Weekend Ring Roller

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I finished a ring roller this weekend.  This was a fun project.  I was worried the whole time I was building it that it wouldn't work.  Damned if it did!! This is the drive roller. Attached Images
Reply:Base without the drive. Attached Images
Reply:The other side. Attached Images
Reply:All put together. Attached Images
Reply:The first ring. Attached Images
Reply:And a smaller one.  I have no idea how to figure out what size rings it will make, or if I want a certain size, how much pressure to put on the metal to achieve it.  I guess it's going to be trial and error.  That's the way I do most things anyway  Attached Images
Reply:OH Yeah!, Did you just go off of a picture? I want to make one of these things..soon.  "after a long day of doing nothing...its gooood to kick back" Pumbaa
Reply:Thats pretty darn slick, what did u do for rollers? And what is the flat bar closest to u doing? CheersLast edited by kELTIC; 02-15-2004 at 08:33 PM.
Reply:It's based on this -- http://www.metalsmith.org/pub/mtlsmith/V20.3/roller.htmI set out to make one like it, but the trial and error stuff took over.
Reply:The rollers are 1 7/8 drill pipe with 1/4" plate for caps.  The axles are 1/2 bolts.  I think the flat bar your referring too is the handle for the drive roller.Last edited by Jim314; 02-15-2004 at 08:49 PM.
Reply:Jim314 To make a certain size ring, figure out the circumference of the ring you want, cut your stock to that length & and start rolling.  Keep rolling it smaller till the ends meet. Your ring is done.
Reply:How to dimension ring stock ~ multiply the outside diameter of the ring x 3.14 to get the length of circumferance stock.  Of course it's always a good idea to have a little extra stock so you don't have to fight with the ends.You'll get a lot better rolling action if you drive 2 rollers, using a chain than you get with 1 driven roller.A steering wheel works a lot better than a crank too.Appreciation Gains You Recognition-
Reply:Nice work, now I need to make one.
Reply:Thanks for posting this. This is on the short list of shop projects, and i was planning on using the same design you did. I was really worried about 'grab' action with only one drive wheel. good to know it actually works.
Reply:How well would that work with square tube? say 1.5" .095 wall? I need to build a fancy gate for the misses. I dont need a full circle, more like an arch with about a 15 foot radius bend in it.
Reply:Well Franz, he hasn't been able to put a wheel on instead of the crank, as he needed the crank on there to make the wheel with.  LOL
Reply:Originally posted by Hickey How well would that work with square tube? say 1.5" .095 wall? I need to build a fancy gate for the misses. I dont need a full circle, more like an arch with about a 15 foot radius bend in it.
Reply:Originally posted by Paychk Jim314 To make a certain size ring, figure out the circumference of the ring you want, cut your stock to that length & and start rolling.  Keep rolling it smaller till the ends meet. Your ring is done.
Reply:Originally posted by Jim314 It wouldn't be capable of rolling square tube that large.
Reply:Originally posted by Hickey What if I made it really really big? like, WAY big? MY wife is gonna kill me if I don't get thi gate done soon.
Reply:There's a nice roller/bender in the Metalworking.com drop box.Of course, since it was built by a machinist, he got a bit exotic with some of the components.http://metalworking.com/DropBox/roller.txthttp://metalworking.com/DropBox/roller.dxfAppreciation Gains You Recognition-
Reply:Whoa Franz, that's way beyond my ability, not to mention my equipment.  Hell, even if I had the equipment, it's still beyond my ability.
Reply:Originally posted by Jim314 Hickey, when I got home tonight, I tried some 1/2" tube in the roller.  I guess if you make it really, really big it would do what you want.  But it sure takes a lot of pressure to bend the tube compared to flat bar, which seem to bend very easily. There's others on the board that know a whole lot more about bending tube than I do.
Reply:I keep tryin to tell you guys, these roller benders are just updated versions of a wheelright's tire roller from 100 years ago.You want to frustrate hell out of yourself, reinventing the wheel, like that machinist did, fine by me, but if you want to build a bender, build one.Start by determining the minimum size you want to roll. make the rollers, and mount them.Appreciation Gains You Recognition-
Reply:Originally posted by Hickey What wall thickness is that tube? The bend I need is less than that one. I need it to rise about 8 inches over a 10 foot span. Maybe if I spaced the lower rollers farther apart, I would be able to acheive enough leverage. Hmmmm, now you have me thinking.www.metalsmith.org/pub/mtlsmith/V20.3/roller.htmhttp://www.metalsmith.org/edu/equipm...re-roller.htmlLast edited by Main; 02-17-2004 at 10:07 AM.
Reply:Nice work Jim ! Does the drive roller have any kind of "teeth", for lack of a more descriptive word, that allow it to grip the metal or is the pressure on it enough to cause it to grip ? - jack
Reply:holy smoke! get a load of this guy rolling rings in this demo video. he is putting some serious effort into that  the girl talking gives metric specs on what he's rolling but I don't do metric   ... it looks like 2" x 3/8" .... beefy stuff !video watching tip: if you right click the link as select "save as" and download the video to your pc then watch it you can see it watch is much easier and quicker than playing it across the net.http://www.metalcraft.addr.com/Machi...eRoller_bb.wmvring roller on this page:http://www.metalcraft.addr.com/large_ring_roller.htmLast edited by morpheus; 02-17-2004 at 12:02 PM.
Reply:Originally posted by morpheus Nice work Jim ! Does the drive roller have any kind of "teeth", for lack of a more descriptive word, that allow it to grip the metal or is the pressure on it enough to cause it to grip ? - jack
Reply:I could have just posted a pic, but I figured you guys could have fun lookin at wheelright equipment.http://www.palouse.net/mcctwigg/equiphot.htmAppreciation Gains You Recognition-
Reply:Morpheus, thanks for the tip.  The video ran much better that way.Wanna-be welder formerly known as Bender
Reply:Really nice job Jim.  Do you have to disassemble anything to get the part out?Pepster
Reply:Thanks Pepster.  Yes, the two arms of the drive roller have to be unscrewed to slide the ring off.
Reply:Thanks Jim, I want to make one of those and I like how yours came together.  With your permission of course.
Reply:Tom, please post some pictures when you get it done.
Reply:I will be making one soon but it will be on a slightly larger scale. I was wondering how much pressure you can obtain with the bolt for a crank. I was thinking of using a small jack or a small hydrolic cylinder with a hand pump
Reply:The bolt handles 3/16" X 1" flat fairly easily, but that's the heaviest stock I've tried.  I'm sure a larger scale along with the addition of hydrolics or a jack would be a great improvement.
Reply:What would be the difference if the gap between the 2 rollers was bigger. Would be easier?
Reply:Probably, but with only one power roller I think it would start slipping.
Reply:Definately a project at the top of my list.If you make a few trial rings measure the flat spot at the beginning of the roll ( the stock has to be started with the end on the far roller creating a flat spot).Then like was mentioned determine the diameter you want.... multiply by pi for the circumference add to this the length of the flat spot... after rolling buck off the length added for the flat spot, weld it up and grab a beer.
Reply:Nice job jim do you have any planes?for that roller that are easy to follow?any info would be great thankx
Reply:I built this ring roller a while back, have only used it on thin material works great. Attached ImagesDoing what I like
Reply:look.s great.you have the planes for it?
Reply:I don't have any plans just pics. from below.www.metalsmith.org/pub/mtlsmith/V20.3/roller.htmDoing what I like
Reply:Nice Work Jim. I'm inspired...I need one of those.William as far as 1" square tube, I've been bending 12' pieces into a 9' span for some time now using a method described hereIt works realy well. You have to compensate for how much spring back occurs and it varies from one stock to another. Ive made a lot of money off this "poor mans" bender.Oh and forget the rest of that weirdos website. He's a tree hugger, PITA member and a Bush Hater. Pres. Bush that is  I do thank him for the bender idea though.Last edited by TPnTX; 11-29-2005 at 09:50 AM.
Reply:Jim I have a question have you thought about what to do when the ring is done it seems to me you will have to tear down the whole mechanism to pull our the ring? IS that true?The machine is perfect better than the one I have none
Reply:Originally Posted by Jim314And a smaller one.  I have no idea how to figure out what size rings it will make, or if I want a certain size, how much pressure to put on the metal to achieve it.  I guess it's going to be trial and error.  That's the way I do most things anyway
Reply:Originally Posted by TPnTXNice Work Jim. I'm inspired...I need one of those.William as far as 1" square tube, I've been bending 12' pieces into a 9' span for some time now using a method described hereIt works realy well. You have to compensate for how much spring back occurs and it varies from one stock to another. Ive made a lot of money off this "poor mans" bender.Oh and forget the rest of that weirdos website. He's a tree hugger, PITA member and a Bush Hater. Pres. Bush that is  I do thank him for the bender idea though.
Reply:nice.
Reply:Originally Posted by raider12TPnTX,what is the webiste to the poor mans bending method, i know its an old post but I am very interested in new ideas.