cheap/easy rebar shaping

"Eli the Bearded" wrote:in message news:eli$ snipped-for-privacy@qz.little-neck.ny.us...

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ For about 50 bucks you can buy a small version of a Hossfeld bender that will do this easily. You will need to lay out a pattern (say, in chalk, on the floor) and keep checking the pieces for proper curvature. As you make some, the job gets easier, because you learn to judge what you are doing, and don't have to check as often.

You can bend 1/2" rebar OK by hand. Draw an arc the same OD as your finished shape, and use that to gage the bend as you go. You should be able to use your bench vise with a radius that big; just offset it to one side so it clears the screw mechanism.

GWE

"Leo Lichtman" wrote: For about 50 bucks you can buy a small version of a Hossfeld bender (clip) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ I forgot to mention where: Harbor Freight.

for $100 you can have it all done by a Mexican. AT

I am with Grant here, it can be done "by hand", at worst using a vise and pipes as extensions/levers.

Check out

It is a reinforcement structure for my mailbox post, and the top of this arch protrudes a little above concrete. The idea is that if I want to remove the foundation some years later, I could easily do it by pulling it up by the rebar arch using my "shop crane".

I also agree it can be done by hand. A length of 3/4 inch pipe with a tee screwed on one end will work well too.

Dan Ignoramus20617 wrote:

In rec.crafts.metalworking, Eli the Bearded wrote: [stuff about bending rebar]

Thanks for the responses. I'll forgo buying a bneder for now, and try the vise with a pipe first.

Elijah

------ making an arch trellis for the garden

What I used was a 4'6" length of 1" OD pipe with a short length of round bar welded sideways onto it at the bottom and another bit on the other side an inch above Like so:-

| | | | | | | | | | | | | |===== ============================ | | | | | | | | | | | |===== ============================ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | =====| | | |================== | | | | | | | | | | | | =====-------- ----------==================

In use, the horizontal bars are hooked over the rebar and it is levered to the shape wanted. The bars can be slid along the rebar if a compound curve is needed or just kept in the one place if a reasonably sharp bend is needed. Because it fits onto the rebar from the side, it can also be used to put bends into mesh.

Total cost was zero... the bits came out of the scrap bin :-)

Mark Rand RTFM

On Fri, 1 Sep 2006 18:47:53 +0000 (UTC), with neither quill nor qualm, Eli the Bearded quickly quoth:

I was at Harbor Freight today and had a 20% off coupon. I applied it to the benchtop bender (which happened to be on sale for $49.99 now) so the price was just $40. Go buy a new tool!

--------------------------------------------------------------- Never put off 'til tomorrow |

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You could use any of the other great suggestions, and I'll submit another possibility

WB .............

Eli the Bearded wrote:

You don't know that I had no qualms. (But I didn't.)

And in your sig:

That's how I feel about spending money. The rebar was "free" (I had to drive to get it, so there was some gas expense). $40 for a tool I'll seldom use and possibly never need is $40 wasted.

Bending the rebar went well, without using or making a new tool. Biggest problem was not bending too much.

Elijah

------ with a secondary problem of not bending in more than one direction

On Tue, 5 Sep 2006 20:41:07 +0000 (UTC), with neither quill nor qualm, Eli the Bearded quickly quoth:

What? Where's the fun in that?

I got the new benchtop bender for $40 and now that I have it, will find things to make. And if someone needs something made, I now have the tool to do it and can make more money from it. I haven't used quite -every- tool I own, but I've used enough of them to earn my living for decades that I know their value. They've paid for themselves thirty times over by now. Tools are cool.

...or in the wrong place, eh? DAMHIKT.

-------------------------------------------- Proud (occasional) maker of Hungarian Paper Towels.