Bending 1/2 " round bar

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I don't have a roller, and I know I can bend round bar using a wood "mold", but I was wondering what other methods people have used to bend round bar.  I am looking for something like this: Attached ImagesThe Lord has declared, "This is my work and my glory--to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man"  Moses 1:39Link: My name is John, and I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.-- ColdCreekWorks.com --
Reply:I forgot to mention that I don't have O/A to heat the bar.The Lord has declared, "This is my work and my glory--to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man"  Moses 1:39Link: My name is John, and I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.-- ColdCreekWorks.com --
Reply:I don't want to work this hard......  (guy pounding round bar with a hammer on an anvil)The Lord has declared, "This is my work and my glory--to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man"  Moses 1:39Link: My name is John, and I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.-- ColdCreekWorks.com --
Reply:Have you considered an inexpensive propane torch for heating?  Depending on the number you need to do this might get it done without resorting to brute force + anvil The blue propane bottles are only a few bucks - my guess is that you would use them up pretty quick, but the cash outlay is super modest.Hobart LX235Victor 250 Oxy-Acetylene Rig (welding and cutting)Bobcat 773F-350, 1999, 4x4, 16' 10K# trailerOutdoor Wood Burner - 10 cords/year
Reply:Originally Posted by gwileyHave you considered an inexpensive propane torch for heating?  Depending on the number you need to do this might get it done without resorting to brute force + anvil The blue propane bottles are only a few bucks - my guess is that you would use them up pretty quick, but the cash outlay is super modest.
Reply:Originally Posted by jdh239I have a little propylene torch, but it takes a long time to heat up a small section of steel.  Does propane burn hotter?
Reply:Hey jdh,I want to ask you a couple questions to clarify your exact needs. I will offer some suggestions that you may find useful.1)  The pic on your 1st post shows the radius of the rod converging to the support frame bracket, spot welded, then the radius rod continues to the next support, & so on to the total circumference is completed. Is this what you want to do? Make a one-piece circular bracing with the rod?2)  Have you considered just making the individual radius rods & then joining at the flat bracket to weld?3)  Do you have a small hydraulic press & a welder or access to a welder?I always try to encourage the youngsters/newbies & inexperienced hobby fellows to provide as much information as possible to allow the experienced fellows to respond with a better, more detailed solution. You need to enlighten us as to how you are equipped so we can direct your approach easily & logically.Ok, if you have a hydraulic press, you can make a simple bending jig like the one I will post that will allow you to make your radius pieces easily. This jig can bend past 90* if necessary or a gentle long radius as you only need to vary pressure & move the rod for your amount of radius. If you don't have a welder to make one, find someone who can weld it for you. It is simple & easy to make.Next, you can grind an angle on the ends to mate together at the welding point & then weld completely to close in the joint & grind down to finish that would look to be one-piece. If you plan on making several of these, you can learn production techniques that will make it cost-effective to make multiple pieces at a time & then assemble/weld for the finished product. Here's some pics of the rod jig I made & some sample pieces to test the limits of it. Ok....your turn....answer the questions to make us understand how you want to do this.Denny Attached ImagesComplete Welding/Machine/Fab. ShopMobile UnitFinally retired*Moderator*"A man's word is his honor...without honor there is nothing.""Words are like bullets.... Once they leave your muzzle, you cannot get them back."
Reply:Originally Posted by yorkiepapHey jdh,I want to ask you a couple questions to clarify your exact needs. I will offer some suggestions that you may find useful.1)  The pic on your 1st post shows the radius of the rod converging to the support frame bracket, spot welded, then the radius rod continues to the next support, & so on to the total circumference is completed. Is this what you want to do? Make a one-piece circular bracing with the rod?2)  Have you considered just making the individual radius rods & then joining at the flat bracket to weld?3)  Do you have a small hydraulic press & a welder or access to a welder?
Reply:Your press would be great, but I would need a half moon shape, maybe a foot in width or bigger.The Lord has declared, "This is my work and my glory--to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man"  Moses 1:39Link: My name is John, and I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.-- ColdCreekWorks.com --
Reply:Assuming you are looking at the sharper bend in the photo.Then, buy or make a bender.  hf compact bender is cheap.  I wouldn't waste gas heating 1/2" stock, perhaps if it were just one,  For the larger radius, mount a bending jig to a table and bump it along until you get what you want. jig= two post or tubing mounted to a table, insert stock and bend.With appropriate dies on a Hossfeld or American bender would do the larger radius with one pull.  However, price would be around 1K new.
Reply:Like I've said before, Hossfeld-Shmossfeld. The video is pretty funny. I can appreciate doing things the "old " way for fun, but come on! I'm not sure of why you're averse, if you are, to cutting a plywood half/full circle. I'm probably at 100,000 bends on plywood bucks and counting. 1/2" is no problem to bend a full circle, by hand , cold, down to around a 10" dia. circle. Slices of big pipe work as well as wheel rims.Or, draw your curve on the floor/ bench/ piece of paper and bend the 1/2" using two solid bars welded to your bench or clamped in a vise. We call them "Tuning Forks". I've got a set permanently welded to the corner of my bench. They get used as much as my welder. If you want bends like yorkiepap drill a 1/2" hole in some 1/2" plate and clamp in a vise. Bend away to your hearts content. You can make an adjustable stop to do repeats. You can do 3/4" like this too. Plywoods is cheap and if you get some good stuff it'll last. I cut out crescents that nested together to get a variety of size curves plus it maximized what I get out of a sheet. Leave about 6" between cuts. Save your money and buy metal to bend not a Shmossfeld! 200amp Air Liquide MIG, Hypertherm Plasma, Harris torches, Optrel helmet, Makita angle grinders, Pre-China Delta chop saw and belt sander, Miller leathers, shop made jigs etc, North- welders backpack.
Reply:Well, it qualifies as spending money.  But the Harbor Freight Roll Bender is $159 right now, which is $127 so long as you remember to print out one of their 20% off coupons before you go in.  I'm a homeowner and a hobbyist, but I used it to make an arched canopy to cover where I park my car.  I've got plans to use it again to make some big arches for shade fabric over my patio, and I'm even thinking of making a steel pergola for my back yard with it, which will mean finding a way to widen the 1/2" square dies to a thicker size.  I say all that because if you've already got a press brake, then you've been bitten at least a little bit by the fabrication bug.If you've got no use for any further curves in your metal projects outside of this one, then a wooden buck is easy and gets you repeatable bends with nothing more than scrap plywood and a little muscle.Jack OlsenMy garage website
Reply:If you only need a few and you're looking to do this on the cheap then I have a suggestion.  Gather/assemble the following:Vice gripsLeather glovesPlywood circle cut to proper radiusFriendBucket of waterMetal stockSmall, hot campfireBeer (optional....but not really)Start a fire and some coals going.  Drop your stock in the fire.  Wait/drink a few beers with your friend until the stock is an EVEN cherry red.  Pull the stock out one section at a time.  As you bend the hot metal around the plywood form have your friend slowly pour the water over the wood that has contacted the metal as you continue the bend in order to quench the fire (there will be instant fire).  Repeat as necessicary.I'm a backyard blacksmith and my forge isn't big enough to accomodate large stock.  When the wife wanted a shepard's hook for a potted plant I built a fire and bent the stock around a form just as described.  It works, it's cheap, and we had fun.  Good luck!!