I'd like to hear from some people with experience what their favorite chassis fabrication tools and equipment are.

I use a Tubeshark bender which I like just fine but every time I need a new die it's around $450-$500 per size depending on the radius I want. Has anyone purchased or tried the mandrel bending adaptor for the tubeshark? What tube benders does everyone prefer? JD Squared?

I use this digital SmartTool although the housing with the magnet is worthless because the magnet isn't even powerful enough to hold it's own weight!
http://www.vansantent.com/images/smarttool.jpg

The second-to-last pic is of the angle finder 3 which is only $59 and the last picture is of the protractors that are radius specific which cost $100. What protractors does everyone here use? Are there any protractors better or with any trick features that are better than the ones on vansantent.com?

Most importantly what tube notchers do you use? With mine I have a hard time clamping on a bent tube....
Has anyone used this:
http://www.vansantent.com/images/beast.gif
is there anything else available that can hold the tube and notch on a radius?

I have always done my tube fitting the old fashioned way but as many tubes as I've been fitting lately it's becoming too time consuming. The "pipemaster" seems like a no brainer: http://www.vansantent.com/pipemaster.htm
http://www.vansantent.com/images/pipemaster2.jpg

Does anyone have a CNC mandrel bender? I would seriously kill for a CNC mandrel bender... I'd love to be able to replicate exhausts, downpipes, intercooler tubing and chassis components.... Someday.

 

I think the tools you picked will work well. I use a JD squared model 3 bender along with a digital angle finder (same you have in the above pictures) and a bevel protactor that reads in minutes/seconds. As far as notching a tube in a radius I've never done yet. I have a 6" v-clamp and notch my tubes with a special notcher that uses a 6 flute end mill. The tools you have looks like it'll get the job done.

 

I have "the beast" tube notcher, and it really is a beast. I haven't had the chance to use it all that much yet, but so far so good. I put up a review for it on the van sant site.

I really need to pick up some of those protractors and other measuring tools.

 

I own "the beast" too. Best notcher I have ever used.

I made a set of dimple dies too. I havn't used them much, but I love what they do hense why I made a set for myself. lol

 

Tube bender I use a hossfeld ---- Dies aren't cheap but its a cost of doing business

Tube notcher I use a horizontal milling machine with a roughing mill . Nothing is faster or more ridgid you can notch in 5 seconds or less 1 3/4 tube and can do radius notch's with a little extra effort.

measuring angles I have an assortment of nothing more then flat 1" x1/8 aluminum 2 pcs with a hole drilled in one end and bolted with several washers and a nylock nut to allow movement for changing angle. Once you get close you can lay it on top of the tubing being bent and eye up your progress. Bend slightly over then measure ( I use a pin to pin in the hydraulic cylinder for the most accuracy on the hossfeld) then release the tubing and see if you need more . You don't even need to take it out of the bender using this method. Each batch of tubing you get will tend to have different spring back so you will need to check the next time you bend a bar after receiving a new load. I have a mini version that I use for measuring the angle needed to setup for notching.

A 4' tee square to measure your leg offset depending on the method you have come up with to bend a main hoop.

Smart level is great and also resonable. Mine doesn't have the magnetic base and I wouldn't want it anyway. Magnets are a pain unless there the kind you can turn on and off.

Plumb bob is very handy tool and I have 5 of them so you don't need to keep moving them when your squaring this up.

I also have 2 laser plumb bobs which come in very handy if you want to transfer things to the floor. Car on lift and tranfer certain things that can't easily be measured to the flat floor beneath the car. This works well and is sometimes the easiest and least time consuming.

The simplest of tools are sometimes the best and usually the cheapest. Sometimes it easier and cheaper to just make a bend and us it as a measuring tool. Spending allot of time measuring isn't the most productive. How long are you going to spend to try and measure and maybe still screw up when you could just sacrifice a 2-3' pc of tubing and get the job done and out. Dont throw away that pc either becasue it will come in handy again sooner then you may think.

 

 

as crooked as some drag cars go down the strip you would think they were designed using just such a tool

 

i'm really serious when i say this, but I totally came up with the idea for that pipemaster thing... only a few years too late. can i have a cookie?