arftist

To weld cast iron finials to th end of pickets, nickel rods work.

Hard facing the top of a rail road track does not improve it, as track has a high manganese content. The harder and longer you hit it, the harder and tougher it becomes.

When I use a hardy hot cut, I quench the work after I cut most of the way through, and then it just snaps off, in the pritchel hole or over the side of the anvil

Hey little forks, just keep asking. Yes you can make a hossfeld type bender. I made one years ago and it still works fine. I made it exactly identical to a factory job, so I can use their parts as well as ones I make myself. I used s.s. for most of the bending pins, and the ones that were too weak I replaced with ones made from hardened bolts(.75" grade 8). Also, antisway bars from early mustangs happen to be .75" very good steel. The only thing I changed, is that I welded the upper and lower arms of the main body to a 2" solid square of mild steel, vertical orientation, and this drops into a trailer hitch reciever, welded to the bottom of my 1" thick layout table. When not in use, the bender hangs from hooks and the trailer hitch mount hold different vices, beverly shear,etc. On the vices I use 2" rd. bar, so they swivel. I also made pipe bending dies from wood, cast aluminum, steel and plastic.