 180° to ensure you are shooting at accurate angles.

In addition, the outside diameter bending capacity of the RIDGID 38048 Model 608 tube bender is ½ inch while its bend radius is 1½ inch. A vise clamp block is built into the curved shape for added stability.

This tube bender creates beautiful, smooth bends without distortion. And because it's a RIDGID product, it's backed by a lifetime warranty.

Advantages

• It has a precise indicator on the side to take turns at the exact angle you want.
• heavy construction
• Works great for stainless steel, steel and other hard metals
• ergonomic handles
• easy to use
• lifetime guarantee

In contrast

• none

Check the price on Amazon

6. Baileigh RDB-25 Set for turning cast iron pipe by hand

A second appearance on this list is the Baileigh brand, this time with their RDB-25 manual tube bender.

This manual tube bender features a professional grade cast iron frame to ensure it will last longer and provide precise bending results for years to come. It is an excellent choice for hobbyists, DIY enthusiasts and small manufacturing businesses.

This tool effortlessly bends standard pipe sizes to safe centerline radii, producing clean-looking, smooth, and precise bends. Folds up to 180° and can be mounted on a workbench for convenient and more productive use. Its wall thickness is 0.047 inches.

The Baileigh RDB-25 manual tube bender comes with eight sets of standard tube shapes for round and square bending.

These include ⅜" OD x 2" CLR, ½" OD x 2.25" CLR, 9/16" OD x 2.5" CL, ⅝" OD x 3" CLR, ¾" OD x 3.5" CLR and ⅞" OD x 4.25" CLR dies for round tubing.

Also ¾" x 3.75" square CLR dies and 1" square x 4.25" CLR dies for square tubing. These dies come with the tube bender in a carrying case for convenient transport and storage.

Advantages

• Suitcase
• Professional cast iron construction
• Can make round and square bends
• Comes with eight different sets of dies

In contrast

• Must be mounted on a table
• Dies are rough and can damage tubing

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With the Yellow Jacket Folder Kit 63331 you can easily perform 90° bends with one hand. It comes with two interchangeable heads (yellow and blue) that attach to the ratchet.

The yellow head can be used for ¼" 5/16" ⅜" ½" and ⅝" bends by simply making adjustments.

While the blue head makes ¾" to ⅞" bends by making adjustments to them as well.

This tool is recommended for bending soft copper and aluminum only; Pre-annealing is required if you want to bend hard copper.

Index marks are included to ensure accuracy when folding. The kit comes with multiple sizes of hardened plastic quick-change chucks that allow for reverse bending, as well as a steel-bladed pipe reamer that can remove internal and external burrs on 1/16" to 1⅜" OD tubing.

In addition, the kit includes a small, but high-quality pipe cutter that accepts pipes from ⅛" to 1⅛" OD.

All these accessories come with the pipe bender in a plastic box for easy transportation and storage.

Advantages

• One-hand ratchet mechanism
• Features two interchangeable heads for bending different size tubes
• carry bag
• Includes a pipe reamer, pipe cutter and hardened mandrels for reverse bending other sizes of pipe

In contrast

• No negative things noticed

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8. Happybuy Rohrbieger

The Happybuy Tube Bender is a universally applicable, inexpensive and highly functional tube and tube bender. Its frame is made of high quality carbon steel and aluminum alloy to have anti-rust, lightweight and durable characteristics.

This tube bender makes curves of different sizes on flat and round tubes. It is an ideal tool for making cages, frames, furniture, etc. It is perfect for DIY, workshops and metalworking workshops.

This pipe bender can bend any stainless steel pipe, wire pipe, metal pipe, copper pipe, brass pipe, aluminum pipe, round steel pipe and low pressure liquid connection pipe from 10mm to 25mm and wall thickness from 0.8mm to 2mm. Comes with seven dies in sizes ⅜", ½", 9/16", ⅝", ¾", ⅞" and 1" to make tube bends in these sizes.

And seven semicircle bending molds in sizes of 100mm, 119mm, 139mm, 159mm, 179mm, 225mm and 225mm. In addition, it has a unique sliding mechanism that quickly puts the dies in the correct position of the pipe diameter.

Plus, this tool mounts to work trucks, tractors, or any concrete floor. It is very comfortable to use thanks to its long ergonomic telescopic handle and offers ease of use.

Its handle bends ⅝" thick pieces of round bar with a maximum width of 1-15/16". This tool is also compact with dimensions of 21.26" x 8.27" x 6.30", making it portable for a variety of applications. It comes with a user manual to guide you through its use.

Advantages

• Robust tube bending machine
• Universal Manual Folder
• long ergonomic handle
• Portable, lightweight and compact
• Mounts on tables and various other surfaces
• Works for a wide range of round and flat metal tubing
• Comes with seven dies and seven half-circle bending molds
• User Guide

In contrast

• none

Check the price on Amazon

The Morphorn tube bender is very similar in design and appearance to the Happybuy tube bender. It is made of heavy duty material to provide good bending performance, strength and exceptional durability.

With this tube bender, you can easily make bends of different sizes on flat and round tubes. It is an excellent tool for making cages, frames, etc.

It doesn't matter whether you are a hobbyist, own a machine shop or a metalworking shop; This tool is easy to use and creates smooth, precise bends.

This pipe bender features a long, ergonomic handle with a rubberized grip at the base for a sturdy, steady operation. It is versatile to make different types of bends in flat, square and round tubes.

You can use it for tubes and pipes with diameter from 10mm to 25mm and wall thickness between 0.8mm to 2mm in different materials like stainless steel, metal, copper, brass, aluminum etc.

In addition, seven dies are supplied ranging in size from ⅜", ½", 9/16", ⅝", ¾", ⅞" and 1", 139mm, 159mm, 179mm, 225mm up to 225mm.

This tool is very compact, lightweight and creates excellent creases. It has four holes for mounting on walls, countertops or other surfaces for more efficient and productive operation.

Advantages

• Easy to use
• Universal Manual Folder
• long ergonomic handle
• Portable, lightweight and compact
• Mounts on tables and various other surfaces
• Works for a wide range of flat, square and round metal tubing
• It has seven dies and seven semicircle bending molds for your bending operations.

In contrast

• none

Check the price on Amazon

Rounding out the list is this great tube bender from KAKA Industrial. High precision, easy operation and flexibility are the advantages of this tube bending machine.

KAKA Industrial's 8 ton tube bender is designed to make precise bends in ¾" to 1¾" thick steel and chrome molybdenum tubing. It consists of a strong steel frame and an 8 ton form lifter that ensures a stable and constant bending process.

KAKA Industrial's 8 ton tube bender creates curves without flattening or warping the tube edges. Its hydraulic and manual support system makes it easy to use. Works with five dies with outside diameters of ¾", 1", 1½", 1⅝" to 1¾" for bending round tubing.

This tube bender with these dies makes it a quality tool for DIYers and fabricators to make cages, frames and all metal fabrication work. Dies can be quickly changed to be flexible for different size tubes.

Makes up to 90° bends in ¾", 1", and 1½" diameter pipe with wall thicknesses up to .040" and bends up to 60° in ¾", 1", 1½", 1⅝" and 1¾" diameter walled pipe Thickness up to .040" in chromoly tubing.

On mild steel pipe, bends up to 90° in ¾" and 1" diameter tubing and wall thicknesses from .049" to .090" and bends up to 60° in ¾", 1", 1½", 1-5/8" and hoses 1¾" diameter and wall thicknesses from .049" to .090".

Advantages

• makes perfect curves
• Good quality
• Robust construction
• Rotates up to 90°
• Easy to use with its hydraulic and manual system

In contrast

• none

Check the price on Amazon

How to choose the best roller cage tube bender?

Now that you know which tube benders are the best, you might want to learn more about the selection process! Here we go-

What types of folders are there?

The art of tube bending is not limited to a single process. Below are some of the most common and basic strategies to understand how any of them will fit your needs:

Folding the open rotary tube

Using a set of radius forming tools forming a tube shape, this is a very common method of bending tubes that will have industrial or structural applications.

Rotary tube benders are great for thin tubing and because they hold it out while you work, they are more durable as there is very little friction between the bender and the material the tube is made of.

Sheep style elbow

A ram is pushed into the pipe with a hydraulic ram, which folds it between two opposite rams. Usually used for gates or carports.

mandrel bending

As the name of the technique suggests, a mandrel is used to assist in this bending (or a plug or steel balls can be substituted). It provides internal support in a tubular format, allowing the tube to be thin walled and then used in applications such as cold air intakes, furniture, turbos, etc.

Since the pipe is also supported from the inside in this case (and not just from the outside like with the rotary pipe bender), mandrel pipe benders are ideal for intake pipes and protective cages. It's a good option if you're looking for one to build your car.

tube bending

This is where three-roll machines with tools arranged in a pyramid shape are used to bend tubes with a large radius.

What properties can a tube bender have?

You need to be aware of many aspects, especially speed, when looking at the functions of tube bender, but to do that you need to understand what types of benders there are:

Manual tube bender

As a cheaper alternative, manual bender can be great to use at home, especially for DIY equipment, especially if you are new to the world of tube bending.

How accurate it is, however, depends entirely on your hand and your condition. The more carefully you pay attention to the details, the less risk there is with this type of tube bender.

Pneumatic or hydraulic tube bending machines

Air pressure is used to power these types of tube bender, making them super powerful and requiring less manual effort.

However, it can seem like they will take forever to fold since they are so slow to produce.

Electric tube bending machines

Also, these tube benders that use air pressure benefit from being powered by electric pumps, making them much faster than air tube benders and easy to use.

Electromechanical NC and CNC tube bending machines

These tube benders are excellent. They have all kinds of fancy screens, auto stops, and other gadgets. They are super accurate and fast; As you can imagine, they come at a cost.

What should be considered when adapting your Tube Bender to your needs?

Some tube bending mistakes can be avoided by paying close attention to the following:

• The material from which the pipe is made
• The size of the tube and the outside diameter it has before bending
• How thick is the wall (outside diameter minus inside diameter)
• What pipe centerline radius do you expect when the pipe bend is complete?

All of these factors determine which tube bender you choose for the job. You must remember that pipe bender ranges from industrial applications to light duty or DIY equipment and the same bender should not be used for these different options.

Depending on what industry your tube bender is for, you will also have different features to choose from, so make sure the tube bender you are looking for has these before you take it home:

heat treatment:This is necessary when the metal making up the pipe needs to be cut or shaped in a specific way

Final flattening:Is mainly required for pipe connections such as furniture or combination parts

Buffing / Buffing:If the pipe is visible, you'll likely need your pipe bender to patch it up once the job is done

Notch:Again, along with drilling or chamfering, these features are required when tube assembly is required, which is found in many industries, particularly the automotive industry.

final thoughts

Pipe bender made it easy to create smooth, precise bends at various angles on roll cages and many other metal pipes without breaking. They work with different sized dies to make bends in different sized tubes.

Before his invention, bending pipes was difficult and most of the time the pipes broke. With a pipe bender you have the guarantee that your pipes will be bent precisely and will not break.

Finally, we thoroughly reviewed each of the tube bender on our list for their capacity, how they work, compatible dies, and the types of metals they work well with. At this point you should have found the best and suitable one for your protective cage.

Also read:

• Looking forBending tools for brake lines? Read our reviews
• We haveThe best revised brake line flaring tools for 2023Also!
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• Review of hot water extraction machines for vehicle preparation

frequently asked questions

What size pipe is used for the safety cage?

There are two types of cage tubes: the smaller size is typically used as a frame, while the larger size is more commonly found on supports.

For either type, you will need to measure and purchase your tube based on its diameter - this will determine how wide it needs to be to fit around or in your frame without excessive clearance.

It also determines what thickness can be bent by a single machine, which has a limited range depending on the design!

How do you bend tubes for a roll cage?

The answer lies in the best tube bender. A tube bender is designed to bend steel or stainless steel tubing into complex shapes with precise dimensions and angles without breaking, twisting or distorting the material.

To start, you need a high-quality measuring device, e.g. B. a micrometer caliper. some scrap rods (or channels) to practice with and of course your new hydraulic pipe bender.

The basic steps are-

1. Set up the tool by inserting an alignment mandrel or punch into one end of the stripper rod so it is protruding from both ends.

2. Insert another mandrel on the opposite side of where you want to start bending, which will help hold everything together.

3. Slide the material you want to bend against this mandrel.

4. Next, attach the bender foot to the rod and adjust the measuring scales to align with one of the notches on the straightening rod.

Most tube benders have a dial that can be turned to adjust how close or far from that mandrel you need for each bend; Just make sure these measurements are correct before applying any pressure!

5. Now bend the pipe according to the requirements.

What is the difference between a pipe bender and a tube bender?

Tube benders are typically used to bend square, round, or oval tubes. They have a U-shaped opening at the top and a set of V-shaped jaws that open at the bottom and really grip your work piece.

Tube benders are the same machines. These two terms are used interchangeably for the same press brake.

How do you bend a pipe without a pipe bender?

Bending a round tube without using a tube bender is possible, but you will need a few different tools. I found the easiest way to do this was with my bench vise and an adjustable wrench - if your toolbox doesn't have one, it's worth investing in one for the odd time you need one (I have mine for everyone possible things used). .

First, make sure there are no kinks or kinks in the pipe before you begin bending. It is much easier at this stage than after folding, as small knots can lead to difficult adjustments later.

Once removed, straighten each side where it needs to be bent and attach one end of the tube.

Adjust your vise to grip the pipe and tighten with a wrench to hold things steady while you work on the bend on the other side.

To bend a straight section, hold both sides and adjust as needed until they are the angle you want, then press them back together. Repeat for each half of that type of joint that you need to make.

Can I build my own protective cage?

Yes, it is possible to make your own DIY roll cage. The process of making a DIY roll cage starts with finding the right tube and cutting it to length.

After cutting the tubes, take them in and bend them with an automotive tube bender. After that, you need to connect them together with a soldering machine.

What is a mandrel bender?

A mandrel tube bender is a working machine that bends round bar, tube, and other shapes into curved configurations.

Bending these long pieces with a mechanical lever makes welding easier because the pieces are already assembled.

Mandrel tube bender tools come with a variety of accessories to meet different needs.