# renting a dual rail bender



## mymodeltrain (May 14, 2013)

I called Train Li for the rail bender and it is not available until June. While I need for a small operation, I think it worths to rent instead of buying a new device. If anyone likes this idea please contact me so I can rent the device for a few weeks.


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## Shay Logger (Apr 21, 2015)

i didn't realize they rented those - that's a good idea


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

ask around in your club, I usually loan mine out IF its not for too long.


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## Dick413 (Jan 7, 2008)

you met try RLD hobbies his rail bender i thank is just as good. I don't know if he rents but you can check.


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## Robby D (Oct 15, 2009)

I have some of the Aristo rail benders. there not that expensive.


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## mymodeltrain (May 14, 2013)

Thanks all for information. I decided to buy the rail bender from Train Li since Joane just told me they will have the device in stock sometime next week.


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

Out of the box the Train-Li bender is ready to use and very easy at that.
Several pointers:
DO not puish down on this bender, it is heavy enough that it just glides like ironing a shirt.
Do not do the full bend in one pass, take small steps to bend esp wioth stainless.
You need to slightly over bend as metal will spirng back a little to original shape.

Note that you can take used track and bend it straight with this bender.
I even bent LGB R1 curves straight (after cutting ties on the bottom inside curve).

Also note that bending 2 sets of 8 foot track gives a 5 foot diameter circle. One 8 foot gives about 29 inches and I use this for a 30 inch Xmas tree.


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## mymodeltrain (May 14, 2013)

I got the Train Li bender yesterday and started to test. In the beginning I could turn the knob by hand, but then it became very hard thus I have to use the wrench to turn. I don't know why the knob needs to be very hard even using a wrench. After bending a few 2-feet track the knob became very hard and I could not turn it anymore. Probably, I need to send back to Train Li to take a look.


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Whose track are you trying to bend? Some have screws holding the rails to the ties. Turn the track over and remove the screws. If that doesn't help make sure there are gaps in the tie strips. Check the web between the ties. You may need to cut it in a few places for the rail to flex.

Chuck


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

You should never have to use a wrench on that bender!

Are you sure you have the bender on the track right?

Have you moved the adjustment all the way until it has stopped?

Something is wrong here.

Greg


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## mymodeltrain (May 14, 2013)

I bend LGB track.
I think so, there must be something wrong. At the current stage the screw the knob or the know it self has no effect. I am contacting Train Li to send it back for fixing. Some time it is very frustrated to do things without help from local support, especially for a newbie like me.


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

TTT,

Take a look at the instructions on this bender and see if you have the bender "wheels" situated correctly on the rails. You should be able to bend your rail with ease and not run out of movement on the screw for the wheels.


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

One of the things that can happen with a rail bender is to try and bend a tight curve in one pass and then using a wrench on the bender adjustment to make the curve even tighter.
This will break a bender. Curves need to be made in steps esp stainless track.

Also, you must slightly over bend as the track will spring back a little when the bender is removed.


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## mymodeltrain (May 14, 2013)

Dan,
I think it broke since I did exactly as you just described. It's just my false; experience comes with price.


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

MMT

To use a railbender, the rail must be able to move in the ties AND the ties must also be able to bend.

On the 2' LGB straight track the rails are locked into the ties. Each rail has two points of locking, the rail joiner at the end and the rail joiner in the middle. There is a dimple in the rail joiner that fits into a small hole on the bottom of the rail. This and a tab that goes down into the tie, holds the joiner in place. To bend the rail you need at a minimum to remove the rail joiners at the end of the rail. The tie strips are held together by the joiner in the middle. Cut the plastic strip between the ties at least in one place, I'd do it in two places, on each side of the joiner in the middle. This will permit the ties to bend with the rails. The outside tail and tie strips must be able to bend. Without cutting the tie striip this is not possible as you need to increase the space between the ties on the outside rail. 

Chuck


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