Bender and welder ?'s

[Cajun]

Bear with me, long post.

Ok folks, the time has come to start bender and welder shopping. Since there are only a few I'm aware of in both categories as viable options, this should be easy, right?

Before last night I was sold on the JD2. However, after looking at the Pro-Tools model 105 , I'm not so sure. While a bit more expensive than the JD2 model 3 , I really dig the degree/stop ring on the 105. Also, Pro-Tools offers one (the heavy duty) that is made of 5/8" instead of the JD2's 1/2". Is this necessary? For dies, JD2's 180* are priced from $195, $200, and $225 for 1.5", 1.75", and 2" respectfully, whereas the Pro-Tools model 105 are $200, $205, and $245 for the same dies.

Pro-Tools also offers 240* dies for all diameters, which allow for up to a 180* one-shot bend. (I'm not sure if that would be useful, but they offer them) Those are priced at $220, $235, and $295 for the aforementioned diameters and degrees.

Pricing is very comparable, save on the bender itself. The JD2 model 3 is going for $266.50 with their degree wheel, and the Pro-Tools model 105 is $410 for the standard and $460 for the HD version with their degree/stop ring. That's almost a $200 difference between the 105 HD and the model 3.

Here's the thing...I don't mind spending the extra $$$, provided that the 105 is worth it. Whichever I choose, I want to be happy with it. I HATE buying twice.

David, I know you have a model 3, why did you choose that one? What dies did you get, and in what radii? I'd love your input on this one.



NEXT, the welder!!!

I'm buying a MIG welder. I've apparently inherited a Miller Arc welder, (It's from a friend of my brother-in-law. It's been collecting dust in my B.I.L.'s garage for like 3 years, so it won't technically be mine, but it'll be in my shop and I can do whatever I want with it, other than sell it). So, I'm looking at the Hobart 175 pretty exclusively, unless I can get the "Good 'ole boy" hookup on a Miller or Lincoln around here.

As far as I can tell, I need a 220V. Pops keeps trying to sell me on 110, but I just don't think I'll be happy with that.

Also, I want an auto-darkening helment. Since it's my sight that I'm playing with here, I want something REALLY good. My question is, are the Hornell Speedglas helmets worth the $$$? Also, I figure a variable-shade helmet like the Speedglas 9000X would be good, what do you guys think?

Sooo...Any opinions, advice, input? I'm looking for useful stuff here, things that will aid the decision making process. Are there factors that I'm not considering? Anything else I'm missing? Please let me know.

Thanks, and sorry about the long post.

[Krawler68]

I know nothing about benders...

Asd far as welders go i would steer clear of the Hobart line...I know alot of folks are going to disagree with me here, but i feel from what I've seen of them that they are the Millers that were dropped at the factory... I would also go with something with more juice...once you sdtart migging you'll have NO desire to switch back to arc... get a miller 250 or the new equivalent...

I have the speedglass 9000x... worth EVERY penny.... buy it and never look back... WAY better than all the other autodarkening POS's out there...

[robertf03]

a buddy of mine just got the pro tools bender. he said he dropped a grand on it after the hydraulic stuff and I think 2 dies.

I don't think he's used it yet but you might want to ask him about it. He was also talking about getting mog axles from that guy in canada and when I told him you got a set he said he might get in touch with you about it. james_clark@hp.com

as far as welding helmets. this looks like the way to go http://www.hoodlum-welding.com/hoods.htm they sell the glass seperately so you can turn the cheapo helmet that comes with the welder to an autodarkening one.

[Krawler68]

those conversion kits suck...stick to speedglass... it's not just a name, it's better technology...

[Cajun]

Thanks for the input folks, keep it coming!

Flem, thanks for the contact, I'll send him an e-mail. I want to go hydro eventually, but for the near future I'll be doing all the bending with my buddy Manuel Labor. I figure if David can do it, then so can I!

[Doug Krebs]

I've had my hobart 175 for over a year and a half now and has never given me any trouble. I've ran 2, 11 pound spools through it plus another 4 pound, just to give you an idea of how much it has been used. The only difference between a hobart, and a miller is that a miller uses metal drive gears and a hobart uses plastic. The guy at the local welding shop told me i would never wear the plastic gears out in my life time, and if i did some how he could replace them with the metal miller gears for 30 bucks. I have no experience with benders, but i'm in the process of looking also

[StevenAg03]

i would go with a hobart welder. daves will do everything dougs can...they are cheaper in price but the same thing....hell the gun on the hobart even says "miller" on it...

[redcagepatrol]

I just bought a model 3 with degree ring bender. The total with the 180 degree die was $502

I just got it last night and have not even taken it out of the box yet. I just heard that it was the most popular on the market, that's why I bought it.

As for the welder, get a Miller. I have gone through many, many 10 pound spools with mine and it still works fine. I have only replaced a few tips and shields.

[AgDieseler]

Lincoln 225 AC all the way!!!!!

[Cajun]

Originally posted by AgDieseler
Lincoln 225 AC all the way!!!!!

What part of "I've apparently inherited a Miller arc welder" didn't you understand? That means I'm getting a FREE arc welder.

Thanks ever so much for your post. Very informative.












































Just kidding

[Krawler68]

can't trust a man who smokes tampons

[Cajun]

Originally posted by Krawler68
can't trust a man who smokes tampons

WTF?

[davido]

I guess this is why I was so lost when I talked to you the other day. I hadn't read this yet.

I dig my JD2, but the ProTools one looks pretty cool. I'm not sure how useful that feature is. On the JD2, the degree ring is pretty much useless from what I understand. I never bought one because everyone said they sucked so bad. Scott maybe better to answer that. I think it might be worth springing for. It looks pretty cool. If it works though, I would think that it would save a lot of frustration. Then again, they look like the same benders. Would that ring fit on a JD2? If you're going high end, just blow the $$ and forget about it.

On helmets and welders, I have Hobart both. Miller makes the welder, I'm not sure who makes the helmet. If you don't believe that they're the same, buy a Hobart, have it drop shipped, and read the shipping label. Straight from Miller. The only difference is that it has a few plastic parts instead of metal. Like Krebs said, they can easily be replaced IF they wear out. The savings over buying the Miller name though, was defintely noticable when I was looking. And as Flem said, some of the parts do actually read "Miller". The only thing I may have done is to go up to the 250 as DK mentioned. I haven't yet to see a need for it, but I'd hate to need it and not have it. But my Dad owns the $3K Hobart with the generator built on to it, so I didn't worry about that too much. You may not share that luxury or even want to have to use someone else's stuff.

The helmet has worked great for what I use it for. If I were going to spend more, I'd like to have one with better shade adjustability. Something I could use with the torch also. But for welding, it works great. My old man even approved and he's from the old school of stick welding. On hemets again, if you're going high end, just blow the $$ and forget about it.

If you're blowin' dukets, I'd also go hydro on the bender. Not that the manual is even that hard, but it's easier to monitor the angles when you're not hanging on the end of a 5' cheater bar. What's another sevon bones in the grand scheme of things?

$.02

~dso

PS - Axles came home today. Big bitches!

[davido]

Originally posted by Cajun


WTF?

Remember the pictures posted to the list when Diesel Bitch was a young, impressionable fish? Tampons hanging out of facial openings.

Sick fawker.


~dso

[Cajun]

Glad to see your old man approves of your hood. Pops dosen't dig the variable shade stuff AT ALL!

I believe you on the Hobart/Miller stuff. I've heard that from several sources.

As for the bender, I'm still up in the air over that one. I can't see myself buying a hydro one right off the bat. When I decide to go hydro, I'll probably copy Jay Kopycinski's
homebrew setup. I'm thinking the degree/stop ring would be the answer to monitoring angles while using a cheater. While we're on benders, are the 240* dies worth it? I can't think of anything I'd need to make a 180* bend for, can anyone else?

Thanks.