Affordable (read: cheap) bead rollers?
 

I'm broke, have no fab skills, and need a bead roller to roll some 2.5" intercooler piping.

What do/buy?

I keep seeing mention of a $99 HF bead roller on the internets, but then all i can find on their site is a $200 unit. Eastwood has their Economy model for $145 to my door that i will buy if i absolutely have to, but i'd prefer to go cheaper if there's something out there i'm missing.

Lay it on me, teach me.

bro, do you even diy?

https://www.google.com/search?q=diy%...BOf-2QXws4GYCA

http://www.theturboforums.com/thread...-for-only-7-83

edit: damn, beat to the punch

They all require welding things, and as said in the first post, i'm broke, and have no fab skills. (nor a welder.)

If Nuge would ever buy his damn welder, i'd attempt the vice grip "roller" idea. :P

No fab skills, you gotta buy ready made stuff. Or, learn to fab things.

Welding is not necessary, you can drill and tap the Vice grips for the roller.

you're broke and don't have fab skills?

go back to your corner and play with your anal beads then

Right.

Which brings me back to my original post: Is there a "ready made" roller cheaper than $145 still? Or was the old Harbor Freight $99 unit that went the way of the Dodo it?


By "broke" i mean i'd prefer to spend $100 or less and/or don't need a $2000 pimpy shit unit.

Are you good at starting a lawnmower?

:laugh:

Buy a exhaust clamp and vice grips online and have it shipped to a willing welder here on the board, I'm sure they'll donate a washer and a few minutes of their time for a $20.

Would we trust the somewhat-not-so-pretty-beads made by that tool to hold 30psi+?


If so, then who here wants to do a quick weld job? :)

I'll do it for free, but there is a one-time service charge of $1500 so I can buy a welder.

Totally making a bead roller now.

Thanks for this.

:giggle:

Make me one as well.

Cash up front?

Sure, email me @ celicahalftrac at geemalez dot cum and we'll work it out.

I've had my eye out for a decent tubing bead roller for awhile. Good ones are frustratingly expensive. I've been making do with the vice grip types.

Jegs recently added one to their tool section. Looks similar to the $500 units, but lists for $130. I'm going to try it out.

Link: JEGS Performance Products 80083 JEGS Tubing Beader

Looks cool. :)

Here's the Eastwood one for comparison: Economy Bead Roller Kit- with Mandrels - Bead Mandrels - Bead Roller Mount

My hesitation with the Eastwood Bead Roller is that it's designed to put beads and flanges into flat sheet metal. I'm not sure how well it will work on tubing. The link I posted is specifically designed for tubing of various diameters.

Ohhhhh!!!!! Ok, that makes sense then.