Scroll Wrenches

[Arbalist]

I'm going to need some of these soon. Can anyone point me in the right direction as to what sizes I should make first? I guess I'll be using 3/8 inch stock but don't know how big the gap should be and how long for the legs?

Vic.

[Dutchmancreek]

3/8" stock seems to me to be a bit small. I've got a scrolling wrench in 3/8 but I made it special for some light work. All my others are made of 1/2" stock. The legs are about 2" and the gap between them runs from 5/8 to 1".

If you need scrolling wrenches you probably need to make some bending forks for the anvil (or vice) too. I make them by putting 1/2" posts in a 2x3x1/2 block and welding on a piece to fit the hardy hole in the anvil. The posts are from 2" to 3" long and are in various spaces apart, but 3/4 and 1" spacing are my most used. I also have a post mounted on each of two pieces of heavy angle so I can use them in the vise as an adjustable fork.

Lorelei Sims has some good instructions for the bending forks in her "The Backyard Blacksmith" (an excellent book.)

Hope I helped,
Steve

[Bob Ouellette]

I second that you should use at least 1/2" stock and work hot. As for a bending fork, you can make a very simple fork by bending a piece of 1/2" or larger round in a U and clamping that in the vice. It's a lot less work and just as effective.

[John B]

Hi, Depends on what you are going to use them on, I find I mostly use two pairs of doublesided ones in my particular general work area which cover most of my everyday needs, the jaws are approximately 20mm (.750"), 25mm(1"), 28mm (1.1"), 30mm(1.25") wide and material is 1/2" thick

The working ends are H shaped with a handle about 300mm (12") long, and the jaws are about 40mm (1.5") deep

The jaws shoud be parallel and internally smooth and radiused to prevent marling the work being manipulated.

I use spring steel to make the working heads from, and a tube for a handle (welded on) with the end worked so I can hang it on or near the anvil and leg vice.

Hope this helps for starters, then make others up to sui the jobs as you go.

Edited October 3, 2008 by John B
Some sizes added

[Bentiron1946]

Don't just sit there drinking shine, show the boy a picture.:rolleyes:

[HWooldridge]

I use old grader blades for stock, which are 1/2 to 3/4 thick and made from high carbon steel. I cut out a block with the OA torch that looks like a fat "F". The top part of the F makes the forks and the lower part is forged into a handle (then it looks like a skinny "F" - instant Weight Watcher plan...;-). Keep the inside of the forks parallel or your scrolls will twist when you are bending - the outside of the forks can be tapered or parallel according to your preference. Grind or file all the sharp corners from the inside of the forks so you don't make nicks in your nice scrolls. No heat treat necessary as the material is quite springy and you are usually bending hot material anyway (although I use mine quite often on cold work). Fork size can be anything you want but the three most commonly used sizes in my shop have forks 3/4" long and 3/8" gap, 1" long and 5/8 gap and 1-1/4" long with 1" gap. Handles on all are about 8-12 inches.

[Arbalist]

Thanks very much for the information guys, exactly what I needed! 1/2 inch stock it is then. Is there any advantage in having a pair the same size? I ask as I've seen folks using two wrenches on some jobs and they certainly looked like they could have been the same size.
Thanks again,

Vic.

[John B]

Unless you have micrometric graticule contact lenses, "same size" may just be quite near, it may also mean you need twice as many tools to cover your requirements.

[Dutchmancreek]

Don't just sit there drinking shine, show the boy a picture.

What's this about shine?

[John B]

Hi, I have attached some pictures of various scroll wrenches that may be of interest. These were cleared out from an old (now sadly departed) blacksmiths workshop ( I have attached a self portrait of him he made in repoussed copper)

There is chalked outline in picture 2 of how they can be cut out of a flat spring, make to your own dimensions.

The chalked end view shows how the bar is tapered, the gaps can be cut with a saw, hot cut, angle grinder, or jigsaw (skilsaw?) then the jaws are filed and polished parallel with a radius on to prevent marling your workpiece.

The dovetail section is forged to be a drive fit into a tube for the handle, it is then welded into position. This pair have a hole punched into the flattened end of the handle so they can hang on a peg attached under the post vice stand.

[Arbalist]

Great stuff John! Thanks for taking the time to post the pics for me, very helpful.

[Bentiron1946]

Well Dutch what's in the jug? Coffee? Thanks for the set of pics of the tools. that helps a lot.

Edited October 5, 2008 by Bentiron1946

[John Martin]

I made my bending wrenches out of 3/4" stock, same as my hardy bending forks. They work real good. They are spaced, 3/4, 1, 1 1/4, and 1 1/2 apart.

[Dutchmancreek]

Well Dutch what's in the jug? Coffee? Thanks for the set of pics of the tools. that helps a lot.

I really need to change that avatar cartoon. My wife says I'm starting to resemble it too much. I must admit I have some jugs, and they don't have coffee in them.

Steve

[Dutchmancreek]

Well now that I look at it I have to disagree with my wife... I think I have a lot more hair than that avatar, although the beard is probably right and I do have several log benches here and there.

Steve

[NateDJ]

Don't forget the ever useful pair of angle iron with a bar welded to it for use in the vice.

The idea is to use a piece of angle iron the length of your vice width and about 1" on the sides. Weld a bar about 3'' long at about 1'' off center and even with the outside edge the angle iron. This will allow the top of the bar to stick up past the bend in the angle about 2". Copy this as close to the exact same thing as you can using your eyes (close enough measurements) for the 2nd piece. Place the 2 pieces in your vice offsetting the bars the distance you need in order to make your scroll. This makes a very handy adjustable scrolling jig.

[Jose Gomez]

Here is a pic of the adjustable fork that I use in my vise. Kind of somthing along the lines of what Nate was talking about, but with forks on the side as well (for more options and better leverage sometimes) They are quick and easy to build, adjust to almost any size stock and if you throw a slice of whatever diameter pipe you need over one of the pegs on the side you can use it like a mandrel to produce consistent diameter bends.

[JerryCarroll]

Jose, thank you!! I copied your great design for the bending tool close to the size pictured. It took less than an hour! A heaver one is in the making.

[Arbalist]

Excellent stuff guy's, thanks for the pics Jose. All I need now is a design for an adjustable wrench! :D

[Doug C]

Now that we have all seen / heard of so many shapes of benders any tips on usage? When I use the piece of 1/2 inch round bent in a U shape then placed in the vice I set it low so only a 1/2 inch or so sticks out of the vice jaws. This helps me keep from tilting the work piece up or down and makes for less dressing of the piece afterwords.

[Dave Hammer]

Arbalist.... Every wrench is adjustable if you're a blacksmith!

[Ted T]

Jose Gomez
Your stuff is always worth duplicating for use in my shop.
Although I have some bending forks and scroll benders that are close to your design, I feel your design is much more versatile for quick and general use.
So, I plan on making adjustable scroll forks like yours this week end.
Thank you
Ted Throckmorton

[Blacksmith Jim]

I recently made sets for my vice similar to what was posted and discussed. The one thing I did different, was I used a lot of different diameter pieces of pipe for the upright posts. This lets me use it to bend different sized hooks (or whatnot) easily. Its nice to be able to quickly set up a jig to bend around.

[Marc]

If you get one of those old adjustable wrenches from the flea market, you can grind the jaws to a half-round. It's now an adjustable scrolling wrench.

The reason for using two the same size is to control where the bend happens. For example - You put the piece you want to bend in your vise with about 8" sticking out, all hot. With only one fork, you'll end up bending everything from the fork to the vise. With two, you place them on each end of the section you want to bend, and that's all that gets bent. I mostly use my left fork to hold the piece steady and right fork to bend. For a long, or complex, bend, you just keep working the fork pair up the length of the piece.

That probably makes a whole lot more sense in my head than on the page.

[Marc]

More bending:

One thing that's kind of fun is my el-cheapo, Harbor Freight, "compact bender". It's a cheap, loose, copy of a Hossfeld. But for bending the stuff I do, and especially hot, it does a pretty nice job. You've got all sorts of dies to form different sized hooks, or whatever. For long, large, bends, you just feed the stock between the dies and bump the bender handle as you go along.