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'72 K5 - Greg's @MightAsWellK5 Build

This is the build description. I will improve this later. (GB)
Overview Gallery Discussion
Looks good Greg!

Do you think you'll need any counter weight at the reservoir end of the stand?

Depending on what your bending looks like it "Could" be a bit tippy.
Though I'm sure you've thought of this already.
 
BobK said:
Looks good Greg!

Do you think you'll need any counter weight at the reservoir end of the stand?

Depending on what your bending looks like it "Could" be a bit tippy.
Though I'm sure you've thought of this already.
Click to expand...


That main piece of square tube is .250" thick, it's adding a LOT of weight to offset the die and bender arms already. I will set up the extra die storage on that opposite side to help even more though...


:usaflag:
 
2009.02.06 - UPDATE! - HYDRO BENDER PROJECT IS FINISHED!

Got the final details completed on the bender project. I wired up the electrical with a nice long extension cord and switch box, added a triangulated mount for my extra bender dies, and incorporated a hanger off the back of it to support the reservoir that was previously being held up by a pile of wooden blocks. The final touch was that I drill & tapped a hole just behind the ram body, so that I could add a 1/2" bolt as a "stop" for when the ram retracts. I wanted to be able to prevent the ram from closing 100% parallel to the main arms, since it would never be able to initiate the bending process without at least a small amount of angle. The bolt will allow me to set the amount of offset needed to insure that the ram starts correctly and doesn't simply try to tear itself apart.

DSC01435.jpg



Called the local metal supply company for a quote on 200' of 1.75" x .120" DOM, so I should have some material to start playing with by the middle of next week! :saweet:


:usaflag:
 
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very nice setup, subscribed.
 
2009.02.15 - UPDATE! - A MINOR SETBACK...:doah:

Well it wouldn't be very realistic if this thread never had setbacks or issues. I picked up 200' of DOM tubing over the weekend and was psyched to start bending it into fun shapes for a rollcage using the new hydro bender. Fate had other plans.

I made a miscalculation (more of an oversight, really) when I put the bender together. I didn't actually set up a complete die & follower block with tubing installed to see where the bender arms would end up. Because of the nature of the bender, only one set of holes will work for any given size of bending die, and by the time I got everything lined up the way it was supposed to, the bending arms were pulled a LOT closer to the bender frame than I expected. That means that there is no "angle" on the ram to help initiate a bend.... effectively, the ram pushes straight into the top of the bender arms, instead of pushing them in a way that forces it travel in an arc.

Bummer.



I'll admit, it was pretty depressing to spend a whole day trying to bend a single piece of tube, and ultimately getting nowhere. Last night, I walked out of the shop and thought about the problem for while.....and is often the case, the solution came to me when I wasn't trying for one.

My original ideas were to build some kind of crazy offset attachment to the bender arms so that the ram would be pushing from a steeper angle, but I didn't have a method that I really liked, and I really didn't want to weld anything to the original bender parts to change them. If I ever need replacement parts, I'd like to be able to unbolt the worn part and replace it with a "stock" part.

The much simpler idea (yet to be tested) is to modify the location of the two massive mounting bolts that hold the fixed arms to the main beam of the bender. Right now, they are set up to run parallel to the frame.... by taking out one of the bolts, I can pivot the entire bender head by maybe 20 degrees which gives me a much nicer angle of attack between the ram and the bender arms. All I have to do is re-drill one large through-hole in the frame (the 3.5" x 3.5" square tube) and tighten the bolt back down.

It's really simple, and should do exactly what I want. I should have some time later today to give it a try. I'll shoot a few photos to illustrate the "BEFORE" and "AFTER" angles, since I'm sure my description isn't very clear.


:usaflag:
 
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:doah::doah::doah::doah:I bet that's not the first time something like this has happened to someone. At least you're not letting it kill your motivation :bow:
 
NEK5 said:
:doah::doah::doah::doah:I bet that's not the first time something like this has happened to someone. At least you're not letting it kill your motivation :bow:
Click to expand...

If you come fix my bender issues, I'll do your seat mounts... :deal:


:usaflag:
 
I heard you are trying to sell one of the motors. Are you going to give up on the tow vehicle Suburban?
 
Yep. The Suburban will be sold in the Spring (when it comes out of heated storage), and the roller-cam 496BBC is going up for sale as well. Not much use for a tow rig anymore, since the trailer was sold a few months back.

:usaflag:
 
Bummer, I think a few of us was looking forward to you firing that motor up.
I take it you plan to drive the blazer to the trails now?
 
Greg72 said:
Yep. The Suburban will be sold in the Spring (when it comes out of heated storage), and the roller-cam 496BBC is going up for sale as well. Not much use for a tow rig anymore, since the trailer was sold a few months back.

:usaflag:
Click to expand...

hmmm

Chevy496... :thinking:

damnit dont put ideas in my head... :D
 
Chevy305 said:
hmmm

Chevy496... :thinking:

damnit dont put ideas in my head... :D
Click to expand...


If you don't like that idea, think about Chevy502...

I could be convinced to sell either one, and they're both 4X4HIGH-built, brand-spankin' new motors! :deal:

I could use the extra floor space, and I could certainly use the $$$.



:usaflag:
 
2009.02.17 - UPDATE! - A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND CURSE WORDS!

Here is a photographic representation of what has been making me so nuts for the last few days...

This first image is the bender as originally designed. I cut out a sliver of orange cardboard to highlight the angularity (or lack thereof) between the ram and the bender arms. By the time I got the die and follower block in place with a section of tubing, this angle was almost non-existent.

DSC01438.jpg


I pulled out one of the two main attachment bolts and rotated the entire bender head on the frame. Then I re-drilled the hole, and cut a bevel out of the frame (again, due to clearance issues) and plated it back in for strength. Now you can see that the angle between the ram and the bender arms is MUCH better, and I should be able to initiate the bend with much better leverage than before. Unfortunately, the ram housing now makes contact with the bender frame. This prevents the bender arms from getting close enough to the fixed arms to install the final drive pin... :angry1:

In this pic you can see that on the movable arms, I'm about 1/2 a hole away from being able to drop the pin through the arms and into the main die...


DSC01440.jpg


So now, I need to either add a slight offset bracket to the bender arms, or cut a notch in the frame to clear the ram housing. It looks like with about another 3/4" of clearance everything will line up perfectly and I can finally bend this stupid 3-foot length of DOM!!!! :doah:



:usaflag:
 
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Greg72 said:
2009.02.17 - UPDATE! - A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND CURSE WORDS!

In this pic you can see that on the movable arms, I'm about 1/2 a hole away from being able to drop the pin through the arms and into the main die...


DSC01440.jpg


So now, I need to either add a slight offset bracket to the bender arms, or cut a notch in the frame to clear the ram housing. It looks like with about another 3/4" of clearance everything will line up perfectly and I can finally bend this stupid 3-foot length of DOM!!!! :doah:

:usaflag:
Click to expand...

Super simple solution.

Drill your holes over to the bottom edge of the frame tube instead of the center. maybe weld shut the holes that you already have drilled.

Just a thought.

Later,
buddy
 
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