Rail bender

This forum is dedicated to Riding Scale Railroading with propulsion using other than steam (Hydraulics, diesel engines, gas engines, electric motors, hybrid etc.)

Moderator: Harold_V

dash9
Posts: 83
Joined: Mon Oct 09, 2017 9:02 pm
Location: Barnesville , PA
Contact:

Rail bender

Post by dash9 »

Does anyone have a plan or good photo how they are built.
Only ever seen this photo not good for trying to build one. Thanks
Attachments
pt26302.jpg
Glenn Brooks
Posts: 2930
Joined: Mon Nov 10, 2014 1:39 pm
Location: Woodinville, Washington

Re: Rail bender

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Haven't seen plans for a rail bender, but,,, for light weight 1" aluminium rail, any three point bending assembly would likely work quite well. Live steam rail can easily be bent with a fixed bending point bolted to a work bench.

Here is a typical manual mine rail bender - useful for 12# rail. The rail is captured by the hooks on both ends of the yoke and bent by turning the acme screw in the center, into the center part of the rail. Vendors still make these, and also an hydrolic model that replaces the threaded screw with a small hydrolic ram.
IMG_1725.JPG
So if you replace the contact points on the yoke, and the contact point of the acme thread with rollers, you can crank the rail into a curve, by closing the center point and turning the center roller with a handle and pivot arrangement. Here's an example:
IMG_1726.JPG
If you look closely at your photo - a Cannonball rail bender - the construction is very similar. Two rollers on the ends are fixed with thru bolts. The center pivot, on the other side of the rail, can be manually moved inwards to put bending pressure on the rail, then locked down with the butterfly nut. Turn the handle and the rail is forced through an arc, created by the three rollers.

Sometimes the rollers are formed, or grooved, to fit the profile of the rail, thus holding it straight up and down in the rolling fixture as the bending force shapes the rail laterally into your desired radius.

This is the same basic principle iron workers roll heavier gauge steel plate and various forms of round and squares steel stock - except these rail benders hold the head of the rail a fixed distance apart, then apply pressure to the side of the head, in the exact center of the chord of the arc defined by the two ends of the yoke. Thus bending the rail.

The key with these roller benders is to anchor (bolt) them down to a heavy work table or other fixed 'foundation', so the torque you apply doesn't cause the roller itself to squirrel away from you while you are trying to Bend the rail.

Glenn
Moderator - Grand Scale Forum

Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge

Ahaha, Retirement: the good life - drifting endlessly on a Sea of projects....
dash9
Posts: 83
Joined: Mon Oct 09, 2017 9:02 pm
Location: Barnesville , PA
Contact:

Re: Rail bender

Post by dash9 »

Thanks Glenn, The bottom photo look like what I need. Now I have an idea of actual size. have to find some flat plate here and make one. Thanks
BClemens
Posts: 475
Joined: Sat Oct 08, 2016 10:04 pm
Location: Gloucester, VA (Sassafras)

Re: Rail bender

Post by BClemens »

Thanks again Glenn. Guessing about a basic dimension for the rail bender at the bottom.... the rollers in the main body appear to be about 8 inches apart? That would also compare to a crank handle of about the same length?

That's the best design ever pictured - the adjustment on the third roller appears precision enough that marks and a scale could be incorporated on the slide for bend radius - or maybe a vernier. The pal nuts are a great idea too!
BC
Glenn Brooks
Posts: 2930
Joined: Mon Nov 10, 2014 1:39 pm
Location: Woodinville, Washington

Re: Rail bender

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Iam guessing you are about right at 8" length for the fixture. Maybe even up to 10" between the bending points.

One thing you can do is review what rules of thumb people use for bending bar stock, etc. I have seen,
some formulas that determine what the end I got radius needs to be, and how much the metal deforms at the apex of the bend. This helps determine how wide and long the fixtures are.

Glenn
Moderator - Grand Scale Forum

Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge

Ahaha, Retirement: the good life - drifting endlessly on a Sea of projects....
dash9
Posts: 83
Joined: Mon Oct 09, 2017 9:02 pm
Location: Barnesville , PA
Contact:

Re: Rail bender

Post by dash9 »

A guy from Florida sent me this. So it will make it real easy to do it now with the prints. So if anyone else needs it here it is. Thanks.
well the PDF is 2.1MB and will not post here. If anyone needs it I can e-mail to you.
dash9
Posts: 83
Joined: Mon Oct 09, 2017 9:02 pm
Location: Barnesville , PA
Contact:

Re: Rail bender

Post by dash9 »

Due to copyright, this post has been deleted. If the information contained within is NOT copyrighted, please post again. If it is, it should not be posted on the board.

Harold
User avatar
makinsmoke
Posts: 2260
Joined: Thu Jul 10, 2003 12:56 pm
Location: Texas Hill Country

Re: Rail bender

Post by makinsmoke »

Unless I'm off my nut that's from the Railroad
Supply Engineering Handbook still sold by Railroad Supply.

As far as copyright issues you and the moderators need to figure that out.

As far as the book, it is still sold by Railroad Supply as referenced in another post and would be a welcome addition to anyone's library.

The length and breadth of subjects is extensive as are the reference materials and specifications.

Anyone in this hobby should have it.
User avatar
Gary Armitstead
Posts: 279
Joined: Sat Mar 02, 2013 12:35 am
Location: Burbank, CA

Re: Rail bender

Post by Gary Armitstead »

dash9,

I posted this railbender for you acouple of weeks ago.........by the time you machine the rollers for the rail profile and buy the hardware and fabricate your own bender, you can get this one today for #229 + shipping from Washington! I have one and use it for bending my code 1000 West Coast aluminum rail. It also straightens out "kinked" rail.
https://sites.google.com/site/eatoncust ... rack-tools

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maif-adguLI
Gary Armitstead
Burbank, CA
Member LALS since 1980
Member Goleta Valley Railroad Club 1980-1993
dash9
Posts: 83
Joined: Mon Oct 09, 2017 9:02 pm
Location: Barnesville , PA
Contact:

Re: Rail bender

Post by dash9 »

Gary, that is a good price for one. Going to try my hand at building one. I really dont need it till next spring. Have to get track looking on having a die made right now and have track extruded. I figure I need 50K ft. of rail.
User avatar
makinsmoke
Posts: 2260
Joined: Thu Jul 10, 2003 12:56 pm
Location: Texas Hill Country

Re: Rail bender

Post by makinsmoke »

Might post your rail purchase on a separate post.
That kind of quantity might get you a few piggybacks that can influence the overall cost.
Some folks only look at posts that the title interests them

I know several folks here have done just that and have dies in hand or at a manufacturer.

I think John in Florida is one.

You might also contact a couple of the folks selling rail. If they are contemplating a future
purchase you might be able to partner and reduce the price for all.

Just a couple of thoughts.

Take care,
User avatar
Erskine Tramway
Posts: 390
Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2014 4:13 pm
Location: South Dakota
Contact:

Re: Rail bender

Post by Erskine Tramway »

I have one of Rich Eaton's rail rollers. I had him make a set of custom rollers to fit Doug De Berg's 141 pound rail section.
12-14-12 rail profile.jpg
I also bolted on a pair of 1" angles to make a mount to fit my 'Duffield Bank' rail roller car. The 'box' section of the car comes off the frame, and has angles on the bottom corners to 'stake' it to the ground, to keep it from 'walking off' in use :wink:
6-3-13 roller installed.jpg
When the cover is on the car, the roller stores in the box, along with some track building tools and supplies.
7-6-14 with cover.jpg
12-21-14 top view.jpg
Mike
Former Locomotive Engineer and Designer, Sandley Light Railway Equipment Works, Inc. and Riverside & Great Northern Railway 1962-77
BN RR Locomotive Engineer 1977-2014, Retired
Post Reply