I've got one of those HF benders and haven't used ti much at all. The manual for it is crap and I never seemed to set it up right. I've got stubs of various sizes of pipe, up to about 6" that I use for bending radiuses (radii?). The smaller sizes are welded to angle iron so as to fit in the vise.

I can bend rings very easily around the pipes by securing one end with a scroll wrench and wrapping right around. Make several wraps, remove the coils and cut through and you have a bunch of rings the same size. (The same way you make jewelry jump rings or chaim mail rings.)

Steve

Adjustable wrench could follow a similar vein. Weld 3/4" (or your preference) rod on the end of a piece of angle iron, repeat a second time. Cut a slot into the two pieces of angle iron so that they abut. Put two bolts into the slot (a thumb screw would work well). Loosen to slide the two pieces to adjust the gap in the wrench, tighten before using. Flat bar could work well too. You need two bolts to keep the two parts parallel.

Jim Dunning

"All I need now is a design for an adjustable wrench!"

Something like this? As usual, not mine, just from the round-tuit file.

Found a neat adjustable wrench on eBay. Shouldn't be hard to put together.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Adjustable-Bending-Fork-Wrench-Blacksmith-Scroll-Tool-/380378915910?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item589059a446#ht_11662wt_1219

Looks similar to the above. Think I'll substitute a thumb screw for the "T" screw.

I think that I scanned all the posts, but was there a mention of the proper gap between jaws or fork posts? Just slightly more that the workpiece which is to be bent.

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.

Thanks for the pics John, could you please tell more about the copper work?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvFuwXUyJ8A i have been meaning to try one of these

Give it a try! The first attempt got away from me but the 2nd time around things went fairly smoothly. I used 1x1/2 bar stock for this pair, which is what I think they're using in the video. Next time I make a pair I think I'll try mild steel. The set I made is 4140 and I thought my arm was going to fall off by the time I was finished drawing out the handle.

Adjustable vice mounted scrolling forks from monkey wrenches. Small Vice mounted Fork from rail clip. Fabricated fork for hardy hole.

Edited December 30, 201114 yr by knots