buying a Tube bender, what size radius dies?

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Looking to buy a tube bender. I've been checking out stuff tricktools.com and found the Baileigh RDB 050. The first die i plan on getting is 1 5/8" but i dunno what size radius to use. I see they sell a 6" 90 degree radius and the more common 6.5" radius. Also plan on getting 1 1/2" die also. Anyone with rollcage building experience please chime in. I've only made a rollcage at school years back but don't remember radius sizes.

 

[turboking15]

I would skip the 90* die and go for the 180*. its not too much more and it opens up your bending capabilities. Doing cages i dont know that you will have much of a need to go over 90* but if you get into chassis building and other forms of metal fab it will come in handy. As far as clr the bigger you go on the clr the less chance of heavy distortion and wall thinning you will have on tighter bends. IIRC 6,6.5, and 7 are the readily available ones so i would either go 6.5 or 7.

 

[Tyeler18]

I would skip the 90* die and go for the 180*. its not too much more and it opens up your bending capabilities. Doing cages i dont know that you will have much of a need to go over 90* but if you get into chassis building and other forms of metal fab it will come in handy. As far as clr the bigger you go on the clr the less chance of heavy distortion and wall thinning you will have on tighter bends. IIRC 6,6.5, and 7 are the readily available ones so i would either go 6.5 or 7.

I agree. Going with the 180 degree is better. I can't think of a single bar for a cage that will require anything over 120 degrees. But say you want to build a 180 hoop around the rear of the seat headrest I can see it being useful. Never hurts to have the better one. If you plan on doing any tube front ends a 1/2" or 3/4" die would be nice to have as well maybe even a 1".