MarkC Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 (edited) I need to put a 360* spiral in 2" x 1/4" flat stock, barber-pole style. I am thinking that the easiest way to go about it is to make a cylindrical bending jig. Originally I was thinking of getting a cylindrical slug of steel in the diameter that I need (around 8") and making a sort of anvil out of it, but the more I think of it, a length of 8" sch40 pipe might make a nice cylindrical bending jig . . . after all, I shouldn't need to be hammering on it. Maybe fill it with cement for good measure, mount it on a solid stand. Trying to think of a faster, more accurate way to get it done besides just free forging the spirals. Anyone done this before? Mark Edited August 22, 2009 by MarkC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 Sure. Determine what angle the flat will need to have in relation to the pipe to make the spiral you want. Tack weld it to the pipe, heat with a torch and wrap it around the pipe. A single turn should take maybe 10-15 mins. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
double_edge2 Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 (edited) Frosty's idea basically.... or go the former in the bender, done hot, i dont have a pic of it but ive done 1 3/4 by 1/2 inch flat, spiral and have done plenty of half inch square cold. with hammer id probly weld a couple of guides to your pipe or mand. heat tap and go. hope this helps a bit. Edited August 22, 2009 by double_edge2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arftist Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 This is the type of job that is worth farming out. An experienced hand with the right size bending rolls can do this much faster and cheaper and better than with a torch. If you do go the hand route though, don't bother filling the pipe with concrete. It is pointless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisG Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 My two cents..... If you do this by hand, mount the pipe on the side of your work bench. Makes it easier then going upwards. Of course I don't know how long this spiral is to be when finished. let us know what you went with and pop a pic or two of the precess. Dennis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkC Posted August 22, 2009 Author Share Posted August 22, 2009 Frosty, yeah that's about what I was figuring on doing . . . Think I'll get the pipe, welt it to a baseplate, bolt it horizontally off the side of the bench. That's a great idea because I can then secure the length of the stock along the benchtop and it'll be easier to precicely control the angle. Also probably tack weld some guides around the pipe. Arftist, that sounds like good advice. But I only have four to do . . . if they take me an hour and a half or two hours, I can live with that. Plus the jig will take a half hour to make. yeah, i can live with that. yeah, no concrete. think i'm making a mountain out of a mole hill. Thanks for the suggestions, gonna use all of them. will post pics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 Consider how long the stock is that will be used in making the spiral. How are you going to heat that length of material? Batch heating may be necessary, say 2 feet of hot iron at a time. Propane weed burners may work. Consider a jig using pipe to use as a mandrel. To work at the mandrel you would heat, bend, and heat the incoming metal for additional bending. Pipe mounted on the side of a table would only let you bend 180 degrees but most likely no more than 270 degrees, being limited by the length of stock and leverage, and the stock hitting the floor, ceiling, and most everything else in the ship. Bending horizontally would be better but would require a lot of free space to swing the stock. Now if you were to use the end of the work bench you should be able to jig up so that the long end of the stock rested on the floor, the hot end attached to the mandrel, and you could turn the mandrel like a capstan (nautical, rotating machine used to control or apply force to another element) as you preheated the stock. This would work horizontally if you set up a stop to hold the incoming stock against to keep incoming stock from swinging freely. Just invite a few friends over and have them step carefully to avoid the hot iron. (grin) You did not say how the finished product was to be used. If it is a decorative element than you may want to consider heating and beating and letting the stock bend on its own. (Thank Hofi for that one) One of the signatures on the IForgeIron site says "If you do not build a box, then you do not have to think outside the box." The object is to get metal bent, so do not limit yourself to only one process, unshackled your mind, let your imagination run free, and solve the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkC Posted August 22, 2009 Author Share Posted August 22, 2009 Glenn that's a great idea. I think it will clear the floor though . . . stock will approach parallel to the length of the pipe, and then be twisted in line with it, so the hot end which is being worked will not jut out 90* perpendicular from the pipe, but rather come off at around a 45* angle (haven't figured the angle yet) so I am pretty sure this will clear the floor. I'll be doing this about 3-4 feet back from the end of the stock. This twist is for the lower railing end in my attached drawing. The customer found a photograph of this railing end on the internet, and wanted the exact same thing, so i would not be surprised if the smith that made the original is a member of this site. And hopefully he or she would not be angry that I'll be copying it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkC Posted August 22, 2009 Author Share Posted August 22, 2009 actually, the more I look at my own drawing, the more i am thinking that should be done on a slight cone, not just a straight pipe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy k Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 Mark - That will be a very nice railing when your done with it - be sure to post pictures. - JK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkunkler Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 actually, the more I look at my own drawing, the more i am thinking that should be done on a slight cone, not just a straight pipe. You may be able to form the initial shape on a pipe. Then heat the lower portion of the spiral and pull while twisting it to close or tighten up the spiral at the lower end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkC Posted August 23, 2009 Author Share Posted August 23, 2009 yeah i was thinking that, but i think it would be hard and take a lot of tweaking to make em all the same that way... gotta think of something cone-shaped i can use, short of butchering a cone mandrel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkC Posted August 23, 2009 Author Share Posted August 23, 2009 oh. duh. i'll weld together sections of decreasing diameter pipe. make a custom jig. then can also precisely control the radii. duh. and i call myself a blacksmith. will post pics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkunkler Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 You're right, its hard to make identical multiples without some kind of jig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 Use a log, I'm sure you have one in your woodpile for free. A little more smoke won't hurt, and you are only making 4, so just wet it when you need to extinguish. You can nail into in to support and steady as you go reducing needed clamps and such. You can chainsaw your taper in quite easily too. Not to mention fire is cool. Or take my post as a jest. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkC Posted August 23, 2009 Author Share Posted August 23, 2009 (edited) like your style phil, of thinkin outside the box. i got my heart set on makin a mandrel from decreasing diameter pipes. think it will be real nice, and come in handy for all sorts of future bends... Edited August 23, 2009 by MarkC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.