Flat track barn door hardware

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Has anyone ever made any of this type of hardware?  The sites I have found want $300+ for a hardware kit.  The flat bar and stand-offs seem pretty easy.  How about the ball bearing rollers.  What would be the best way to make those?  For the bracket to hold the rollers I was just thinking instead of a rounded piece to just make it square or to make a wood form and heat and bend around.Any opinions or ideas? Attached Images
Reply:I would personally just make the ball bearing rollers on my lathe.  Really a simple project.For the bracket to hold the rollers, a compact bender would do that easily.--Wintermute"No man's knowledge here can go beyond his experience." - John Lockewww.improvised-engineering.comManufacturer Agnostic:Blood----------Sweat---------Tears----|------------------|----------------|----Lincoln Red, Miller Blue, Esab Yellow
Reply:I'd look at some v-belt idler pulleys with the bearing already in them.
Reply:Originally Posted by wintermuteI would personally just make the ball bearing rollers on my lathe.  Really a simple project.For the bracket to hold the rollers, a compact bender would do that easily.--Wintermute
Reply:Ryanjax, where are you located?  If you're near me, you could use one of my benders to bend the brackets.--Wintermute"No man's knowledge here can go beyond his experience." - John Lockewww.improvised-engineering.comManufacturer Agnostic:Blood----------Sweat---------Tears----|------------------|----------------|----Lincoln Red, Miller Blue, Esab Yellow
Reply:If you only need one size, you can fab up a bender fairly easily..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:If you have scrap laying around - you have every tool you'll ever needDave J,.Dave J.Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw~ Syncro 350Invertec v250-sThermal Arc 161 and 300MM210DialarcTried being normal once, didn't take....I think it was a Tuesday.
Reply:Originally Posted by RyanjaxJust looked up the compact bender, that would be the ticket, but I don't have one of those The idler pulley looks like a good idea, I'll have to shop around for those
Reply:I updated my profile, I'm in Jacksonville, FL.  The lathe would be an ideal tool for this, but alas I don't have one of those either.
Reply:Originally Posted by ironwingsMake one, more practice.  Angle iron with 2 posts, size of inside bend.
Reply:Like your reply Dave.  It's true a scrap pile, torch, welder and grinder you can "gitter done"1938 Lincoln SA 600 1973 Lincoln SAE 3001984 Lincoln Sa 250DF800 Ford with 10 ton craneVictor and Harris torches.Rolair compressorSouthbend 13" latheAtlas Mill
Reply:[QUOTE=Ryanjax;2297611]Do you have picture of what a home-made one looks like?[/QUOTEIt' take me about 20 min. but I'll get you a picture.  I have several.1938 Lincoln SA 600 1973 Lincoln SAE 3001984 Lincoln Sa 250DF800 Ford with 10 ton craneVictor and Harris torches.Rolair compressorSouthbend 13" latheAtlas Mill
Reply:Originally Posted by ironwingsLike your reply Dave.  It's true a scrap pile, torch, welder and grinder you can "gitter done"
Reply:[quote=ironwings;2297671] Originally Posted by RyanjaxDo you have picture of what a home-made one looks like?[/QUOTEIt' take me about 20 min. but I'll get you a picture.  I have several.
Reply:see if we are computer savy enough to "gitter done"  Ok then.  First pic is of the bender in the post vice.  Need a pretty solid mount for cold bending.  Posts are 1" about 2 `1/2 in. apart 2 1/2 in tall.  you would need prolly 2" in diameter bend so 2" pipe or rod.  Stop could be anything solid enough to hold it.  If you have heat won't take much to hold it.  Second pic. is of the bending wrench setting in it ( for purposes of picture)  That's made out of 3/4 rod.  That's a simple one.  I have made a bunch of these, different sizes for different jobs.  I am building a hosfeld style right now.  Scrap, imagination, welder, torch, grinder = tools for the job.  Have fun. Attached Images1938 Lincoln SA 600 1973 Lincoln SAE 3001984 Lincoln Sa 250DF800 Ford with 10 ton craneVictor and Harris torches.Rolair compressorSouthbend 13" latheAtlas Mill
Reply:[quote=Ryanjax;2297691] Originally Posted by ironwingsThank you!!!
Reply:[quote=ironwings;2297791] Originally Posted by RyanjaxAlso check surplus Center or Baily (sp) Hydraulics for the rollers.
Reply:Looks like the ticket to me.  Little spendy but not bad.  Beats $3001938 Lincoln SA 600 1973 Lincoln SAE 3001984 Lincoln Sa 250DF800 Ford with 10 ton craneVictor and Harris torches.Rolair compressorSouthbend 13" latheAtlas Mill
Reply:Ironwings,I'm having a hard time picturing how you use the bender you posted pictures of.  Do I need to find some drops of a 2" diameter pipe to use as a forming die and how does the follower work?I do have O/A with a rosebud tip to heat it up.  Sure do wish I wouldn't have sold my JD2...RyanLast edited by Ryanjax; 02-18-2013 at 05:40 PM.
Reply:[QUOTE=Ryanjax;2297951]Ironwings,I'm having a hard time picturing how you use the bender you posted pictures of.  Do I need to find some drops of a 2" diameter pipe to use as a forming die and how does the follower work?Ryan[/QUOTENo follower.  Place flat bar between legs.  Bend metal around 1 leg.  The other leg is used as a stop.  The bending wrench is mostly used to form circles in the bender.  I pictured it because it was with the bending fork.  If you measure your leg on the bracket from center of hole to beginning of bend and mark it, then heat about 4 to 5 inches of your bar it will be easy to bend.  It takes a little practice to get the bar in just the right place on the forming leg but you soon learn.  Advice:  Keep your bar up on the legs just slightly to stay away from the welds on the legs.  They distort your bend.  This is typical blacksmith stuff.  Videos available on you tube and from books in your local library.  I'm a reader so I have a good selection.  Bending wrench also gives you control where metal is hot.  I suggested the 2 in pipe because it would be about right for the width.  Probably 1 1/2 would be better as that would be closer to 2" between the legs on your project.  This kind of stuff gets better with practice.1938 Lincoln SA 600 1973 Lincoln SAE 3001984 Lincoln Sa 250DF800 Ford with 10 ton craneVictor and Harris torches.Rolair compressorSouthbend 13" latheAtlas Mill
Reply:Ryan  Start your scrap heap now.  Like Dave said "there is an unlimited supply of tools under the work bench.  Imagination is the most valuable tool you have.  Think about what you want your finished project to look like and go about discovering how to build the tool to make it work.  Look at books, talk to people.  You tube is really good.  I am not fantastic on a computer but I have found more info on there than you can shake a stick at.  Over the years I have built many many tools, parts and machines.  I made a U Joint when I was 300 miles back in the bush and got by until I could get new.  Necessity is the mother of invention.  Don1938 Lincoln SA 600 1973 Lincoln SAE 3001984 Lincoln Sa 250DF800 Ford with 10 ton craneVictor and Harris torches.Rolair compressorSouthbend 13" latheAtlas Mill
Reply:Thanks for all the help on this!!!  I have the scrap heap.  I usually try to buy an extra stick of what ever i'm using so when stuff like this pops up I can just grab it.  I'm impatient like that.  Thank you again, this should make the wife quite happy!
Reply:Ryan:  Go to You tube and look up "blacksmith bending tools.  DaveAl has a short video on there about making chairs out of 7/8 square bar.  He uses a tool like the one I sent  pictures of.  I have several different sizes of these.  Cheap but effective.1938 Lincoln SA 600 1973 Lincoln SAE 3001984 Lincoln Sa 250DF800 Ford with 10 ton craneVictor and Harris torches.Rolair compressorSouthbend 13" latheAtlas Mill
Reply:Seen a bunch of bearing pulleys at Tractor Supply. Maybe $15 apiece for the ones you may need.POVERTY...is the Mother of InventionMillermatic 211Millermatic 140Miller Thunderbolt XLArcOne 100STS inverter w/TIGThermal Dynamics 38XL Victor Oxy/AcetyleneJancy Slugger Holemaker IIJet 5x6 BandsawNever enough time & sleep.
Reply:I made one of these a few years ago.  I used 5/16 flatbar and bent it around a 2 inch pipe nipple i got from HD.  i clamped one end to the bench and then clamped the pipe to the flat bar and left the other end really long.  Then i just muscled it 90% of the way.  The last 1/2" or so i used a c-clamp to bring the two sides of the upside down U to parallel.  I drilled the hole after i bent it, with a spacer in between so the flatbar wouldn't flex.  The roller i got from McMaster-Carr.  I think i spent around $50 total including paint.HTP Invertig 201 w/coolerLincoln Pro-MIG 175Lincoln Squarewave 300 TIGMM251At my local hardware store they sale HD sliding glass door hardware ( in the Hillman bolt bins). I made a slide out tray on my welding trailor with them and I think that I have had around as much as 800 lbs on it. They cost 3.49 each here in Colorado.
Reply:Does the door have to hang? I made a big sliding door from mostly scraps last year that rolls in a channel in the floor. There a guide up top the door sldes in, but it carries no weight.You would want something more heavy duty for a barn, but not hanging the door would make it easier.Just a thought. Attached ImagesLast edited by scott brunsdon; 02-20-2013 at 09:33 PM.Yeah, I carry.House keys, wallet, some change, usually a newspaper, maybe a pen.
Reply:Plenty of sheaves and grooved bearings available cheap, just  google 'em.  http://www.mcmaster.com/#rope-pulleys/=lkgp7t
Reply:Is this what you are looking for?http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/Cas...WB9?Pid=search
Reply:I found these: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1They should fit the bill.  I also found two sections of 2" rod and two sections of 1" rod to make a bending fork.
Reply:What size pulley are you looking for the track?  I have access to 2" pulleys with bearings
Reply:I ended up going with the 4" wheels from amazon.  I have two 2.5" sections of 2" rod that I am going to weld together to make bending forks.  I also went to the navy repair facility to get these and they said that I could use any of their machines.  This is a GIGANTIC machine shop.  I asked the guy on ebay for a set of drawings for his "blacksmith bending jig" but have not received any response.  If I can get those I can mill up that round plate and bend whatever I want!!!!  Kinda excited right now, but for now I'm using my vice and two 2" rods to bend this.  Thanks again for all the help from everyone that contributed.
Reply:Ironwings said (Advice: Keep your bar up on the legs just slightly to stay away from the welds on the legs. They distort your bend.)One way to avoid this is to weld your pipe post around the inside instead of the outside, if it is short enough. If using a solid pin, plug weld it through the back side so there is no weld to worry about messing up your bend. These are pretty easy to use and get good results from with a little practice.
Reply:Originally Posted by rnrfabIronwings said (Advice: Keep your bar up on the legs just slightly to stay away from the welds on the legs. They distort your bend.)One way to avoid this is to weld your pipe post around the inside instead of the outside, if it is short enough. If using a solid pin, plug weld it through the back side so there is no weld to worry about messing up your bend. These are pretty easy to use and get good results from with a little practice.