Making 10" rings?

[Dave M]

Thanks for all of the replies. The rings are going to be part of a support for a store display system. I can't go into more detail at this time of what the display is for. The 10" rings have to be round as there will be another piece that will fit into them but the tolerances do not have to be perfect as I left my self some big wiggle room. I did price out having a bigger fab shop either roll the rings for me or bandsaw cut the schd 40 pipe for me either way it would cost about $120.00 and I would have to pass that cost on to the customer, making my bid much less competitive. I think I will use the suggestions that most of you made about forming the rings from flat stock. I am going to take the risk of making a jig for this job because if the store likes my work it might lead to them purchasing more of these displays for me. I may be jumping the gun but last night I drew up full scale prints for this job on my shop floor for the layout. Now lets hope I get the job. As more money comes into my shop I will be looking at a bandsaw and a boss pedestal ring roller. My blacksmith & fabrication shop is part time for me at this time but I am right on the edge of being able to make it my full time job.

[Glenn]

BP0257 Bending Fork

If your making the rings, make one of these to adjust the rings where adjustments are needed.

[Ten Hammers]

Rich's way works exceptionally well. 30" + 4 times the thickness will be close. Good solid vise and a bending bar ( really 1/4 x 2 ain't that bad ). Start the end and just work around bending the same pull, the same strength. Check progress. Give a try with some 3/8 rod first perhaps. Either way, set a compass or dividers for 5" raduis and mark a circle on the table or cardboard. You now have a pattern. Cold forge the ring ( yes this will be work ). Chopsaw any waste ( perhaps not need to ) and make a good butt joint. Perhaps need to make the joint wide. Tack and MIG the joint. Grind or hotfile ( torch for heat ).. Even up the edges. Rich uses the heel, I use the step and a straight pien. Sometimes you need both heel and step. I make a lot of rings by wrapping on pipe as well. Solution # 2...look the rotors over at a brake shop and find the closest to 10" you can( I believe you said 10" ID you need correct ? ). Wrap a piece of stock around the brake rotor in the correct thickness to equal 10" OD ( let your mind wander, brake rotor, whatever). Use this to form your bar stock for 10" ID. I have also done this frequently. Yes this will shrink fit if allowed to cool and you may have trouble. Bending bar makes all the difference sometimes. Open the vise a bit and strike between the jaws. I am in the process of building a roller ( yeah right 10 year process lol ). Vise works well. BTW, weld a piece of angle to the bottom of the rotor and you have a mount for the tooling in the vise. If you make the rotor fixture, use stock 1/2" wider than the stock you wish to bend. You then have a place to grasp the hot stock with channellocks or visegrips to hold it. I would suggest using a hacksaw to make a starting point and use it for all the rings. Working with pipe ( not needing a specific ID of the ring ) you can grab down the full width of the hot stock and this really makes it nice using vise grips for start and midway. In all honesty, once the tooling is made you can really go pretty fast with a gasser. I once used the bottom of a steel 5 gallon bucket to wrap some 3/16 x 3/4 to start a fixture like I have described. Some call it fabrication but I call it making a living. Whatever works.

[LarryM]

Dave,
This a post I made awhile back check it out. I have built this bender and, it works real nice. The brake rotor idea will work but it is alittle more work. Hope this helps you out. Good luck getting job. Keep us posted on your progress.

Here's the link that was in the other post that I forgot to link you to!!! DUH!!

http://www.bbssystem.com//files/smau...bender_102.pdf

It really makes a nice little bender.

Larry

[Dodge]

Another thought is something on the lines of a hossfield(SP?) bender with a 10" fabbed die, or something like TH suggested above for the stock to wrap around. You would, of course, need to make or find the initial center "die", but then you'd be able to make the same piece every time.

[arftist]

Another way to do this job in a hossfeld is by bump bending, that is make a slight bend, move piece, bend again, etc. I often bend stock this way if it is too big for my roller. A blacksmiths tire bender would be perfect for this also. A handy hardy tool is a piece of plate about 6" long, with a piece of round bar welded to each end, paralell to each other. Ptu your metal on top, hot or cold, and hammer in between, for curving.

[bonds of steel]

im me i can make these for you have a ring roller and a cickle maker. the other thing you can do is make the ring in two halfs and weld them togethr. that how i started doing it before i got the rollers

[Glenn]

bonds of steel
go to the top of the forum page and click on user cp
click on edit profile
go to the bottom of the page, enter your location and save.

We would like to know where in the world you are located.

[bonds of steel]

dang thought i did that just updated, thanks

[Dave M]

Up date. I built a 10" ring jig I have tested it ot on some scrap flat stock and it works good. I will post pictures when I get a chance. Now lets hope they except my bid. I would really like to get going on this project as it will be high profile and could bring more work. Thank you all for your help. I will be fabing up 1 of those benders also.