I've seen several benders that look very much like your Model 3. What makes this the best?  There are several places that build a copy of our famous JD Squared Model 3 Bender. Honestly, we're flattered because it shows that no one has really come up with any improvements, and copycats are following the leader. What you will see, however, is other companies that claim to have made new and exciting improvements, such as cheap bronze bushings that provide a tighter pin fit in the frame holes. Let's think about it though... if this made the bender work better, why wouldn't we simply drill smaller holes, or offer these bushings with our bender. The answer is that it does not improve the performance of the bender, and the bronze bushings are extremely consumable--you may have to replace them many times a year! There is one thing we provide standard with each die set that (so far) the copycats haven't been able to follow. We specially make the tube contact inserts in the pressure die from a bearing-grade alloy that provides unmatched tube support and protection from scratching and galling. Steel inserts were cheaper and easier to make, but this has improved the final result.

What are those inserts made of? Is that aluminum?  No it is not aluminum, but sorry it's classified.

What range of wall thickness can a particular die set bend?  Minimum wall thickness required to make a nice smooth bend depends on the diameter and radius. A chart for recommendation for mild steel tubing and DOM can be viewed by clicking "Die Sets" under one of the bender models listed on the left.

How do I use this die set-- it has no drive holes?  Some dies have a center mounting hole plus several drive holes, and some have the center hole only, due to the fact they are too small for drive holes. How to use them is explained in great detail in the Model 3 Manual. Click on "Printable Manuals" under Help/Tech Support on the left. Page 7 of the Model 3 instructions explains the bending procedure.

What is the difference between tube and pipe?  They are both round, but common round tube is classified by OD (Outer Diameter), and by wall thickness (or gauge-- 13 gauge=0.095" wall). Pipe is often used for liquid flow, so is classified by the ID (Inner Diameter), and then by schedule, which designates standard wall thickness. A Schedule 40 1" pipe actually has an ID of 1" and an outer diameter of 1.315". The OD is the measurement by which we classify all die sets.