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I've built a lot of frames and have some nice equipment to make life easier. However it seems like the final frontier that I'm missing is the ability to make good smooth tight bends in chromoly.
I have SwageLok benders for 1/2 and 3/8 tubing which works down to 0.035 pretty well, but I can't bend anything with a thinner diameter / thickness ratio.
I did some research and it seems like this is possible only with a special bender with an internal mandrel. This is probably not something I could make or buy for a small shop.
So, I just don't make bends. If I can't do it with a very gradual bend, then I have to cut it off and braze an angle joint. But I'm starting to get annoyed at the limitations. I want to be able to make uni-crown forks and swoopy brake bridges and beach cruisers with step-through top-tubes and other things like that.
Are there any companies out there that will do CNC bending for small batches?
I have SwageLok benders for 1/2 and 3/8 tubing which works down to 0.035 pretty well, but I can't bend anything with a thinner diameter / thickness ratio.
I did some research and it seems like this is possible only with a special bender with an internal mandrel. This is probably not something I could make or buy for a small shop.
So, I just don't make bends. If I can't do it with a very gradual bend, then I have to cut it off and braze an angle joint. But I'm starting to get annoyed at the limitations. I want to be able to make uni-crown forks and swoopy brake bridges and beach cruisers with step-through top-tubes and other things like that.
Are there any companies out there that will do CNC bending for small batches?