Custom bead rolling....lotsa pic's

Yeah, I guess it doesn't suck too bad...

I once did some very complicated rolls on my 56 Safari floor pans. Except for the curves and squiggles, they almost turned out....mediocre. All the rolls were supposed to be straight lines but I took some chances with a few crooked lines....intentionally, of course.
Uhhhhhhh, I'd kill to be able to do that.
very nice!

 

I'm gonna have to get with the programme, I've been doing all of mine standing up and without a support table. I'm very limited space wise also. I'd love to extend my roller but I just don't have room.

Loryder.........If you search my profile and look for the post titled "Built me a louver press......and it works", you will find the full story on my home made louver press.

 

Dude love the press. Wished I could get a bead roller with that kind of throat.

 

Amazing work! I am in awe!!!

 

this makes me want to use my bead roller more. Great work

 

What guage material do you use mostly?

 

Most of the aluminum I use is .032", the lightest stuff that will do the job. The white Cobalt has a small block/glide and weighs 2000 pounds race ready, driver included.

 

I think you mean McLauren? It resembles a Manta kit car, which I believe was based on a McLauren.

 

Um . . . just guessing here, but I assume its a play on words seeing as how the guy's name is Dick Bear.

 

Yeah, I figured that out after posting. Nice work!

 

yblock292.......... Alot of the work I have done has been on street cars where weight isn't an issue so I use 3003 H14 grade aluminum that is .050" thick. For race car stuff you can go with thinner, stiffer grade. 6061 .032 seems to be standard for race cars. I've also used 5052 .040" .

 

hi guys,

the mcbearen is a play on words, here`s his complete build from a drawing to a driving car. http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4020

all three of you guys do incredible tinwork , it would be interesting to watch you guys work.


gary

 

great post. nice tinwork fellas.

 

jaw droppingly astounding.. Ive never beaded anything other than steel, usually 18g or 20g and usually for floor pans and patch repairs ..

The problem I encounter is that the metal gets way out of shape and it takes longer to stretch and shrink them back flat than it did to lay the beads, any tips on beading without distortion?

 

ARTIST,all of you!

 

Warping isn't an issue with the stuff I do because it will be fastened in all the way around and will appear flat. Sometimes I get lucky and the piece will magicaly stay pretty flat, but thats strictly by accident!

Sorry no intellectual wizardry from me this morning!! Happy Freakin New Year!!!

 

KIWI- Sick work man. I still love it when you post pics of your shop on here. That place is sick! Im gonna have to check it out one of these days ...

 

redoxide............I've had panels get a little out of shape but nothing so bad I had to shrink or stretch. Sometimes a panel will get a curve in it and I'll muscle it a little to get it back closer to flat but they always go back to flat when being riveted or welded into place. Sounds like you may be appying too much pressure when rolling your beads.

srosa707..........Believe me my garage is not as big or cool in real life as it looks in pictures but you're welcome to visit sometime.

 

Kev, I will go as deep as possible on a floor pan with the dies I have available.. I know thats the crux of the problem but I usually get them flat again. I think what I need is a further set of dies with a better profile that wont pull the metal so far out of shape ..

I done some very quick freehand flames on a piece of scrap for some chopper dudes over here and they were gobsmacked, so now i have to do a gas tank for one of them.. why do i get myself in these situations..Im thinking this is gonna end in tears ..

 

I don't think I've ever been as deep as possible with my dies. Only go as far as you need to leave a clean bead. 18g steel takes more pressure than 20g. It just takes a little practice to figure out. If you are putting flames in steel panels to make that tank at least you can bodywork any imperfections as you go. Lets see some pics when you get done.

 

Carbon Fibre can also be step rolled,, warm it up just a bit w/heatgun. I know its not really hotrod stuff but still looks cool.
The silver color uses a different twill and carbon resin. Its actually like shower glass, light passes thru it.

Thank goodness for digital cameras! I took 40 pics of this clock and the best one was the first one I took. The lense was fogged over from being in the car all night. The steps are plainly visible to the eye,, but next to impossible to photograph. The fog on the lense killed off some of the flash.

 

Amazing stuff guys - I need to set my roller up with a motor and footpedal - also love the support table ideas - definitely a good idea to improve us average rollers!

Steve

 

here's another good use of a bead roller,,,, ceilings. I did this one a few years back fo a body shop.
The checkerboard ended up being 36 feet long.

 

Couple more pics. The ceiling was to low to get all of it in one shot.

 

wow what a great thread ! you guy`s make me glad I over bought ? went from the thought, of the cheap harbor fraight roller , that I new I would not like ! to the 36 " mittler bros. with the variable speed industrial motor , it seemed like the best one ? tool`s make money / they don`t cost money ! I just gotta keep telling my self that ? my first two bead`s , after seting it up today ? Ill get the hang of it , very impresed with this machine so far , and it`s got a nice wawa pedal .

 

I made this panel as a wall hanger. It has a steel perimeter frame behind it made from 1"x1" tubing . It has a couple of holes in the frame and is ready to hang. I want to put it up for a H.A.M.B. auction with proceeds going to Ryan to help with expenses. Can someone tell me how to set it up. High bidder would also cover shipping . Do I just start a thread and wait for someone to stick it in the auction section?

 

Here's a rear view....

 

I was one of the east coast guys that visited Kiwi Kevs place. Let me tell you this stuff looks bitchin as shit. The pictures don't come close to doing it justice!!!

 

BTTT........just a reminder that the auction ends Monday the 12th at 8pm, CA time.

 

Man 'O Man.......Great stuff KK!
Panel Envy,