tube bending: rotation guage fixture

[hardtail69]

Damn long title for a simple tool. Yes I have seen the ones they sell that are a sort of hook with a threaded rod to clamp it to the tube, but those make me nervous in that you have only that threaded rod face to keep it from moving if you should bump it a little, so I made this one. They sell this type online also, but darned if they don't want a hundred bucks for them, well 60 to 80 without the actual gauge in it. Which leads me to the other thing, they have these elaborate cages for the gauges. LOL Well if the gauges weren't magnetic you might actually need a cage for the gauge but since we are working with metal tube here, pretty much all I needed was a metal support. So without further adieu here it is. My 6 dollar version of the hundred dollar tube rotation gauge. By the way, get a gauge that goes to 180 degrees not just 90 degrees, otherwise you will shoot yourself out of frustration and I don't want any more deaths on my hands. It is simply a harbor freight 11" locking pliers with two pieces of angle welded on to the faces of the pliers. Then another piece of angle iron is welded to the top of the pliers. I don't think this could be any simpler. The gauge sits on the top piece of angle and stays there during all the bends due to the magnets. I welded the faces after sanding off a bit of the galvanizing and I also tacked the faces so they no longer pivot. You don't have to do that but in my shop we only use inch and a quarter and inch and a half and I didn't need the faces flopping around on me. It is quicker to clamp them on the pipe this way.