I have a project I'm working on that requires I use a 1/4" threaded steel rod, bent to a precise radius. I've tried doing this by hand, but there the bend is not uniform along the entire length with some places more bent than others. One person suggested I try a jig like this:
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Tried it after building out of scrap lumber today, but it wouldn't begin to bend the rod as that unit is designed for wire.
Any help would be appreciated. Trying to keep costs down and a DIY project in case I need to do it again sometime.
The radius needs to be 6.9" with a total length once bent of close to a foot (not as critical as the radius). I may need one more in the future besides the one I'd like to fashion.
The link I mentioned above has plans for exactly that 3 roller jig which I built yesterday. Initial testing showed that it will adequately bend the rod, but unfortunately it shapes the resulting rod into a spiral shape as well. Not sure why. All I need is the radial curve in a flat shape not a spiral!
With threaded rod you need to compensate for the thread when you run it through the rollers. The allthread will attempt to turn as it goes through the rollers. You need to twist it against that tendancy as it is rolled.
Just wanted to update here that the pulley system worked! I couldn't find the v-belt pulleys locally anywhere cheap, but there were some 1.5" metal pulleys that could be bolted down. I picked up 3 of those and used a much heavier 2x4 as a base. I drilled a series of holes for the center pulley so it could be moved into the rod as I worked the rod through the system. I decided to try out the 1/4" spare steel threaded rod first and as long as I bent in increments, all went well. Finally came the brass 10-24 rod I really needed to bend, and the process was easy. I was even able to fairly straighten out the spiraling that the prior rods had after using my other system, but I was never able to nullify it completely. The 3rd dimension did not show up, at least not very much at all, with the new metal pulley system. I didn't actually use a t nut, but had the rod marked so that I would see the same mark facing me throughout the process. This worked out fairly well.
All in all, a nice system. Fulfilled the purpose, and easily broken down and stored for easy access later if necessary.
A big thank you, especially to you, Clare, for suggesting the pulleys in the first place and how to set them up.
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