The Official Roll Bending Thread

Cool picture!

 

Nice job on your machine, that is exactly what i had in my mind. What if the rolleres had a cupped groove machined in each end, one that was 1 1/4 and the other 2 inch so you could do tubing up to those sizes as well as flat and square stock?

 

you might run into some traction issues

 

Holy crap!! Just looked at all the updates on this thread! I REALLY want/need one of these and have been thinking seriously about building one. I get the basic concept for sure and have a couple ideas.

Good stuff! I have a million uses for one of these... Keep the home made rollers coming! I want some more ideas!

 

Anyone try making one using V-groove type caster wheels for round tubing and square tubing bent on-edge?

 

Sure have.....I am heavily involved in the roll bender world. I know all about just about every brand out there. I have been selling them for years. I have done some pretty wild applications with all kinds of custom tooling.

V groove tooling is a piece of cake. Very easy to make and use, even on a home made roll bender.

Now you want to talk about complicated roll bending applications? I should post some pictures of some of the aluminum extrusion that some guys are trying to roll. Very difficult and expensive applications.

 

x2.......I can help you guys if you want to build your own. Let me know.

 

Thanks for the info, Shane! I'm definitely thinking sooner than later I need to get one built... Whatever I do I'll post pictures.

Have you used the V-grooved wheels on round tubing? Does it scew it up under the pressure?

 

Yes, thin wall tubing like exhaust will "egg" on you.

Thicker material hold it's shape a little better. All depends on how thick of wall and how tight you are trying to roll.

Hope that helps

 

Okay... That's pretty much what I expected you to say. Thanks!

 

BTTT! Would like to see more home-builts!

 

The OFN is a great resouce for do it youself stuff. Check it out!

Tell them Shane from Baileigh sent ya!

http://www.offroadfabnet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7161&highlight=ROLL+BENDER

 

I'm thinking of something like this for myself, with the rollers externally mounted for easy/quick die change.

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/member-shop-photos/xtremcycles-home-shop-124932/index2.html

 

Check this out. We are on TV again!

 

Hey everyone, I just wanted to share this real quick...

...Another generous HAMBer let me use his roll bender to make some hoops for a project I'm just finishing up. It's an HF unit, and for what they go for, with a few modifications it could be decent for hobby use. They can be mounted to a bunch, or what not, but I decided to make a stand for it since long tubes need a little man-handling to keep from twisting as they get rolled through....



Rolling 1.5" x .120" wall tubing. Not bad. Just time consuming. In 10-foot lengths it took about 20 minutes to roll each length into a full half-circle with a radius of approximately 36".





If you invest in one of these, consider making some longer side plates to set the lower dies further apart, shim the dies so they are perfectly aligned (thus helping to prevent that twist), consider using a motor drive unit of some kind, and there are people making additional dies for these.

Just wanted to share.

 

Lookin good scooter!

 

here a few pics of my 100 year old rollers, they are whats called tire rollers and were built to roll the steel rims for wagon wheels, i have used them out on job sites to roll 1/2" by 2" handrail tops the hard way, i had them bolted to a plate and mounted on my hitch, yesterday i made up a quick stand and rolled some 1/8" wall 1-1/4" sq tube, they still work great.

 

For those of you with HF rollers, I just saw an announcement in a 4X4 mag for tubing size roller dies, both round and square.
Check out www.swagoffroad.com website for the rollers, a better drive axle, and even some CNC "wings" to space the "idler" rollers further apart.

Roger

 

digging the stand on the h/f unit

 

Look what I made today.....

 

Show-off.

 

Yes....yes I am!

 

Hey! thats my machine! Im starting our first project on it right now..

 

For those of you think chris is getting is not. He use to work at austin speed shop.

Chris....I demand pictures of your first roll bending project!

 

Chris? You out there?

 

Shane

Can you Comment on the Baileigh R-M7.

It seems there is a few manufactures out there that have identical looking machines. The Pro tools Manual Roll Bender seems to look just like the Baileigh one. Is there a difference between the two? The Baileigh seem to have a better price.

There does not seems to be much information on the Baileigh R-M7 that I can find on the internet. Can't find any reviews of it.

 

Give me a call and I can explain 920-482-3220

 

Lets see your home made roll benders!

 

I have the HF unit as well and I was getting ready to ask why the pipe rotates when you roll it and the question was answered a few posts back. I have not used it for any of my hotrod projects but I have used it to build a bunch of christmas decorations.

These projects were to gain some experience on the unit for future hot rod projects.

I made this little sign for my neighbours yard this year. All the curves were rolled on the HF unit.




I also have a 23' tall xmas tree I built and used the roller to make a double roll base. I don't have any pics of the build for that one though.


I also built this reindeer launching pad that ramps up and rolls to the left.


I have a couple different size round dies as well as the 1/2 sq tubing dies. I know my pics are not car related but I have had trouble with repeatability as well as the twisting when you roll the tubing. This two traits have forced me not to use it on any of my hot rod projects because the hot rod standards are set much higher then the xmas decoration standards. As I tweak this machine and getter some more experience then hopefully the quality will increase because there is a lot of little roll projects rolling around in my head. lol..

 

Very cool man, thanks for sharing