Hi all...

I'm doing a large number of repetative bends in 3/32" and 1/8"
stainless rod.

The problem is that the bends are next to each other (no straight part
in between) or at least very close. I need high repeatability (within
1/16" to 1/32") and need to do tens to hundreds of them. Some
S-curves, some curves with a angle bend, some question-marks, etc...
In one case, I have to make a sweeping bend, and then put a kink in the
end of it without changing the radius of the sweep.

I have a Grizzly bender (the diacro style) a HF bender (hossfeld style)
and a mity-mite from Micro-Mark.

Getting the first bend is easy, but getting the next in plane and in
the right location is triping me up. I don't have anything to guage
off of. Right now, I'm planning on doing the large bend with a bender,
and then setting up an aluminum/rod/aluminum sandwich in a vise to
guide the next bend.

Does anyone have any other ideas, tips, methods, books to get?

Thanks!

-Jeff

what is this for? Could you do the bends all independently and them
butt-weld the rod together?

This is how I do my metal sculpture...

"Jeff" wrote in message
oups.com...

Hi all...

I'm doing a large number of repetative bends in 3/32" and 1/8"
stainless rod.

The problem is that the bends are next to each other (no straight part
in between) or at least very close. I need high repeatability (within
1/16" to 1/32") and need to do tens to hundreds of them. Some
S-curves, some curves with a angle bend, some question-marks, etc...
In one case, I have to make a sweeping bend, and then put a kink in the
end of it without changing the radius of the sweep.

I have a Grizzly bender (the diacro style) a HF bender (hossfeld style)
and a mity-mite from Micro-Mark.

Getting the first bend is easy, but getting the next in plane and in
the right location is triping me up. I don't have anything to guage
off of. Right now, I'm planning on doing the large bend with a bender,
and then setting up an aluminum/rod/aluminum sandwich in a vise to
guide the next bend.

Does anyone have any other ideas, tips, methods, books to get?

Thanks!

-Jeff

They are for glass making tools.

One of them I might be able to weld up, but most of them need to be
smooth over the whole thing.

It may help if I anneal them first to reduce the spring back problems.
They are 308L stainless welding rod.

-Jeff

I had to do a set of hydraulic lines about 3/8 od for a miniature grader
that fit on the front of a bobcat. What I did was make up a inside radius
die for the top pin on the hossfeld. I was able to note each bend by marks
on the position ring below but since the bends were all out of plane. I
used my machinists level to rotate the previous bend out of plane.
I made up a line diagram for each tube between bends I wrote down the
distance and then the roation CCW or CW. The bend degree was noted at the
location on my cardboard. I put the treasured carboard diagram in the
foreman's office. We never got another order so after the first two sets
it went in the garbage.
It sounds like you tolerance is pretty tight. There are CNC bender
services for this kind of thing but it is very expensive until the
quantities go up.
Randy

"Jeff" wrote in message
oups.com...

Hi all...

I'm doing a large number of repetative bends in 3/32" and 1/8"
stainless rod.

The problem is that the bends are next to each other (no straight part
in between) or at least very close. I need high repeatability (within
1/16" to 1/32") and need to do tens to hundreds of them. Some
S-curves, some curves with a angle bend, some question-marks, etc...
In one case, I have to make a sweeping bend, and then put a kink in the
end of it without changing the radius of the sweep.

I have a Grizzly bender (the diacro style) a HF bender (hossfeld style)
and a mity-mite from Micro-Mark.

Getting the first bend is easy, but getting the next in plane and in
the right location is triping me up. I don't have anything to guage
off of. Right now, I'm planning on doing the large bend with a bender,
and then setting up an aluminum/rod/aluminum sandwich in a vise to
guide the next bend.

Does anyone have any other ideas, tips, methods, books to get?

Thanks!

-Jeff

I may end up with CNC bending if the quantaties go up.

I had some success this weekend. I created a custom secondary bending
station with some 2"x2"x1/8" angle (easily mounted in vise) .

I punched holes in the 1/8" and mounted nuts to hold the stock in
place. Clearance was changed by turning the nuts. Then I could put
the secondary bend around one of the corners of the nuts.

Thanks for the tips!

-Jeff


Randy Zimmerman wrote:
I had to do a set of hydraulic lines about 3/8 od for a miniature
grader
that fit on the front of a bobcat. What I did was make up a inside
radius
die for the top pin on the hossfeld. I was able to note each bend by
marks
on the position ring below but since the bends were all out of plane.
I
used my machinists level to rotate the previous bend out of plane.
I made up a line diagram for each tube between bends I wrote down the

distance and then the roation CCW or CW. The bend degree was noted
at the
location on my cardboard. I put the treasured carboard diagram in
the
foreman's office. We never got another order so after the first two
sets
it went in the garbage.
It sounds like you tolerance is pretty tight. There are CNC
bender
services for this kind of thing but it is very expensive until the
quantities go up.
Randy

"Jeff" wrote in message
oups.com...

Hi all...

I'm doing a large number of repetative bends in 3/32" and 1/8"
stainless rod.

The problem is that the bends are next to each other (no straight
part
in between) or at least very close. I need high repeatability
(within
1/16" to 1/32") and need to do tens to hundreds of them. Some
S-curves, some curves with a angle bend, some question-marks,
etc...
In one case, I have to make a sweeping bend, and then put a kink in
the
end of it without changing the radius of the sweep.

I have a Grizzly bender (the diacro style) a HF bender (hossfeld
style)
and a mity-mite from Micro-Mark.

Getting the first bend is easy, but getting the next in plane and
in
the right location is triping me up. I don't have anything to
guage
off of. Right now, I'm planning on doing the large bend with a
bender,
and then setting up an aluminum/rod/aluminum sandwich in a vise to
guide the next bend.

Does anyone have any other ideas, tips, methods, books to get?

Thanks!

-Jeff