Brazing multiple pieces, or bending one piece....Brass?

[STARMedic]

Any of you guys using multiple frame pieces or are you using one piece of brass, and if so....how are you heating and bending...Have you made a Jig/Press or just hammering it out?

Thanks in advance....

Bruce

[NeedleJack]

The easiest method of a typical bent frame machine is to buy a break. Usually can be purchased on ebay fairly cheap. Then you just need to go to a fab shop or make a jig yourself in order to make the 1/4 inch space bend for the chuck. I guess you could go old school and heat it up and bang it with a rubber mallet and a cloth. Still would need to make a jig of some sort.

[hotspark]

Hi people,
First post here as I am new to this forum.....It's great!

As for machine building I just started and have three complete and two in the hands of a professional artist for his opinion,should hear something by tommorrow.I'm TIG welding the frames(made from steel)and making vice style chuck.I also have one w/steel yoke(base)w/bronze spring perch and front upright,they can be welded to the steel w/silicone bronze rod.If you'd like to see them or have questions drop a line-----------THIS FORUM ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[unforgiven]

hey all love the forum, think i've read every post to date since i found it, lol but only recently joined. been thinkin about goin to town with my scroll saw and dremel on some old compound bows i have to make frames, cause the arrow shelf would be a great preformed spot for a frame. should be fun.

[gremlin]

here is a little metal bending trick.... for those that dont have a brake or access to one...

Take a piece of 2 inch angle iron and clamp it face down( it should look like a 7 when looked at from the end) on the edge of a sturdy workbench with "C" clamps. Take another piece of 2 inch angle iron and clamp (with the piece you want to bend sandwiched in between the 2 angles) if looked at from the edge it should look like a backward "L" and a number "7".

Now take an oxy-acetelyne torch with a "rosebud tip" and heat the piece you want to bend cherry red, (not the whole piece just along the line where you want to bend it). when its red hot, whack a few times with a wood mallet or "dead blow" hamer if you did it right you should have a nice crisp bend.. as nice as a brake can do.

an oxy acetlyne torch set is pretty cheap to buy and can also be rented at some tool rental stores. if you dont know how to use a torch PM me and ill walk ya through it.

as for making that 1/4 bend for the chuck try this on some scrap metal.....
first figure out how long you want the tail of the bend to be, better to be long than short as you can cut off the excess if needed. take where the top of the "U" is going to be and superglue a piece of 1/4" steel rod to it (the superglue is just temporary to keep the rod from falling out while bending) get the "bend" slightly started with a ballpeen hammer then place the "bend" into a vise and turn the handle, if you did it right the metal for the chuck should form around the 1/4 rod with almost a perfect arc. a little nail polish remover and a tap with a hammer and the rod pops out and you are ready to drill for your tube and drill and tap for your tube clamp screw. To keep the two pieces from flexing when drilling and causing a misalignment, put something in between the "U" that fits tight and drill away.