I bought a HF bead roller a couple of months ago. I was trying to figure out a stand for it when Paul, posted this... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=100759 I basically copied what he did then added a little turn of the century "style". Here is what I got from Harbor Freight for $99... Not only did it need to be strengthened, it needed some style... ...and a base (tractor wheel weight and a 30's Ford truck torque tube). I cleaned up an old wood rimmed steering wheel that was hanging on the wall, added a little paint, and ended up with this... Here is the backside with extra die storage (again copying Paul's design)... And the modifired brass tag from an old orchard sprayer... I like old tools just about as much as Hot Rods, so now it will fit in with the rest of my old junk. Neal...inCA
ok, neil, the one thing i see that you didn't spill is the great little adjustment wheel that you replaced the bolt with. what did it come from? very cool piece...
I was going to make one, but I found this in McMaster Carr... http://www.mcmaster.com/ctlg/DisplC...log&CtlgPgNbr=2074&sesnextrep=526848747042946 Part #6403K42, 2-3/4" Solid Diecast Hand Wheel, slightly modified. They must have just went up in price, because it was only $5 when I bought mine. Glad you all like it. I have yet to do any "real" projects, just test panels so far. Seems to work good...I just need to practice! Neal
3/8" plate, which is what the HF frame is made out of. The flange around the edge was some oddball 5/16" x 1-3/4" flat bar that came off of an old truck bed. The tube is 2 x 2 x .250 which is overkill, but I had it in the scrap pile and didn't figure I would use it anywhere else. Neal
Man... In 50 years some poor schmuck is going to buy that roller at some garage sale and wonder when in the hell Hurst made such a tool... VERY cool.
As everyone else has said, looks awesome! A couple of questions about the actual fabrication. Based upon the pictures can I assume your plate was cut w/ the Ox/Ac torch in the picture? When welding the plates together did you bevel the plate and roller plate for the butt weld? Looks like this weld is continuous and on both sides, is that right? When welding the flat stock around the edge did you stitch weld that or is it continuous? On both sides? Lastly, I'm assuming all of this was done with the Lincoln welder? What rod? Again, great looking project. I'm so embarassed by the cobble done on my HF roller I barely even let people look at it in the garage, much less on the net. I see myself buying some 3/8" sheet in the near future and cutting a new plate. Thanks!
Yes Yes, both plates were beveled and then stitch welded (1-1/2 to 2"), flipping side to side, end to end. Then ground flush. It was tacked both sides, short weld every 2-3 inches, then welded complete. I would run a full rod on one side, then flip over and do the same on the other. Back and forth until it was done. Tacked with 1/8" 6011, final welded 1/8" 7014. Hope that helps. Neal
Here is the adjuster. I just welded a stub shaft on the head of the HF adjuster bolt and then attched the handwheel with a set screw. I havn't used it much...I have been busy doing other things this year. I did do one little project this last weekend...it was one of the reasons I bought the bead roller in the first place. The stake pockets on the bed of my 32 need some help... I cut the lower portion off and formed a new piece. Now I just need to weld it in place. What I did find doing this little project is that two people make the job a whole bunch easier. I had my 7 year old son run the wheel...he was a huge help. The other thing I confirmed (a friend had already suggested this) is that I need to put the female dies in the lathe and radius the sharp edges. You can probably see in the pic that it left a little ridge on the edge on the bead. It will sand off, but it would be nicer with a smooth radius on the dies. Otherwise it seems to work well. I didn't notice any flexing. and this was a pretty deep bead in 18 ga. Hope that helps. Neal
The coarse thread seems to work fine. The bead on the stake pocket is slightly tapered. I had a friend, Mark Nelson from Santa Cruz, lay some stripes on the frame last weekend... Sorry about the poor lighting. Neal
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