[kamikaze]

So I've finally been making progress on my workshop in my garage and have gotten back to working on my toolbox.

I tried starting with fewer tools, which did not work well, so now I have a DRDT-2 and a pneumatic squeezer and a number of other things. The box isn't pretty, but lessons were well learned.

I think I've got deburring and riveting down!

One thing I'm not sure I learned from and stumped me and could keep stumping me going forward:

The handle is made form a pin to be bent. I did it, but am not happy with the result. I found it very difficult to get it to match the template on paper, in terms of both the bend radius and the symmetry of it (getting the last bend to give me equal length on both sides).

What is the best set of skills/tools to get this done right? I tried heating the metal a bit with a heat gun, but not sure that helped ... should I have used a torch? Howe do I ensure the bend radius is correct? How do I ensure symmetry on both sides?

I know how pipes (fuel lines for example) are bent, with the special tool ... should I have a similar tool for this task?

My main problem may have been a missing vise, though I did clamp it down OK ... When I tried to bend it, it was way too difficult to bend it with the required radius by hand ...

End result is actually not too bad, the band radius is not what 's on the template, but it'll work fine ... the bigger problem was that the one side is slightly longer than the other ... and once bent I'm not sure I can easily correct it ...

Thoughts?

 

[Gary 40274]

Learning building skills

The biggest problem new folks have is to tell if your work is good enough. Three things can help with that and to teach you new skills.

Connect with a technical counselor. They can be found on EAA web site or at your local chapter.

Attend one of the EAA sheet metal workshops.

Connect up with another builder that has more experience than you.

Gary Specketer

 

[wirejock]

Bending hinge pin

Like you I wasn't too happy with my handle and used heat and a vise. Bending this type of stuff just takes practice and precision. I bought a small device that has pins in it to assist in making good bends, never have used it. The only place I've come across where this skill is required in the kit is bending the float wires for the fuel senders. There may be other places. My first float wire is just ok and needed some "additional bending" so as not to contact the top/bottom of the tank. The second was perfect...but I made it smaller than the plans called for. I learned doing the first one.

Maybe someone can show you how to do it, but practicing on scrap with this, tubing and anything else before you do it on your airplane parts (e.g., double flush rivets) is pretty important and part of the learning process.

I agree. It's seldom used. Most bends are just right angle bends.
I like to use two pieces of scrap aluminum angle. One has a radius. The other doesn't matter since it's behind the bend. Mark the bend location and clamp the wire between the two with the mark positioned so it will land at the 1/2 way point of the radius whe it's bent. Clamp it nice and tight and tap it with a hammer.
Here's an example of a more complex bend. This is the flap hing pin retaining gadget.

 

[Mike S]

I have used small sockets for bending wire for many years.

Small piece of wood, correct size socket to give you the bend radius you want, and sheetrock screw to hold the socket in place. Another screw to anchor the end of the wire.

 

[StuBob]

I have used small sockets for bending wire for many years.

Small piece of wood, correct size socket to give you the bend radius you want, and sheetrock screw to hold the socket in place. Another screw to anchor the end of the wire.

Brilliant!

 

[kamikaze]

Brilliant!

Indeed, that sounds simple and straightforward enough.

I had a screwdriver ... that shaft seemed to have the right diameter for the inside bend radius ... but when I tried, the pin had no particular desire to follow it ... the challenge was the force required to bend when the two ends are so close ... if I grab further away from the bend point, I just get a great big bend ...

That being said, I'm hearing some good ideas on how I could get this done right ... though yes, it did seem like a skill I would not required that often ...

I'm pretty sure there will be a second toolbox If only to make sure I have one I can show people

Thanks!

 

[Mike S]

Bend with a longer piece, cut the short ends off when you are done. It is very hard to keep control of a short piece of wire when bending it.

Mr. Google will most likely have a few videos on how to do wire bending with a simple jig-----and how to make a jig too, I suspect.

Practice on scrap until you get the technique down.

 

[kamikaze]

All I could find was industrial level type videos with machining and such ... though I did see a machine that had the idea of using aluminum angle and "squeezing" ... so I know what larry speaks of ... Though I do not yet have scrap angle laying around!

I also get the idea of using something tied to a surface, and basically snaking the wire through pins and bending, I think I'll try that next ... simple and straightforward, though I'll need a sacrificial bench top, which I do not yet have.

I thought I could get away with having fewer tools/equipment to do just the toolbox, but man was I wrong!

 

[wirejock]

Tool box

All I could find was industrial level type videos with machining and such ... though I did see a machine that had the idea of using aluminum angle and "squeezing" ... so I know what larry speaks of ... Though I do not yet have scrap angle laying around!

I also get the idea of using something tied to a surface, and basically snaking the wire through pins and bending, I think I'll try that next ... simple and straightforward, though I'll need a sacrificial bench top, which I do not yet have.

I thought I could get away with having fewer tools/equipment to do just the toolbox, but man was I wrong!

If it makes you feel better, ask the group for pictures of their tool box.
I would never post a photo of mine.

 

[Mike S]

All I could find was industrial level type videos with machining and such ...

Here are a couple photos I borrowed off the web.

Simple stuff, dont overthink it.

 

[kamikaze]

Yup, that's exactly what I was picturing in my head ... thanks!