On Sun, 2 Oct 2005 22:44:19 -0700, "Harold and Susan Vordos"
wrote:



I'm not suggesting you can't do it the way you described, but I think you'll
find it will test you to the breaking point. You'll have to anneal the
stainless several times. You can do that by heating it to a red heat, then
quenching it in water, or even allowing it to air cool. If it's counter
top material, it's likely 316, and it's not heat treatable, so all you'll be
doing is removing the work hardened condition when you heat it.

Good luck! I'd enjoy hearing how it turns out-

Harold


Well, I decided to give it a try this afternoon. I borrowed an old
11X24.5 truck rim from a local trucking company to use as an anvil
(almost perfect size) and I just swatted the edges down with a big
rubber hammer, then worked them down with the 2 lb ball pien hammer
untill I had the shape I wanted. I did not heat it at all, and it came
out virtually perfect. It's a my friend's shop right now getting a
square lip welded on the back and the center hole for the bearing
spool plasma cut out. He's pretty busy these days with "paying jobs"
so I may have to wait a few days - but I'll post some pix when I get
it back. I'm having him cut me new skirts out of stainless as well, so
I'll need to form the roll on the top edge of 40 some inches of
stainless, and form it to the 24.5" radius as well - then drill it and
pop-rivet all the parts to the tube frame.

In the meantime, I've got to wire brush the tube frame and five it a
couple good coats of rust paint.