How do you make a shepards hook?

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How do you make a shepards hook with out a torch? My wife wants me to make one for the bird feeder. Is there any easy way to bend the metal with out heat?
Reply:Strength. You'll have to wrap it around a pole, post, tree. You'll need some way to hold it in place while your wrapping it around, large clamp, ratchet strap ect.Brett B & B Fabrication and Welding Inc.Spalding, MI.
Reply:OK I got that. How about the little hook to hold the bird feeder of plant. Just more strenght?
Reply:You didn't mention the thickness.  1/2" sq the hard way is the thickest I would bend cold the method below. 9/16" round max.  and hot rolled steelA bending jig would work.  Basically two forks stick up. Bump it along until you get the shape you want.  The small hook can be gotten the same way, however you need to control where the leverage in applied because it will tend to be away from the fulcrum on small tight bends I use pipe for the forks and use F-bars to walk it along keeping the rod tight to the pipe jig.The are photos of bending jigs around.  Bob uses a square tube to hammer the curves.  You could modify my the scroll bender I posted also.Also, a conduit bender will work.
Reply:1/2 round I guess, not sure.Do you have a picture? I think I have it (in miy minds eye).I'm not sure wahyt an f bar is. The pipe is a good idea. I use one when I make the golf bar roller coasters.
Reply:If you can find an old drop-rake you will have enough hooks to weld onto posts to make a lot of feeders.Gordie -- "I believe you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant."
Reply:Pick up a mapp Torch at Home Depot/LowesThey'll be slow but you can get a lot of work outta the little guys.I have a O/A set and still use the Mapp torch for some things.You can set it on a work bench and use both hands to work the metalEd Conleyhttp://www.screamingbroccoli.com/MM252MM211 (Sold)Passport Plus & Spool gunLincoln SP135 Plus- (Gone to a good home)Klutch 120v Plasma cutterSO 2020 benderBeer in the fridge
Reply:i saw a guy make dies to use the top ofhis bender to make hooks and other bends Attached Images
Reply:That's pretty cool idea to use the top of the bender. I will start on doing the same thing tomorrow, I like it that much.
Reply:I finally made the Shepard's Hook for the wife today. About the easiest thing I have done.  I just clamped the pipes to the table and walked the 1/2 hot rolled round bar around. The hook portion was done the same way except I used a pipe for leverage. Total time from start to finish less than 10 minutes and I walk and work slow.I'm going to post the painted finished product on the teachers web page at school and see if I can sell any. What do you think , does $20 sound fair for a 6'?reber Attached Images
Reply:good job on the hook! but it will be hard to sell yours for $20.00 when walmart has the china ones for $9.00 every day, this is where you need to add you own touch make them unique and not like all the others, cut out a Bird silhouette or something and weld to the top
Reply:jon1996 Walmart sells them for $9.00? My god. I based my price on a set I saw at a sort of fancy garden type store, they wanted $35.I may have to break out the scroll bender and the imagination.
Reply:I made one for my wife and I added a "vine" made out of coat hanger, and some leafs cut out of sheet metal with tin snips.  I painted them dark green.  Then she added details to the leafs.  They turned out really nice.
Reply:JC Please post a picture.You are going to leave my skill set/ability.
Reply:I wish I had one to post.  It was 3-4 years ago.  We wound up building about 10 to sell at a flea market.  Since those WERE hand painted and had some "bling" to them, we did sell them for $20.  The point I was trying to make was that to sell them for more than the Chinese models from WalMart, you need to make them extra special.
Reply:I understand the point
Reply:If the Local garden shop sells them for 35.00 sell em' for $15.00.As mentioned, Chinamart, knocks the sheeite outta prices on stuff like this.Even if you price match Wallmart or say 10 bux a piece and sell 10 of them= 100 buxOf course you have to figger in cost of materials tooEd Conleyhttp://www.screamingbroccoli.com/MM252MM211 (Sold)Passport Plus & Spool gunLincoln SP135 Plus- (Gone to a good home)Klutch 120v Plasma cutterSO 2020 benderBeer in the fridge
Reply:It amazes me how cheap some of the stuff at walmart and tractor supply is. I like making my own stuff (most of the time) it some cases you can by the steel for what they sell the finished product at.
Reply:Originally Posted by ReebsIt amazes me how cheap some of the stuff at walmart and tractor supply is. I like making my own stuff (most of the time) it some cases you can by the steel for what they sell the finished product at.
Reply:I have a friend at Wallmart corporate if i recall correctly they get in trouble if they go over 3% profit on an item, and they at all cost have to be cheaper than any local competitors. I have never bought one thing from them, only time I was in a Wallmart was with my my friend that works for corporate in Bentonville AR. Its like a cult!
Reply:Walmart= Evil!Tim Beeker.
Reply:Originally Posted by tnjindWalmart= Evil!
Reply:This one?http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/chinablue/These Independent Lens films are done with the best quality.or better yet the full film on googlev ideos:http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...ent=firefox-a#Last edited by nikodell; 01-03-2010 at 09:03 AM.
Reply:Originally Posted by nikodellThis one?http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/chinablue/These Independent Lens films are done with the best quality.or better yet the full film on googlev ideos:http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...ent=firefox-a#
Reply:I have made about 5 thousand shepherds hooks in the last 10 years. Never any heat on any of them. The best ones are from 1/2" sq bar and twisted. I can get 40 bucks from most of them. Those are my dies on the pic above mounted on a 49 dollar HF bender...Bob Attached ImagesBob WrightSalem, Ohio  Birthplace of the Silver & Deming Drillhttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/southbend10k/http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sawking/1999 Miller MM185 w/ Miller 185 Spoolmate spoolgunHey Reebs you are like only 40 minutes from me grab some rod and come on over when it warms up. Give ya some great lessons and ideas...BobBob WrightSalem, Ohio  Birthplace of the Silver & Deming Drillhttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/southbend10k/http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sawking/1999 Miller MM185 w/ Miller 185 Spoolmate spoolgun
Reply:Way to go Bob! That's what we like to hear. Thats why you put your location at the top guys. You never know...  .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:I like the looks of the square better than the round ones, and with a little twist you can sure fancy them up. Just a question, any tips on the twists? I always have to straighten the ends on each side of the twists?
Reply:Originally Posted by afabI like the looks of the square better than the round ones, and with a little twist you can sure fancy them up. Just a question, any tips on the twists? I always have to straighten the ends on each side of the twists?
Reply:Bob I will try the square twisted look. Thanks for postingDave ReberWadsworth Ohio
Reply:Bob I will take you up on the offer some day.Dave ReberWadsworth Ohio
Reply:Ok, thats about what I made except I don't have the split die. I just have the solid die adjustable up and down the post and my handle is like yours, but they are usually bent on either side of the twists. maybe mine doesn't fit tight enough? After looking again, My handle die goes over a sleeve instead of inside like yours. I'll have to check that after it thaws out a little here.Last edited by afab; 01-03-2010 at 05:40 PM.