Basic backwoods radius benders

[1gary]

The race team's shop that I am part owner of is some 60 miles away from me with the full compliment of metal working tools/machines that we built up over the yrs.Not hard to have spent $1,000's of dollars on that.My own personal shop I have only some limited body hammers while I build up my own tools and equipment for metal fab.

I didn't even have aside from tires any rounds in the shop at all.So what I picked up from the metal salvage place while I do build up my own stuff to have in the shop surely wouldn't hurt me.





Yes those are couture gauges.




I tried a test pc inside the larger pipe.



While pounding down the smaller pipe and rolling the bigger pipe abit I got a pretty nice smooth radius the I.D. of the larger pipe.




I haven't tested this yet because I want to see what I have around in tires and I want to mount it on my portable expandable work table.





That will making it easier to work with at waist height and then I can bolt it in either right side up or upside down.






Got me to thinking after I got back home.Most metal fab guys have a tree stump hollowed out and I could turn either pipe ends into my stump.

[Hot Rod Nick]

I congratulate you on your creativity in how to get it done. It's not always about having the latest and most expensive tools. A most valuable asset is to have the kind of creative fabrication knowledge you're showing.

[1gary]

Thanks You.

[1gary]

Thank You.

[40FordDeluxe]

Nice work! I appreceiate your line of thinking because some of us have to do what you're doing too. Mainly because the cost of all these tools adds up quick, and they eat up shop space in a hurry too. Keep up the great work!

[1gary]

I would build what I need if it wasn't for me not having a decent 220 mig.Nope not a tig,just a good penetration 220 gas mig.That is the hold up on so much I would do.Recently I have been thinking about a used tum-stone Lincoln stick welder just to get me started on some of the stuff.I know alot of the plans is on Allmetalshaping from Kerry Pinkerton.Right now all I have at my shop is a 110 gas mig which works well for sheet medal fab'ing. Kind of frustration cause I do have a bunch of ideas................

[34_40]

Don't need high powered equipment! I don't have but a 60 amp service into my shop and it's from the 30's!

Reading all these websites with the fancy tools and the latest and greatest "Stuff" just get's in your way! Those guys started out just where you are right now! Use what you got and your imagination and let the creativity fly!!

Beat on some metal and see how it reacts. Yes, you'll make a lot of scrap! But that's really called experience!! As you gain experience, the jobs get done faster and easier!! Now get out there and motivate!! ROFL..

OH, don't forget your camera! You know how some of these guys get!!

[1gary]

Yes I'm trying to do just that.This all started with a rust repair on the Astro on the front driver's wheel well/floor pan.The floor pan is pretty much a straight up deal with a say 45 degree break in it.That shouldn't be any problem.Just cut a template and cut it out and tack it in.The wheel well repair however has a weird twisted "S" curve in one part of it and another different curve in another part.I have been pounding a scrap test pc on and off for abit.I wasn't happy how it was turning out.But I did learn(self taught) alot what I need to do and that is how these rounds came about.The couture gauges will give me shapes that a template just gives me size.So I might make a cheap wooden "buck" from that to help me shape the patch.

As I do go along I will diffidently post pix's in a thread.One thing for sure.Alittle frustrated as I said,but decided this thing isn't going to beat me.

Wanted to add.The rest of this Astro is solid as anyone could want coming from Florida.Just the normal door dings you would expect from a 1989 van.