Viny Posted January 9, 2018 Share Posted January 9, 2018 Hello, I need to bend a 1.5" x 1.5" piece of angle iron into a circle about 32" in diameter with the leg out. I searched this site for anything similar, but didn't see it. I have the Harbor Freight compact bender and ring roller, but neither one of them are quite right for this job IMO. I would expect there should be a good "old school" method to get this done. I was imagining cutting a disc out of thick plywood to this diameter, cutting holes around the inside of the edge to clamp the angle to. Heat with a torch and clamp, heat and clamp, rinse and repeat until all the way around the disc, all without catching the disc on fire. However, I thought I would just inquire to this group of experience as to a better method. Thoughts? Thanks in advance... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Coke Posted January 9, 2018 Share Posted January 9, 2018 Greetings Vini, You could make a split lower roller for your ring roller and make several passes. Streatching the outer leg material will take a bit of time. I used to do this operation on my much bigger Eagle roll former cold. Forge on and make beautiful things Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokey07 Posted January 9, 2018 Share Posted January 9, 2018 (edited) Vini, see if you can find one the books written by Francis Whitteker,[sp] He has a way of doing angle iron leg out . I donthave the book but i have seen the trick many years ago You have to prebend the opposite side a little then bend the other way. I am sure someone on this forum has acess to that book. Sorry i cant be of more help. Smokey My mistake;;;; the other half told me i do have the book. THe Blacksmiths Cookbook by Francis Whitaker. ISBN 0-939415-00-3 By Jim Fleming Publications on page 32 it shows how to prebend angle for leg in and leg out. Smokey Edited January 9, 2018 by smokey07 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted January 9, 2018 Share Posted January 9, 2018 I have one of his books at home (an InterLibrary Loan copy that I couldn't return because -- and I'm not making this up -- my dog ate the cover), and I'll check this evening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viny Posted January 9, 2018 Author Share Posted January 9, 2018 (edited) Fellas, Thanks for the input. I found the book "The Blacksmith's Cookbook: Recipes in Iron" on ebay. I looked at the pictures on the posting and one of the pictures apparently alludes to the technique you are describing. I ordered the book. There is one more available. This is the link should any of you be interested... <Commercial link removed> Edited January 9, 2018 by Mod34 Commercial link removed per TOS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 9, 2018 Share Posted January 9, 2018 JHCC---how much gravy did you have to apply? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted January 9, 2018 Share Posted January 9, 2018 None -- it was already high in iron. (And it would have been a LOT cheaper just to buy a new copy. Word to the wise: when it comes to demanding repayment for damaged ILL books, the University of Kansas is NOT messing around!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 9, 2018 Share Posted January 9, 2018 You still have your fingers? If so: They were treating you with Grandmotherly kindness... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted January 9, 2018 Share Posted January 9, 2018 Let’s just say I’m not in Kansas anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Cochran Posted January 10, 2018 Share Posted January 10, 2018 Blacksmiths’s manual illustrated by J W Lillico pages 82 and 83 shows some useful information as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viny Posted January 19, 2018 Author Share Posted January 19, 2018 I just received The Blacksmith's Cookbook in the mail. It is an interesting explanation and no doubt what I assumed I'd find (more or less) when I asked the correct group of people. So, thanks again and I'll report on the success of this procedure when I get time to get to it...! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted February 15, 2018 Share Posted February 15, 2018 Thinning the leg and flattening out the buckles will be the troublesome part. There's a good vid on youtube that shows two smiths forging a curve into some angle, but I can't find it right now. Basically, the gist of it is that you work on a large steel table with a couple pegs in it that you can use to bend the section that's hot. Most of the time is spent working to maintain the shape of the angle because it wants to go all wonky when you're trying to bend it. It's a constant battle between bending, flattening and thinning. It gets done, though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anvil Posted February 16, 2018 Share Posted February 16, 2018 On 2/14/2018 at 9:40 PM, VaughnT said: Thinning the leg and flattening out the buckles will be the troublesome part Try it "Whitaker" style. It will bend your mind, so to speak, but when you figure it out, it works quick, you can do it cold, and it's precise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now