Making A Cage

[Popshot 0]

Has anyone used one of the now cheap pipe benders (£50 off ebay) to make their own cage? Last time I had need of a cage pipe benders were all mega expensive bits of kit and I had a local firm bend me the pipes. Just wondering if these cheap units are any good.

[sutol 0]

I would like to know what gauge steel pipe one should use to make a cage.... ......while your on

[Popshot 0]

1.5 inch o/d 12 gauge (2.5 mm) CDS are the minimums I'd use. Doubtless others will have different ideas and various forms of motorsport will have their own minimum regs. Often the main hoop is 2 inch leaving 1.5 for the rest of the cage.

[sutol 0]

1.5 inch o/d 12 gauge (2.5 mm) CDS are the minimums I'd use. Doubtless others will have different ideas and various forms of motorsport will have their own minimum regs. Often the main hoop is 2 inch leaving 1.5 for the rest of the cage.

Thanks, would you weld the tube together or weld on tabs and bolt it together ?

[Popshot 0]

Much will depend on your access to each area. I'd weld wherever feasible. Main hoop to over door sections are often difficult to weld fully due to the roof. Welding a small length of larger diameter pipe to the main hoop to allow a section of the over door pipe to sit inside and be bolted is a common feature.

[Tom Fenton 1,540]

The cheap pipe benders are designed to bend steam pipe (4mm wall thickness) and will simply crush/flatten anything smaller rather than produce a smooth bend in it. To get a bender suitable for rollcage tube you need really deep mandrels that support the sides of the tube to stop it being flattened when bent. The cheap type have shallow mandrels hence the flattening.

[Rippthrough 98]

As above, ideally you want something with powered or at least sliding rear mandrels.