pmusics

Hi to all of you again. I am back, was last on your great site 08-27-2007. Thats bad (I know), but had to sort some things out here (no, it was not jail...). Hope you all are well! Take care and all the Best! CU Peter

Great idea! - Thank you Scott for this post. Lost several small things in the coal, never thought about that kind of solution! Bye the way, all the best for you guys in 2007, stay save and healthy! Peter

For me, it is everything together, the moment, I draw some new ideas "to paper", organize the steel and of course, the smithing from beginning until the piece is done. Then, cleaning up the workplace, closing the shelter and drinking a cold mineral water*, watching the piece made before - it is just fun to do all this. *em, mineral water??? hmm

IForgeIron Blueprints Copyright 2002 - 2011 IFORGEIRON, All rights reserved BP0368 Bender (construction information) by Pmusics This construction information should you give more an idea to build your own bender, than give you some exact measurements. The drawings are slightly different to the photographs, since it was already re-designed and I just left out unnecessary cuts in order to save time (and money). Way of working: Find a useful double-T profile and cut about 400mm away from it Separate the 2 sides if you like a smaller bender than the original T-profile has. Cut out a center part wide enough to get access into the bender. This will not affect the material entered into the bender, if the center of the support-wheels is higher than the center line (horizontal) of the T-profile (!!) I did choose about 65mm wide (so the support wheels are not stressed too much (as longer they are as less stable). Modified drawing (not as in photograph) to cut out the side piece easier. All about the dimensions. First, make sure that the center of the support wheels is higher than the horizontal center line of the T-profile. This will allow the material to go through the bender without interfering with the horizontal plate of the t-profile. The support wheels I used are 30mm in diameter, the cartan wheel is 44.5mm in diameter (measured over the teeth). Since the cartan piece was ground at the shaft to its “solid diameter” please keep in mind to cut the vertical piece according to its shaft diameter (and not the diameter measured on the teeth!) You should allow the cartan wheel to go complete underneath the horizontal center line of the support rollers (even if never used, it will give you “enough play for adjusting the position of cartan wheel in regard of the desired bend-radius Position of two little fixations of support rollers (horizontal) and position of steel-tube (vertical). Allow a little play for the support roller’s axe and allow a little play in the tube for the thread bolt to move up and down Basic drawing of support wheel diameter 30mm and its hardened steel bolts. Basic drawing of cartan wheel. I ground away the teeth over about 50mm on both side. Than took a sandpaper and ground the shaft “round”. If you have a drill bank at home you can use this one to take away the teeth of the wheel. Side view of bender. The tubes are not used anymore (left/right side) and the “windows” are not used, cut them out as shown on drawing. Bottom plate soldered to give stability to bender. Feel free to determine the “wideness” of your bender yourself, but keep in mind that as wider the bender will be, as longer the support rollers are and as less stable they got. Here again, I used a 44.5 mm diameter cartan, did grind away the teeth to both ends of the shaft and cut then out the vertical area to allow the shaft a little play but still make sure the inner diameter (of teeth) is bigger than the area cut out. This will hold the cartan wheel in the center position. I used some washers to center the support wheels. Here you see the horizontal movement of cartan done by thread bolt. This must probably later be redesigned because after bending the circle the bolt must be completely loose in order to lift out the cartan and evacuate the bended circle. Please take care that the bolts will go below the bottom line of the bender. View full article

Hello Rich and Alan great that you picked up this point! I am wearing pretty much all the time some eye protection, even in summer if it is very dissapointing to clean the lenses (inside because of sweat) each couple of minutes. But - this is allways better then to risk to get some objects "burned into the eye". To end up here some thoughts: We have many pair of glasses, but only one of our own eyes! All the Best to all of you, kind Regards, Peter

Very nice! Thank you for the pics!

Absoluetly great and very detailed! Wow, when are you going into production..... . Regards, Peter

Hello to all! Thank you for the information about hold fast. Gave me some new ideas! Regards, Peter

Glenn thank you for putting in your list "gramms". Makes thinge easier for "Europeans..." I use about 1500g, for heavy things 2000gr. To weld about 300g.

BT, thank you very much indeed for your information! Best Regards, pmusics

Hello guys! Long time I was not here but tried to do some other things. However, here is a pic from the latest tool I had to build in order to make some wagon-wheel tests. It was made of an old "double T" profile which was cut appart and resoldered in propper distance. More you can find on my own homepage under following link: http://www.pmusics.ch/database/websites/schmieden/bender.html Enjoy and have a nice weekend! Regards to all, pmusics

Hello I learned to use usually some newspaper and little (tiny) pieces of splitted wood. If the wood starts to burn well, I softly cover them with the coal left from the last fire and start the blower (only small amount of ear-stream). In real "emergency situations" I have some "wax-covered" woodsticks you can buy to start up your BBQ, if time is short. But, this has absolutely NO style and so I usually use the first method. My forge is also standing in a little shelter, 3 sides closed, front with cover and I just put a V-shaped piece of metal over the forge when finished, so the water can not run through the chimney down into the coal (even it has a top cover). Regards, Peter

Dear Jim your post sounds very interesting- indeed! Could you please send some pics so we could se your new "tool"? Thank you in advance and good luck! Regards, Peter