Thoughts on a bend or two?

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Newbie post.I want to replicate a part. It is made of 1/4" steel. This is a preliminary drawing of the part. I have a a 20 ton H press. But I don't have any bending tools yet. I have a Hossfeld bender but I never set it up. I really need to build a hydraulic unit for it I don't have the room to bolt it in the middle of the floor.I'm looking for thoughts on the best way to reproduce the bends in the picture.
Reply:If you have a vehicle with a receiver trailer hitch adapt a section of 2" square tube to mount the Hossfeld bender to the hitch. The weight of the vehicle will hold the bender so that you will be able to use it and you can park wherever you have the room.Otherwise, the angled offset bends are an easy bend on your 20 ton press. Use a Visegrip or clamp to hold the part to the press's table, another Visegrip to hold a short section of key stock at the bend location (s) and press down on the key stock. I did the same bend (s) as yours on my 20 ton press when fabricating an accessory "L" arm for my Hossfeld out of 2" X 1/2" stock...so it is possible. The round curve bends may be a bit more difficult, but if you find the proper diameter stock for a backer die for each radius bend you can go at it a bit at a time with your press and should get good results.Photo of the "L" arm sitting in the bottom shelf of my bender table. BTW, hydraulic is no real problem. All the hydraulic conversion is shop built. Attached ImagesLincoln PrecisionTig 275Miller 251Miller DialArc 250Bridgeport millHossfeld bender & diesLogan shaperJet 14 X 40 latheSouth Bend 9" 'C'Hypertherm 900Ellis 3000 band saw21"Royersford ExcelsiorTwo shops, still too many tools.
Reply:Nice setup! A quick search brought up hours of reading.Last edited by Kozmic1520; 12-30-2012 at 11:45 AM.
Reply:Originally Posted by Kozmic1520Nice setup! Do you have any pics or plans of that hydraulic setup?
Reply:Also, you don't need to bolt the Hossfeld in the middle of the room. It also does not need to be permanent. I built a socket that 4" square tube slips into. I bolted it to the concrete outside the shop. I had the bender there for a long time. But I also have several other tools that I welded 4" tube stubs onto. When I want to se them I slip them into the socket, pull them out when done. The Hossfeld bender will do all those bends easily, and by hand.
Reply:Walker's correct. I'd get your Hossfeld set up and be done with that project. Snail mail on the address...those drawing aren't digitalized.Lincoln PrecisionTig 275Miller 251Miller DialArc 250Bridgeport millHossfeld bender & diesLogan shaperJet 14 X 40 latheSouth Bend 9" 'C'Hypertherm 900Ellis 3000 band saw21"Royersford ExcelsiorTwo shops, still too many tools.
Reply:Just remembered...somebody I sent the plans to posted them on ShopFloorTalk. Here is the link and as I said, they're cheesy.http://shopfloortalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16715If you need to see how it all goes together just Youtube search 'Hossfeld bender' and there should be more than plenty videos of the hydraulic attachment in operation.Last edited by WyoRoy; 12-30-2012 at 12:18 PM.Lincoln PrecisionTig 275Miller 251Miller DialArc 250Bridgeport millHossfeld bender & diesLogan shaperJet 14 X 40 latheSouth Bend 9" 'C'Hypertherm 900Ellis 3000 band saw21"Royersford ExcelsiorTwo shops, still too many tools.
Reply:This is how my old bender was built.  As I recall it was a 36" ram and L brackets are added to the bender head to do 180 degree bends.  Makes it longer but is capable of doing 90 degree bends without repositioning the ratcheting mechanism.http://americanbender.com/id5.html
Reply:How many do you have to do? I have done MANY MANY different bends in the bench vise and a 2lb hammer. For strait bends I just put the part in the vise and beat on it till I get the bend I want from strait to 90 degrees. For radius bends like the one on the left in the picture I would put a pipe/tube in the vise with the part and hammer the part around the pipe to form the radius bend.
Reply:Originally Posted by WyoRoyShot me a PM with your address and I have some cheesy drawings that will get you there. You're on your own as far as the hydraulic pumping unit and controls as there are too many variables involved depending upon what you use. I'm using a hydraulic power head my neighbor brought home from the coal mine he worked at for free, but it was designed for use on a single acting cylinder and I had to modify the design a bit to get it to work on a double acting cylinder...reroute a return line through the breather port and add a logger splitter valve.
Reply:By all means, have at it.Lincoln PrecisionTig 275Miller 251Miller DialArc 250Bridgeport millHossfeld bender & diesLogan shaperJet 14 X 40 latheSouth Bend 9" 'C'Hypertherm 900Ellis 3000 band saw21"Royersford ExcelsiorTwo shops, still too many tools.