Bender roller combo

[Frank S]

A while back someone posted a unique form of metal bender with rollers for rolling and a die for bending
I think it was called the ultimate bender or somethin like that
I liked it well enough to decide to build my own version with a few upgrades

I put a large bearing where the cams action slide pivots

just need to insert a bar in the hole to turn the shsaft

the rollers are cam followers the apex roller has a pipe sleeve pressed over the cam roller with a handle welded to the pipe

I used 1 bearing cup and 1 end of a u joint cross to be the eccentric drive cam

the main shaft and ujoint end

slide plate and main shaft

cover plate just hand cut

All plate parts are from 3/8 ASTM 514 (T1) steel 110,000 PSI tensile WHY? because I have it and I can.

bottom view

Top view


It works great for the thicker materials 1/4 to 3/8" but for narrow and thin like 1/8 by half the material is too soft for the spacing of my rollers and the apex roller cannot get enough friction to pull the material through.
I plan on adding pipes and sprockets on the idler rollers then drive them with a chain later on .
Also I have not added the holes to attach a bending die at this time since I haven't need that yet.
I made this a couple months ago and yesterday was the first time I needed it
If someone finds the thread of the other bender please link it to this thread as I would like to give him credit for the idea

[DIYer]

Thanks Frank S! We've added your Bender and Roller to our Metalworking category,
as well as to your builder page: Frank S's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Bender and Roller by Frank S

tags: bender, roller

[Frank S]

Re visiting this thread as per a request of more information from a member.
he was wondering what the large bearing under the slide was for.
I made it with the intention of eventually maybe adding angle iron pieces over the rollers to make sharper more defined bends though never got around to doing so I tried using it to make letters for another project out of light gage 1/2" sq tubing but ultimately used another means to form them.
By inserting a bar in the shaft that extends below the bottom of the machine and rotating it 90° to the left or right the top movable roller functions as that of punch in a press the 2 stationary rollers serve as the die