Evolution of a Ring Bender / Ring Roller Machine

Intro: Evolution of a Ring Bender / Ring Roller Machine

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.

STEP 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.

STEP 2: Let's Get Rolling

I cut a 2-1/2 inch piece off of the rubber roller using a band-saw. It cut very nicely and I'm sure it could have been done with a hack-saw. The rubber on the printer roller fit tightly inside the rubber. I tried to bend the roller to make a crank in the vice but realized I didn't have the strength so I cut it off and attached a wheel instead. 

Next I took two bed frame casters, added some electrical tape to make them bigger on the edges as opposed to narrower on the edge as they first appeared. I found some steel plates that seemed to be appropriate but could just as easily have used some angle iron. The 2x10 is added for a sturdy support. All the weight of the bender will push against it so I wanted to be sure it was solid. These plates ensured that the casters would not rotate. An added bonus that can be achieved by simply adding screws on either side of the brass frame of the caster. Drill into the wood where it seems like the center wheel has enough room to come right up in between.

I attached the caster frame to the jaw by drilling out the hole and removing the screws that hold the jaw. I saved the jaw for later and screwed it all down to a 2x10 piece I had laying around.

STEP 3: Let's See It in Action

I'm bending an 8 foot piece into a circle 2.5 feet in diameter. I tried it on the floor but realized I would have troubles. I decided to mount it on the fence. It was a good choice. While running the piece back and forth I noticed that the rubber wheel wormed itself away from the shaft when I fed the piece in from the left. If I fed from the right there was no problem. The rubber around the printer roller is being slowly destroyed while I operate but it's not so fast that I can't fix it. I'm thinking about silicon caulking.

It works like a charm and I will definitely be keep it around for bending jobs like this one. The best I could do by hand pales in comparison to what comes out of this thing. Once I figured where I wanted to set the roller I marked it. I loosened off and got the flat stock in there, reset the jaw and it curled up perfectly first roll through. The aluminum is work hardened and retains the curve well.

Comments

[DanieleS8]

This is cool. Where did you get the rollers?

[jds1969]

I believe they are heavy duty casters for a king-sized bed frame.

[DanieleS8]

Ah I can see that now thank you.

[StephenW207]

Ha ha, what a coincidence, I'm the technician that made the vice mounted ring rollers that inspired your instructable. I was Senior Tech at Wimbledon College of Art Theatre Metalwork Dept when I made them, that was a few years back, students used them for making hoops for skirts and for crinolines and stuff. Not at Wimbledon anymore, but had to make myself another set recently and copied my old design but made the rollers out of hardwood, still worked a treat. I can't believe this tool is not available to buy. Love your 'lash-up' (I mean that respectfully) I like the use of the ready-made that you've incorporated. Well done!

BTW, it's 'vice' if you're English ;-)

[jds1969]

That is a coincidence. I'm Canadian so we struggle with the British and American spelling all the time. Glad you like my variation on the theme.

[fly_boy_bc]

Exactly what I have been looking for! I need a simple way to make a tubing roller for a 1 time project. Even cheap HF rollers are hundreds of dollars and I only need to make 4 rings (and 2 of those are spares!) so buying one is OO the question. Most DIY versions are overkill and made to last. I can cobble something like this together for 0$ and a weekend of piddling around. I actually prefer the big vice version that inspired this smaller one. It is simpler.

[pastorboy0]

Neat project, one thing to note though: Aluminum doesn't work harden, it fatigues when subject to stress. The steel probably isn't retaining shape because it has some spring in it. If you anneal it with a torch (time and temperature vary with differing kinds of steel), it will retain its shape much better.

[fly_boy_bc]

Totally and absolutely wrong. Aluminum certainly does work harden. That is the CAUSE of fatigue.

[dustbuster7000]

Who told you aluminium doesn't work harden? Strain or work hardening is one of the principle methods of strengthening aluminium alloys, especially those that can't be aged or heat treated. H-series alloys are all work-hardening, T-series alloys are hardened through heat treatment and aging (natural or artificial). Aluminium will certainly fatigue when subject to cyclic stress, but most metals will also. In fact, work hardening alloys are at potentially greater risk of fatigue failure due to localized over-hardening and embrittlement in high stressed areas.

[jds1969]

I would recommend you not do that with plastic casters and a rubber wheel. In that case you might want to switch to metal wheels/rollers. The aluminum may fatigue but it certainly stiffens to hold the curve better than it held it's form as a straight bar.

[colinmcc]

Nicely done.. BTW guitar builders use a baby version of this idea to bend fret wire to match the radius of a guitar neck's fingerboard.

[sconner1]

If you flip the jig over so the center rolled comes down on the work, it will bend upward. Allowing you to place the jig on the floor and the work size is only limited by overhead space.

[jds1969]

You are correct. I was just looking for a quick way to get going but that would have worked fine as well. I would have made a base plate or something for it to stand up on its end. Thanks.

[juliadee]

A "vice" is a bad habit. A "vise" is a tool for clamping things.

[reborne]

aaah, Juliadee, I too was gonna correct you and say that in the UK we call it a vice. Then I noticed he calls Aluminium "Aluminum" and decided you were probably right :-D LOL

[juliadee]

:-)

[jds1969]

Very witty.

[jds1969]

From Wikipedia:

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.

[derte84]

Nerdy answer, love it!

[jds1969]

Well......it's not Facebook! :-)