simple tech, bead roller frame

I've had this cheapo HF bead roller collecting dust in the back of my shop for a couple years

figured today was as good as any to make a frame for it
I will need it when I get around to puting the floor in the coupe

so a quick dig through the scrap metal barrel and a plan is formed

this will be semi portable,
I don't want it bolted to the floor
and I don't want it on wheels
so a sturdy tube steel frame
will work fine

then it's just a matter of chopping and welding and
what was a dust collector
is now a tool

I'll let the pictures speak for themselves

 

last thing left to do
is replace the crank handle with a wheel

I'll keep my eye out for a nifty one..

 

Looks good, and should take care of the flex problem too. I think I have a spare Case tractor steering wheel to use on mine.

 

I have one of those dust collectors and an odd stick of 3x3 leaning against the wall. Thanks for the inspiration, Paul...

I have played with my bead roller, a bit. I found that the swap meet steering wheel I have since given to a friend, instead of the supplied handle, made everything a lot easier. Just by the way. You have probably already thought of that, though...

Edit - You have already thought of that. I'm slow, on many levels.

 

looks good Paul
wish we had a cheapo outfit like HF up a guy could get stuff like that..

what if you put a couple little lawn mower wheels on it that don't touch the floor when its sitting flat but if you tip it back slighty they will and you got a roller?

 

that's a great idea
thank you

 

real nice stand-they do like to flex-looks like that should do the job-Jim

 

This is timely, as I just got a HF bead roller today. I was just out in the shop trying to come up with a reinforcing/stand plan.

Any particular reason you used pipe/round tube to attach to the frame of the roller? Or is that just what you had in the scrap pile? I was planing something similar, but with all square tube.

Thanks,

Neal

 

Hi Neal,
yes it was what I had

I ran a few test beads and flanges
and it seems plenty stout

 

As always, great tech. I will use this idea tomorrow morning. Thank you.

 

Great ideas fellas--I used a leftover engine stand to mount mine--made a bolt on plate that fits into the tubing used to rotate the engine--then ran a stay from the other end of the Roller frame to the base of the stand.Also replaced the two front wheels on the stand with a spare piece of 1 3/4 roll cage tubing.Works well--the tip on using the steering wheel will be the next addition.This way I can still take it off if I need to--kept the mounting ears if I need to use it to put an engine on....

 

More good stuff!

 

Nicely done.

Perusing my garage/shop, I have the steel, but no roller.

Easily cured when the next sale comes on.

I like Kiwi Tinbender's idea of adapting it to an engine stand as well.

 

Hey 60 style - great stand , I love it. I have the same roller but a crapy stand - I think I'll copy yours. Great job! Cheers

 

Paul.
You need to change your title from tech editor to tech GOD! Nice work as always.

 

thanks!
I just picked up one of those, been waiting to use it untill I could build a frame for it, now I don't have to think about it, just rip you off! LOL

 

Dang Paul, I wish my scrap pile was full of nice steel like yours. Great job.

 

I hesitated to use the word scrap,
they are more like coveted left overs

I'm such a hoarder..
it's tough to use such nice material
on just a simple stand,
but if it makes the tool useful
it's justifiable

 

Howard the Crusty Plumber taught me: "a used scrap is a happy scrap."

-bill

 

raided the scrap barrel again today
and got the box brake up off the floor

another HF gem I've had tucked away collecting dust
is now a functional tool

 

Hello, I have a HF bead roller and I am trying to find a 3/4" x 1/2" round mandrel for it. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance, Lionel

 

Thanks Paul for the stand photos....I'll do my best to copy it.

 

Hi Paul. I have recently purchased an Eastwood bead roller and plan to make a stand for it.
I have reviewed several designs on youtube and wish to make one up that is very similar to yours using as you described " coveted leftovers - my tubing is 50mm x 50mm x 4mm wall."
My inquiry at this time is could you please supply some dimensions for your stand .ie : lengths of the 3 "H" pattern feet, height of main upright , length of gusset . The length of my bead rollers frame is 560mm.
Thanking you in anticipation, Craig.

P S. Hopefully in the near future I will be able to supply some pictures of the Model A project.

 

Good work on the stand. My addition was to make sure the bottom roller is the same height as a table, workbench, etc. in your shop, so that you can scoot it over to a nearby flat surface when you are making large panels like floors. Mine is the same height as the big table saw and the workbenches.

 

Thanks , Dos.
At this stage of my workshop tool building I actually have not made any that are easily portable , but I like your idea immensely so much so that I have already done some research into it and I am working on one idea of having small wheels fixed on one end , designed that to move it all you have to do is to slightly lift the other end to get the stand onto the fixed wheels and then push/roll to where you would like it to be.
As to the height of the rollers your idea again is excellent as I will eventually be doing floor panels too. A friend of mine has also suggested to make it height adjustable so as to suit your workpiece accordingly,. I will look into this too but I think it will mean having to source a larger I .D. tube to fit the main upright into and then to work out how to make the upright fit in tightly so as to not have any play/movement whatsoever.
Thanks again for your input.
Craig.

 

Don't overlook old drill press bases and posts, they can make good pedestals and mounts for tooling. One with a crank up table adjustment opens up even more possibilities.

Ed

 

No stand needed!!!

Clamp it in your sturdy vise on your bench!!!

(You do have the bench tied to the wall or floor don't you?)

 

I had to do a search but I remember Neil building a nice bead roller from a harbor freight piece. HRP

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/tool-tech-another-hf-bead-roller-stand.118726/