Bender Project w/pics

[jamscal]

I wanted a small Hossfield type bender I could use in a vise, so I whipped this up. The large ones are too much trouble for small stuff, and this will do fine for me. It needs finished and painted, which should happen soon. (I have a bad habit of making stuff only to the point where it's useful, and forget the aesthetics.



The tops of the pins are from old hinge pins, which I pressed into what used to be some long 3/8" bolts. The rest of the stuff is scrap as well. I was wanting to buy a new plastic handle, but found this wood one in a box of old files. I guess I'll have to sand and stain it. The steel part of the handle is from an old drill press spider handle. I welded it all up with a stick welder.



It bends well. I used a cheater bar on a piece of 3/8 rebar and bent that too, but it sort of scarred up my die. There is a piece in the pic of -almost- 1/2" aluminum round that I bent as well, though that would do well to have proper dies made for it, same with the 1/4" pipe. The other pieces in the pic are 1/4 drill rod and a 3/8" carriage bolt.

It can hold up to about a 5" die, should I ever find the stock to make larger ones, and 5/8" is the max width of the part to be bent. Right now, 1 1/2" is my biggest die.

Thanks for looking,

James

[Harold_V]

James,

Way cool!

I'm of the opinion that making decent bends in small material is one of the biggest challenges we face in the home shop. Your bender should serve you, and anyone that makes one similar, very well. Your bend samples rival anything I've ever seen from the pro's!

Thanks for sharing.

Harold

[Steve_in_Mich]

James, that is one slick bender you fabricated.

I have a buddy that builds a tool and when it works the way he likes, it's done. He accuses me of painting my tools before trying them out much of the time. We are both changing a little to avoid the ribbing - he actually paints a few of his widgets nowadays and I find I test a bit more so I only have to paint once.

I think I see a bolt-down base or bench mount for this bender in your future. A vice gets busy and you should have this out on display. Very nicely done.

You used my favorite materials for the construction too - Bits and Pieces I have on hand.

[dcm269]

very nice;
i've saved your pics for a future (near future) project.
am i correct in asseming that you can use the grooves in those hinge pins for wire bending? well done.

[jamscal]

Thanks for the kind words guys.

Don, I'm not sure what you're looking at concerning the wire grooves.

There are none on the working portions of either the pins or dies, but that might help ensure an accurate bend. Also, dies clearanced for tubing/pipe would ensure a more distortion free bend.

Here's another take on a small bender:

http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Machini ... ender.html

I think this guy is a member here or over at HSM. I love his site.

Thanks again,

James

[Flybynight]

Neat.
I built the something like the large type bender last year.
But, for small stuff that loods to work just as well and be easier to handle.
Maybe something for me to look at next winter.
Jim

[dcm269]

james;
i was refering to the tops, or finials on the hinge pins, where the ball mounts to it's pedestal, there is a (looks like 1/4") inside radius that if the pins were mounted close enough, could be used to bend up to about 1/4" wire or rod.
re: that link you posted. i made a similar jig last year. works good.
another question. how did you make that sharp 90 deg. bend with this bender?
thanks again,

[jamscal]

The tops of the pins are used as 'handles' to pull them out of the bender. I don't think they'd be quite close enough for bending, but I see where you're coming from now.

The 90deg bend was made with the square die (My pics have two square dies in the pics, in the actual bender) in the center position of the bender.

The hossfeld benders for sale come with both a square die and a larger 'flat' die for bending sharp angles. I may try to make the flat one later, but I've made some sharp bends sucessfully with what I have.

Another trick is to clamp the stock to the square die (in either position) to get the bend where it needs to be. It's easy to do w/ vise grips because the thing is small.

-James

[KenHMT]

The tops of the pins are from old hinge pins, which I pressed into what used to be some long 3/8" bolts. The rest of the stuff is scrap as well. I was wanting to buy a new plastic handle, but found this wood one in a box of old files. I guess I'll have to sand and stain it. The steel part of the handle is from an old drill press spider handle. I welded it all up with a stick welder.



It bends well. I used a cheater bar on a piece of 3/8 rebar and bent that too, but it sort of scarred up my die. There is a piece in the pic of -almost- 1/2" aluminum round that I bent as well, though that would do well to have proper dies made for it, same with the 1/4" pipe. The other pieces in the pic are 1/4 drill rod and a 3/8" carriage bolt.

It can hold up to about a 5" die, should I ever find the stock to make larger ones, and 5/8" is the max width of the part to be bent. Right now, 1 1/2" is my biggest die.

Really nice work. Very clean bends!

Added to the database at homemadetools.net: http://www.homemadetools.net/rod-bender

Ken

[ken572]

James,

Excellent design and workmanship.

Thanks for the idea and pic's.

Ken.

[RSG]

Very cool!

I made a tiny one for bending spring wire though.