bending 1/2 inch wide stock to a 3/8 inch radius

I need to make a bracket for rear turn signals for my new-to-me '69
Honda cb450. I'm going to use a steel rod? [I don't know what you
call it. The Home Depot cash register calls it "flats"] 1/2"W by
1/8"T x about 18"L, and I need to bend it twice, 90 degrees at each
location, to make a rather square C shape, but the corners have to
have a 3/8" radius (to look good where it wraps around the luggage
rack. Can't figure out how to do this, and don't want to try too many
times. I look to you sages.

A. My vice has a rounded part at the end away from the vice, but it's
sort of conical.

B. I could clamp it in the vice at the start of the curve and clamp
two 6-inch pieces of 2x4 (or 1x2, or thinner if I could find some
steel to use) the right distance from the start of the curve ( (2 pi
R)/4 = one quarter of the circumference plus a tiny bit more for the
circumference of the outside side of the flat), but this assumes the
metal bends evenly. Is it likely to?

C. I could clamp the flat to the bike luggage rack and clamp two
6-inch pieces of 2x4 the right distance from the start of the curve
same as in B), but this assumes 1) bending it around the luggage rack
tube would make it bend evenly, and 2) that I could bend it in that
situation. Usually I bend this kind of stuff by hitting it with a
hammer, and here the luggage rack might be too springy to let it bend,
or I might break the luggage rack.

D. I could find some other rod or tube that is 3/4 inch in diameter
(2x3/8), clamp that in the vice, but then how to I hold one end of the
flat while I hit the other? This would be a problem for A too.

How would you do it?


BTW, the cycle ran for three seconds today. It's 2 cylinders. How do
I know if all of the good sounds are from one, or from both? Both
cylinders give a spark during testing, and both have a gasoline-wet
spark plug afterwards.

Spraying ether hasn't helped much. It says on the can, "Contains
upper cyclinder lubricant". Is it still bad for the bike?

mm wrote:
bending 1/2 inch wide stock to a 3/8 inch radius

I need to make a bracket for rear turn signals for my new-to-me '69
Honda cb450. I'm going to use a steel rod? [I don't know what you
call it. The Home Depot cash register calls it "flats"] 1/2"W by
1/8"T x about 18"L, and I need to bend it twice, 90 degrees at each
location, to make a rather square C shape, but the corners have to
have a 3/8" radius (to look good where it wraps around the luggage
rack. Can't figure out how to do this, and don't want to try too many
times. I look to you sages.

A. My vice has a rounded part at the end away from the vice, but it's
sort of conical.

B. I could clamp it in the vice at the start of the curve and clamp
two 6-inch pieces of 2x4 (or 1x2, or thinner if I could find some
steel to use) the right distance from the start of the curve ( (2 pi
R)/4 = one quarter of the circumference plus a tiny bit more for the
circumference of the outside side of the flat), but this assumes the
metal bends evenly. Is it likely to?


C. I could clamp the flat to the bike luggage rack and clamp two
6-inch pieces of 2x4 the right distance from the start of the curve
same as in B), but this assumes 1) bending it around the luggage rack
tube would make it bend evenly, and 2) that I could bend it in that
situation. Usually I bend this kind of stuff by hitting it with a
hammer, and here the luggage rack might be too springy to let it bend,
or I might break the luggage rack.

D. I could find some other rod or tube that is 3/4 inch in diameter
(2x3/8), clamp that in the vice, but then how to I hold one end of the
flat while I hit the other? This would be a problem for A too.

How would you do it?


BTW, the cycle ran for three seconds today. It's 2 cylinders. How do
I know if all of the good sounds are from one, or from both? Both
cylinders give a spark during testing, and both have a gasoline-wet
spark plug afterwards.

Spraying ether hasn't helped much. It says on the can, "Contains
upper cyclinder lubricant". Is it still bad for the bike?


mm-

Home brew metalworking is always difficult.........

You don't says "tall" the "C" is or how low the return legs on it are.

But if I were attempting this I would make a wooden mandrel that was as
wide as my C was to be tall.

I would radius the wood (but make the radius smaller than the desired
resultant radius becuase you'll get some spring back)

Dependign on how tall the C is I would use one or two C clamps to hold
the flat stock to the mandrel. Hold the mandrel in your vise & just
wrap the flat around the it. You need to leave the legs long (at
first) so you can get some leverage on the stock.

Once it's basically formed, slide it off the mandrel & blend it a
little more to square up the C.

When your happy with the shape, cut off the excess leg length.

Good luck....buy two pieces of stcok & return the unused piece if you
get it right the first time


Let us know how it works out

cheers
Bob

"BobK207" wrote in message
ups.com...

mm wrote:
bending 1/2 inch wide stock to a 3/8 inch radius

I need to make a bracket for rear turn signals for my new-to-me '69
Honda cb450. I'm going to use a steel rod? [I don't know what you
call it. The Home Depot cash register calls it "flats"] 1/2"W by
1/8"T x about 18"L, and I need to bend it twice, 90 degrees at each
location, to make a rather square C shape, but the corners have to
have a 3/8" radius (to look good where it wraps around the luggage
rack. Can't figure out how to do this, and don't want to try too many
times. I look to you sages.

A. My vice has a rounded part at the end away from the vice, but it's
sort of conical.

B. I could clamp it in the vice at the start of the curve and clamp
two 6-inch pieces of 2x4 (or 1x2, or thinner if I could find some
steel to use) the right distance from the start of the curve ( (2 pi
R)/4 = one quarter of the circumference plus a tiny bit more for the
circumference of the outside side of the flat), but this assumes the
metal bends evenly. Is it likely to?


C. I could clamp the flat to the bike luggage rack and clamp two
6-inch pieces of 2x4 the right distance from the start of the curve
same as in B), but this assumes 1) bending it around the luggage rack
tube would make it bend evenly, and 2) that I could bend it in that
situation. Usually I bend this kind of stuff by hitting it with a
hammer, and here the luggage rack might be too springy to let it bend,
or I might break the luggage rack.

D. I could find some other rod or tube that is 3/4 inch in diameter
(2x3/8), clamp that in the vice, but then how to I hold one end of the
flat while I hit the other? This would be a problem for A too.

How would you do it?


BTW, the cycle ran for three seconds today. It's 2 cylinders. How do
I know if all of the good sounds are from one, or from both? Both
cylinders give a spark during testing, and both have a gasoline-wet
spark plug afterwards.

Spraying ether hasn't helped much. It says on the can, "Contains
upper cyclinder lubricant". Is it still bad for the bike?


mm-

Home brew metalworking is always difficult.........

You don't says "tall" the "C" is or how low the return legs on it are.

But if I were attempting this I would make a wooden mandrel that was as
wide as my C was to be tall.

I would radius the wood (but make the radius smaller than the desired
resultant radius becuase you'll get some spring back)

Dependign on how tall the C is I would use one or two C clamps to hold
the flat stock to the mandrel. Hold the mandrel in your vise & just
wrap the flat around the it. You need to leave the legs long (at
first) so you can get some leverage on the stock.

Once it's basically formed, slide it off the mandrel & blend it a
little more to square up the C.

When your happy with the shape, cut off the excess leg length.

Good luck....buy two pieces of stcok & return the unused piece if you
get it right the first time

I'd diagram it out full size on graph paper, and have the local machine shop
do it. How much is your time worth? By the time you build jigs, and probably
mess up the first stick of metal, they could have it whipped out for you,
and probably even plate it to match the other accessories on the bike. They
have bending jigs and machines to make about anything.

aem sends...

On 11 Nov 2006 13:21:15 -0800, "BobK207" wrote:


mm wrote:
bending 1/2 inch wide stock to a 3/8 inch radius

I need to make a bracket for rear turn signals for my new-to-me '69
Honda cb450. I'm going to use a steel rod? [I don't know what you
call it. The Home Depot cash register calls it "flats"] 1/2"W by
1/8"T x about 18"L, and I need to bend it twice, 90 degrees at each
location, to make a rather square C shape, but the corners have to
have a 3/8" radius (to look good where it wraps around the luggage
rack. Can't figure out how to do this, and don't want to try too many
times. I look to you sages.

[My four bad, or at least mediocre, ideas deleted.]

How would you do it?

mm-

Home brew metalworking is always difficult.........

Yeah, but very satisfying.

You don't says "tall" the "C" is or how low the return legs on it are.

Sorry. I was going to measure the "height" but forgot. It's about 10
inches high (the width of the motorcycle's "luggage rack") and the
horizontal legs are about 4 inches**

But if I were attempting this I would make a wooden mandrel that was as
wide as my C was to be tall.

Great idea. I didn't even come close.

And I see why you asked about size. Size shouldn't be a problem.

I would radius the wood (but make the radius smaller than the desired
resultant radius becuase you'll get some spring back)

Dependign on how tall the C is I would use one or two C clamps to hold
the flat stock to the mandrel. Hold the mandrel in your vise & just
wrap the flat around the it. You need to leave the legs long (at
first) so you can get some leverage on the stock.

Once it's basically formed, slide it off the mandrel & blend it a
little more to square up the C.

When your happy with the shape, cut off the excess leg length.

Sounds good.

Good luck....buy two pieces of stcok & return the unused piece if you
get it right the first time

OK


Let us know how it works out

I can't promise, but I intend to. Because this is two major steps
instead of just one, it will take longer than the method I had in
mind,

There are other threads I haven't given follow-ups on because the
weather is good, and I spend all my spare time outside working on the
motorcycle and getting the house and car ready for winter. When it's
dark I do a little personal email, and try to go to sleep early so I
can work some in the morning too.


**4 inches long to attractively hold the new rear turn signal lights.
Made in 1969, it didn't have turn signals at all, afaict, according to
the owner's manual, although it does have lights in the front. and a
switch added on to the handlebars. But no indication there were ever
such lights in the back. Well, it has wires going half-way back the
rear fender, under the seat, but no sign of where they might have been
attached to the bike. My friend who gave me the bike can't remember
such details from 35 years ago, or he doesn't want to try.

cheers
Bob

On Sun, 12 Nov 2006 01:13:51 GMT, wrote:


Good luck....buy two pieces of stcok & return the unused piece if you
get it right the first time

I'd diagram it out full size on graph paper, and have the local machine shop
do it.

That's a thought, although I don't even know where the local machine
shop is, or what it is called. Except for one I came across that
might do this sort of thing. Despite all my objections below, it is a
good idea, and I'll consider it.

How much is your time worth?

One friend of mine rated his spare time (10 years ago, and he had a
college degree and a job in physics) at 40 cents an hour.

By the time you build jigs, and probably
mess up the first stick of metal, they could have it whipped out for you,

But just think how much I would learn. My long-time plan was to build
my own home, and it looks like I'll never do that. So maybe I can
make a bracket.

and probably even plate it to match the other accessories on the bike. They

Plating is expensive now because of water pollution requirements. I
don't think I can afford that. I have more time than money.

Coincidentally, for a couple decades or more, the guy who gave me the
bike owned a plating company, that he got from his father. Life was
good until the run-off control laws he said, and he couldn't afford to
stay in business after they were passed. Although I'm sure the water
is a lot cleaner.

Fixing this thing is really the project. I doubt very much I'll ride
it more than 2000 miles and there is a good chance it will be no more
than 200. And it still doesn't look nice enough to sell for much
money. But I loved the project. I also had a long term goal to get
an old classic car that didn't run, running, but I have no place to
keep a non-running car. The motorcycle is small by comparison, and so
far easier to work on myself.

have bending jigs and machines to make about anything.

Like I say, I will look into it. Thanks a lot.

aem sends...

"mm" wrote in message
...
On 11 Nov 2006 13:21:15 -0800, "BobK207" wrote:

(snip)


**4 inches long to attractively hold the new rear turn signal lights.
Made in 1969, it didn't have turn signals at all, afaict, according to
the owner's manual, although it does have lights in the front. and a
switch added on to the handlebars. But no indication there were ever
such lights in the back. Well, it has wires going half-way back the
rear fender, under the seat, but no sign of where they might have been
attached to the bike. My friend who gave me the bike can't remember
such details from 35 years ago, or he doesn't want to try.

cheers
Bob

Well, it may not be the US version, but Google Images has multiple pictures
of 69 Honda CB350s. See:
http://www.caldas.com.br/30anos/Hond..._DOHC_1969.jpg for starters.
Looks like it is mounted either to the rack, or the fender centerline. The
other pictures show a bracket mounted to fender for the taillight- probably
integral turn signals.

aem sends....

"mm" wrote in message
...
On 11 Nov 2006 13:21:15 -0800, "BobK207" wrote:

Here's a better one, showing signals mounted to the seat frame.
http://www.bikepics.com/pictures/452855/

Damn, now you have me curious.

aem sends...

On Sat, 11 Nov 2006 20:15:09 -0500, mm
wrote:

Well, it has wires going half-way back the
rear fender, under the seat, but no sign of where they might have been
attached to the bike. My friend who gave me the bike can't remember
such details from 35 years ago, or he doesn't want to try.

To add a little, this is not to say he's senile or anything. Far from
it. He's only 69. I keep him abreast of the progress I'm making, but
tonight I pointed out that I don't tell him all the things I did to
get there. He said, Don't bother. He doesn't want to know. So far,
I think he feels bad that he didnt' ride the bike more. 2600 miles
from him and the first owner. Like he wasted money, or fun, or
something. He said tonight he wished he had found a place to park it
where it wouldn't have deteriorated so much, or rusted. But there was
no way to get it into his parents' basement, and their garage, where
it say for 34 years, was nice enough, though unheated. Everything was
rusty and the rear shock springs? have lost much of their case to
rust.

mm wrote:
bending 1/2 inch wide stock to a 3/8 inch radius

I'm going to use a steel rod? [I don't know what you
call it. The Home Depot cash register calls it "flats"] 1/2"W by
1/8"T x about 18"L,

That would be flat stock. Rods are round and solid, tubes are round and
hollow.

On Sun, 12 Nov 2006 01:41:20 GMT, wrote:


"mm" wrote in message
.. .
On 11 Nov 2006 13:21:15 -0800, "BobK207" wrote:

(snip)


**4 inches long to attractively hold the new rear turn signal lights.
Made in 1969, it didn't have turn signals at all, afaict, according to
the owner's manual, although it does have lights in the front. and a
switch added on to the handlebars. But no indication there were ever
such lights in the back. Well, it has wires going half-way back the
rear fender, under the seat, but no sign of where they might have been
attached to the bike. My friend who gave me the bike can't remember
such details from 35 years ago, or he doesn't want to try.

cheers
Bob

I thought I posted this 90 minutes ago.

Well, it may not be the US version, but Google Images

I don't use that as much as I could.

You are right that the US version is different. The manual has two
wiring diagrams, and the US wiring doesn't show a turn signal, but the
other one does, including the winker lights and winker relay.

has multiple pictures
of 69 Honda CB350s. See:
http://www.caldas.com.br/30anos/Hond..._DOHC_1969.jpg for starters.

What a beautiful bike. Mine is never going to look anywhere near that
good, unless someone else does it. (I'm willing to spend time on
making a bracket, and some time with a wire brush and a bench grinder
with a wire wheel, to get rid of the rust, but otherwise, I'm not
going to spend time on looks. I have no taste anyhow, except to
admire other people's stuff.

Looks like it is mounted either to the rack, or the fender centerline. The

This one is a little diffferent from mine, in that it has a tach and a
separate speedometer. Mine has both in one oval thing.

But it's still vry much like it, and why would mine have front signals
and not rear.

So maybe I should have mentioned this. The bike fell once on teh
right side, and the front right turn signal post/pipe is bent a the
base, one front right fender bracket was broken (but I glued it with
PC-7), the rear feder is bent to the left, and has an exra 1/8 inch
washer on the right (when I took that out, I couldn't tighten up the
bolt), and.... The luggage rack doesn't look like the picture and
isn't really a rack. It's just like a seat back for the passenger,
except it's only 5 inches above the seat and no one would lean back
anyhow. It goes straight up, with two rungs. It has no horizontal
part, and I don't see its purpose. Nonetheless, I was sure it was the
original "luggage rack" because it's broken on the right side two, at
one of the brackets.

But maybe it is a replacement, and the original held the rear turn
signals. I'm tired but tommorrow I plan to look at your other
images, and one or two others I know that I didn't pay enough
attention to.


other pictures show a bracket mounted to fender for the taillight- probably
integral turn signals.



aem sends....

On Sun, 12 Nov 2006 01:42:49 GMT, wrote:


"mm" wrote in message
.. .
On 11 Nov 2006 13:21:15 -0800, "BobK207" wrote:

Here's a better one, showing signals mounted to the seat frame.
http://www.bikepics.com/pictures/452855/

Damn, now you have me curious.

I understand that entirely I understand the "damn" too.

After looking at teh picture above, I retract what I said about the
vertical stuff being of unknown to me purpose. If I were a girl
sitting behind me, I would like that five inch thing to make me feel
like as long as I didn't hit it, I wasn't falling off the back!

My tail light is about where the base of that bracket is, and my
license plate is below that. But it could have had rear turn signals
like this one. I'll have to look in detail when it gets light out.

This also means that if the bike was made with signals, I have to
replace them before the bike will pass inspection in Maryland. I'm
glad I'm so far along**. That also gives support to having a machine
shop make the bracket, because, unless they are backed up, they'll be
done before I am.

**And not so easy. Inside the headlight case, it is a rat's nest.
Nothing I have in the owners manual or Klymer spearates the wires as
they come into the case. And there seem to be far more wires than I
can identify as supposed to be there. It's like it's the Starbucks of
my bike, where all the wires go to hang out.

For example, there are four, 4!, wires that aren't connected to
anything! They were hard to identify. One was connected to a ground
connection on the front bezel of the light, and since there was
nothing grounding the rest of the case, the main part of the case (so
that the turn signals were not grounded), I extended that wire and put
it under the nut that holds the turn signal post in place. Doing it
for one side fixed both sides. I wonder what used to ground the case.

Then the wire, meant to be hot, that went to the turn signal switch,
was not connected to anything. (Maybe after the back was ruined, they
disabled the front too?) And there was a hot wire (only when the
ignition is on) that was taped up too. So I connected the hot to the
prevoius wire, and the turnsignal switch worked in the front (though
it didn't flash. There is no flasher to be found, another reason why
I thought the bike didn't have one originally.) I have a flasher that
came with the spare coils I just bought, but even with the rear light
connected temporarily, it didn't flash, so I have to hunt through my
old auto parts in the basement. I've been saving a couple for just
this reason.

So it's a rat's nest in there.

Wow, I didn't mean tto go on so long.

aem sends...

"mm" wrote in message
...
bending 1/2 inch wide stock to a 3/8 inch radius

I need to make a bracket for rear turn signals for my new-to-me '69
Honda cb450. I'm going to use a steel rod? [I don't know what you
call it. The Home Depot cash register calls it "flats"] 1/2"W by
1/8"T x about 18"L, and I need to bend it twice, 90 degrees at each
location, to make a rather square C shape, but the corners have to
have a 3/8" radius (to look good where it wraps around the luggage
rack. Can't figure out how to do this, and don't want to try too many
times.
snip

Get yourself a small torch kit with a bottle of mapp gas (yellow tank),
and in the same area as you picked up your flat bar, find a short piece of
3/8"
round stock.
Vise up the flat stock pointing straight up, check that it's at 90° to
the
jaws of the vice then heat it at the bend until it's the color of your
favorite orange. Put the round rod (your 3/8" radius) in front of it
and easily pull the flat down towards you till your happy.

-zero

In article , mm wrote:
bending 1/2 inch wide stock to a 3/8 inch radius

I need to make a bracket for rear turn signals for my new-to-me '69
Honda cb450. I'm going to use a steel rod? [I don't know what you
call it. The Home Depot cash register calls it "flats"] 1/2"W by
1/8"T x about 18"L, and I need to bend it twice, 90 degrees at each
location, to make a rather square C shape, but the corners have to
have a 3/8" radius (to look good where it wraps around the luggage
rack. Can't figure out how to do this, and don't want to try too many
times. I look to you sages.

Have you tried asking in rec.crafts.metalworking ?

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.

On Sun, 12 Nov 2006 18:49:07 GMT, (Doug Miller)
wrote:

In article , mm wrote:
bending 1/2 inch wide stock to a 3/8 inch radius

I need to make a bracket for rear turn signals for my new-to-me '69
Honda cb450. I'm going to use a steel rod? [I don't know what you
call it. The Home Depot cash register calls it "flats"] 1/2"W by
1/8"T x about 18"L, and I need to bend it twice, 90 degrees at each
location, to make a rather square C shape, but the corners have to
have a 3/8" radius (to look good where it wraps around the luggage
rack. Can't figure out how to do this, and don't want to try too many
times. I look to you sages.

Have you tried asking in rec.crafts.metalworking ?

I meant to. Thanks for reminding me. Although the answers here seem
pretty good.

On Sun, 12 Nov 2006 17:29:06 GMT, "-zero"
wrote:


"mm" wrote in message
.. .
bending 1/2 inch wide stock to a 3/8 inch radius

I need to make a bracket for rear turn signals for my new-to-me '69
Honda cb450. I'm going to use a steel rod? [I don't know what you
call it. The Home Depot cash register calls it "flats"] 1/2"W by
1/8"T x about 18"L, and I need to bend it twice, 90 degrees at each
location, to make a rather square C shape, but the corners have to
have a 3/8" radius (to look good where it wraps around the luggage
rack. Can't figure out how to do this, and don't want to try too many
times.
snip

Get yourself a small torch kit with a bottle of mapp gas (yellow tank),

I might even have a bottle, just waiting for an occasion to use it!
This could be it. :-)

and in the same area as you picked up your flat bar, find a short piece of
3/8" round stock.

You mean 3/4 inch, right? So the radius is 3/8.

Vise up the flat stock pointing straight up, check that it's at 90° to
the
jaws of the vice then heat it at the bend until it's the color of your
favorite orange.

I don't like oranges. Why are there always problems at every stage?

Put the round rod (your 3/8" radius) in front of it
and easily pull the flat down towards you till your happy.

I"m getting happy already. Thanks a lot.


-zero

On Sun, 12 Nov 2006 18:49:07 GMT, (Doug Miller)
wrote:

In article , mm wrote:
bending 1/2 inch wide stock to a 3/8 inch radius

I need to make a bracket for rear turn signals for my new-to-me '69
Honda cb450. I'm going to use a steel rod? [I don't know what you
call it. The Home Depot cash register calls it "flats"] 1/2"W by
1/8"T x about 18"L, and I need to bend it twice, 90 degrees at each
location, to make a rather square C shape, but the corners have to
have a 3/8" radius (to look good where it wraps around the luggage
rack. Can't figure out how to do this, and don't want to try too many
times. I look to you sages.


Clamp it in a vice with a 3/8" dowel, and push. If the part that's
sticking out is too short to do it by hand, whack it with a
finish hammer. Or a 2x4.

On Sun, 12 Nov 2006 02:57:31 GMT, "Edwin Pawlowski"
wrote:


mm wrote:
bending 1/2 inch wide stock to a 3/8 inch radius

I'm going to use a steel rod? [I don't know what you
call it. The Home Depot cash register calls it "flats"] 1/2"W by
1/8"T x about 18"L,

That would be flat stock. Rods are round and solid, tubes are round and
hollow.

Thanks.

"mm" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 12 Nov 2006 17:29:06 GMT, "-zero"
wrote:

Get yourself a small torch kit with a bottle of mapp gas (yellow
tank),

I might even have a bottle, just waiting for an occasion to use it!
This could be it. :-)

and in the same area as you picked up your flat bar, find a short piece of
3/8" round stock.

You mean 3/4 inch, right? So the radius is 3/8.

Yep! That would be correct! 8-O

-zero

mm wrote:
bending 1/2 inch wide stock to a 3/8 inch radius

I need to make a bracket for rear turn signals for my new-to-me '69
Honda cb450. I'm going to use a steel rod? [I don't know what you
call it. The Home Depot cash register calls it "flats"] 1/2"W by
1/8"T x about 18"L, and I need to bend it twice, 90 degrees at each
location, to make a rather square C shape, but the corners have to
have a 3/8" radius (to look good where it wraps around the luggage
rack. Can't figure out how to do this, and don't want to try too many
times. I look to you sages.

Carve the desired radius into the edge of a hardwood block. Clamp
to your workbench over a leg. Beat the metal strip against the block
with a mallet.

A. My vice has a rounded part at the end away from the vice, but it's
sort of conical.

Ain't gonna work, way too hard to control the bend.

B. I could clamp it in the vice at the start of the curve and clamp
two 6-inch pieces of 2x4 (or 1x2, or thinner if I could find some
steel to use) the right distance from the start of the curve ( (2 pi
R)/4 = one quarter of the circumference plus a tiny bit more for the
circumference of the outside side of the flat), but this assumes the
metal bends evenly. Is it likely to?

Mild steel, less than 1/2% carbon, dead soft temper. You should
have no problem.

C. I could clamp the flat to the bike luggage rack and clamp two
6-inch pieces of 2x4 the right distance from the start of the curve
same as in B), but this assumes 1) bending it around the luggage rack
tube would make it bend evenly, and 2) that I could bend it in that
situation. Usually I bend this kind of stuff by hitting it with a
hammer, and here the luggage rack might be too springy to let it bend,
or I might break the luggage rack.

D. I could find some other rod or tube that is 3/4 inch in diameter
(2x3/8), clamp that in the vice, but then how to I hold one end of the
flat while I hit the other? This would be a problem for A too.

How would you do it?

Bend the strap you already bought.

If you screw up, go to the fence department and buy a few pieces
of "stretcher strip." Same stuff, except galvanized so it won't
rust, same size, cheaper cost.

On Tue, 14 Nov 2006 00:15:19 GMT, "-zero"
wrote:


"mm" wrote in message
.. .
On Sun, 12 Nov 2006 17:29:06 GMT, "-zero"
wrote:

Get yourself a small torch kit with a bottle of mapp gas (yellow
tank),

I might even have a bottle, just waiting for an occasion to use it!
This could be it. :-)

and in the same area as you picked up your flat bar, find a short piece of
3/8" round stock.

You mean 3/4 inch, right? So the radius is 3/8.

Yep! That would be correct! 8-O

Thanks.

I didn't have the MAPP gas in the basaement, but I bought a bottle
yesterday.

It was 8 dollars of course. That's why I didn't buy it when I
considered it, but didn't have a use for it.

-zero