Fun with square tubing too

[wroughtn_harv]

Since the other thread was getting off on welding, a great and noble subject close and dear to my heart, I decided to start a new thread back on the original subject.

This is the ultimate simple bending jig for half inch and three quarter inch square tubing. It consists of a piece of four inch o.d. tubing welded to a piece of six inch channel. Underneath the channel is welded a piece of bar stock. The reason for the bar stock is to have something for the vise to clutch.

I have made these out of angle iron and then of course the vise clutches the down leg of the angle iron.

What is not obvious from this picture is that the stub that is holding the half inch square tubing is cut at a light angle. The reason for this is that makes and edge that bites into the tubing when it wants to slip.

When you get as old as I am your skin will get the sheen too. So don't laugh. Yours might get even more sheen. That wouldn't be good.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

This is the finished bend.

Please note that the vise has the old two inch heavy wall square tubing. And that it's slid into a receiver on the welding table. That table btw weighs over eight hundred pounds. It's a good friend of mine.

Also note the smoothness of the bend. And believe it or not that piece is really quite strong. I've got pieces like this strewn around the shop that I've used for oversized S hooks to hold this or that here or there.

A little imagination and another bend or two and you've got something to attach to the wall of the barn to hold the boss's plants. Boss's always like things that hold plants.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Another bend on the same piece of tubing getting ready to start.

Don't stare at the thumb. It's a little shy. Mostly it's shy of the pad that used to be there before a conflict over position was lost with a shaper blade in a table saw.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

You're right. That's a real start on a chain.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

This is the same bending die. But we're going to bend three quarter inch tubing.

Please note that we're at another table with another receiver hitch thingy dingy.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

It's so simple it almost makes you cry.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

I know the place is messy. But I'm trying to cultivate the idea that I'm an eccentric. I understand it helps with the police.

If you don't think that's fun taking an old piece of scrap rusty tubing and making it into something pretty then I suspect there's no hope for you.

I love it. Sometimes the real fun is finding the thing that will give such a gem purpose.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Note the white line I made with the soapstone. Note the placement of the line. I made two lines eighteen inches apart.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Now look at the other line. Also you might notice my little tool I found to help out with the leverage for doing the second bend. Yup, it's another piece of scrap I picked up off the ground. It's a piece of sold bar half inch that was just begging to help.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

It's a little off. I'd guess yours truly wasn't paying too close attention when I did the second bend. Of course it could also be I haven't got the two bends perfectly parallel or square.

But this could easily be that piece that you had in mind for that rack to hold the cooler on that cart the lab is gonna have to drag if it's going fishing with you ever again.

 

[pajoube]

Harv, this is quite amazing to see that tubing bend and not crimp. You sure fooled me that this could be done without heating the tube on both sides.
PJ

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Now this one is with the mini Hossfield knockoff my bud Ryley made for me. BTW I talked to him yesterday and chances are most likely he's lurking already. And he's supposed to be checking with Mohammed about selling his little benders via TBN.

It'd be a match made in heaven. Ya'll, Ryley's benders, projects. Ya'll would be in my world.

Please note this is that leverage piece that was so helpfull. It's half inch bar stock, solid.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Here's another shot of bending the solid bar.

Ya'll need to try this. If you're still capable of having a thrill, this'll thrill ya.

Please note my sure cut I made for coping three inch (3 1/2) pipe with a torch in the background. Yeah, that little silver looking thing with the funny cut.

What happens is when you're welding up pipe and you have to weld them you need to cope or knotch the end. To make it easier on an old man I do a piece that I can slip over the pipe that needs to be coped.

Alright, if I need to slide it over a pipe I can can't just slip over an end what I do is cut one side lengthwise with a saw. Once it's cut I weld a cheap old butt hinge across that cut. First you cut it then you weld a piece across the cut so it won't go anywhere. Then I make another cut a hundred and eighty degrees from the first cut.

Now the piece opens up. Slick, huh?

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Here's the bar bent, and bent again.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

I want you to meet my girl, Miss Hossfield. She's a miracle worker.

I know the place is a mess.

But that's okay. When you gotta worry is when they don't know.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

I have an antique wagon wheel roller. It's manual but it is fun and look what it can do

 

[wroughtn_harv]

This is that piece we bent yesterday to get this whole subject started.

I've got it set up to bend it again. Please note how I've got it clamped. Clamping is important if you don't have the angle of the piece holding it sharpened just right. Sometimes it's important then too.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Just an old man trying, very trying, some folks say. We don't pay much attention to them.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

This piece kinked. It slipped. Slipping is bad. It don't matter how hard you tried, it slips, it's bad.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

I wish to thank Ron for coming over and operating the camera. A round of applause please!

Thank you!