Rod bending advice

novadose74

Well-Known Member
#1
Tried to replicate a Rouge Mark IV fender brace. Anyone not familiar with them, they use 5/16 rod. I have some pics. The question, I can’t seem to get the bends equal from side to side. The angles are no problem, but one angle seems higher than the other. Any advice on how to get them equal? Here are pics, hope I explained myself well. 2C1C676E-4C53-4983-8A9A-18B21005D645.jpeg B20289F4-D1FF-49B2-9DA7-6047C8253CCE.jpeg 607CF8E2-741B-43FC-86EF-4E9E5C22DD85.jpeg
 
#2
It looks pretty close to me. If you start at the middle of the bar and work toward the ends, one set of bends at a time, the extra material at the ends can be trimmed off to make it perfectly even. Draw a mark at the center, measure out to the first angles, bend those angles. Measure from the center mark straight out to the second angles, bend those angles. If everything is done equally from the middle reference point, both sides should match up.
 

novadose74

Well-Known Member
#3
It looks pretty close to me. If you start at the middle of the bar and work toward the ends, one set of bends at a time, the extra material at the ends can be trimmed off to make it perfectly even. Draw a mark at the center, measure out to the first angles, bend those angles. Measure from the center mark straight out to the second angles, bend those angles. If everything is done equally from the middle reference point, both sides should match up.
Yes, I see what you mean. I will try that next. I didn’t do that at all with the first few pieces. They look real close in the pics but the bends are at different measurements. Thanks, I’ll give it a try and let you know how it turns out.
 
#4
The only way to get repeatable bends is to work off a starting point in relation to the bend that is consistent. You need a reference point on the tubing that will line up with a point on the bender so that the next bend starts at the same point. Next you need a way to repeat the amount of angle. In the diagram below you will see a reference to the beginning of the bend, the clamp block face and the tube center. You know the distance from the clamp block face to the beginning of the bend. The clamp block face is the point that makes the bends repeatable. So figure out this distance on your bender and it will repeat the bends. This will not change once you bend and layout a test piece. Then you need to figure out how to repeat the amount of bend and add in the spring back. You always have spring back. You have to bend slightly more than you need so that when it relaxes you have the proper amount of angle. This will be different with different material size. Layout is the most critical part of repeatable bends. Also make sure the die that you are bending around is the proper size to achieve the radius that you need.

This page is about bending rollbars but the principle is the same regardless of what you are bending.

https://www.roguefab.com/bending-101/

1567999785226.png
 

Cuda54

Active Member
#6
By heating them they will more easier and just make a jig with plywood to roll them around. Might be easier than with the bender. As it is not a heavy bar to bend.
 

novadose74

Well-Known Member
#7
I thought of that. But the bar usually needs to be bent juuuuuust a little bit past the angle needed. It bends back a smidge after release of the bending handle. Don’t know if a wood jig would help.
 

Fourtogo

Well-Known Member
#9
Fab a jig with a base plate and fixed posts of 5/16 bar stock . in the shape you want . A torch gloves safety glasses you should be able dup those .
 

Doc1976

Active Member
#11
Bending with these (and all benders) just takes a little practice. Like said above, mark your reference points on the bender and dies and use the same points every time. And as already said, start in the middle and work towards the ends.
On YouTube, there is a guy with a channel called the fabrication series. He has a three part on bending tube but you can apply some if the same principals.
 
Top