I read an interesting instructable about a metal bender and then I saw the most interesting photo of a theatrical workshop tool. I formulated an idea and it quickly turned into a new tool.
Remove these ads by
Signing UpStep 1: Preparing the vice
I am only planning to bend aluminum and galvanized steel wire so I don't need a hydraulic jack and I know that drill press vices can be had for about $20. I decided to go get one and look for a roller of some kind at the same time. I ended up using a marine rubber roller. I assume they are used for ropes. It is hard rubber about 12in long and 2 inch in diameter with a 3/4in hole in the center. I figured it was about perfect to put a roller from a laser printer in the center.
The drill press vice comes with a puny piece of steel holding down the floating jaw. In my case I need a lower support for my roller so I needed to upgrade it. I found an old clamp piece from a bed frame that I had saved. It was solid and fit the bill nicely. In addition to the rollers I also had some brass bushings and plastic bearings. I used a short piece of aluminum track and a little UHMW plastic to house the bushings. At the end I drilled down through my new hold-down plate. This will take all the forward thrust when I tighten the roller on the workpiece. Essentially this pushes the upper bearing back against the floating jaw.
If you don't have that I suggest you use an angle iron on the jaw like the original picture and then drill down through both to support your roller. A vice and a step drill bit make this operation a lot easier. A drill press is best but a vice is essential when drilling metal. Never attempt to drill metal without one.
The drill press vice comes with a puny piece of steel holding down the floating jaw. In my case I need a lower support for my roller so I needed to upgrade it. I found an old clamp piece from a bed frame that I had saved. It was solid and fit the bill nicely. In addition to the rollers I also had some brass bushings and plastic bearings. I used a short piece of aluminum track and a little UHMW plastic to house the bushings. At the end I drilled down through my new hold-down plate. This will take all the forward thrust when I tighten the roller on the workpiece. Essentially this pushes the upper bearing back against the floating jaw.
If you don't have that I suggest you use an angle iron on the jaw like the original picture and then drill down through both to support your roller. A vice and a step drill bit make this operation a lot easier. A drill press is best but a vice is essential when drilling metal. Never attempt to drill metal without one.
Visit Our Store »
Go Pro Today »
A vise or vice (see American and British English spelling differences) is a mechanical screw apparatus used for holding or clamping a work piece to allow work to be performed on it with tools such as saws, planes, drills, mills, screwdrivers, sandpaper, etc. Vises usually have one fixed jaw and another, parallel, jaw which is moved towards or away from the fixed jaw by the screw.