Cheapo Bead Roller Upgrade

[Burdekin]

Okay so this has been done a million times before, so make it a million and one. While I'm waiting for the paint to dry on my English wheel I thought rather than watch it I'd modify a HF style bead roller and see if it will do what I want. I bought a Stakesy's bead roller and it's quite good for a cheapo; 14.5mm plate and 25mm shafts. At this stage all I'm doing is stiffening the frame and welding on a small stand and a clamping arrangement for it to clamp to a bench. May look at other upgrades later. Also is it worthwhile bolting the box sections together for a bit more rigidity when I don't need the big throat but rolling a thick sheet, that's one reason why I made it the way I did so I could if it was worthwhile.

Anyway enough of me rabbiting on, some pics of progress tonight.

 

[mike 109444]

Will be intresting to see the results of your work. Been wanting bead roller for some time, just so expensive for what it is ( if I was still at BAe would have made my own!)
There have been several members that have posted that they have bought one but very little on followup reviews some saying they have one but not used/gathering dust!!
Let us know what size you test it out on
Ta mike

 

[Burdekin]

No worries Mike. I mainly want it to use as a Jenny roller so I can flange and wire edges on mainly 1.5mm aluminium sheet. Maybe occasionally I'll use it to roll beads etc but it will mainly be used as a Jenny roller.

 

[Burdekin]

More progress tonight. Not sure what I'm going to use as the base/foot as yet as I haven't got much plate at my workshop so might have to be creative. So far all the materials have been left over from the English wheel build. I was thinking of welding two steel G clamps to the front so the bead roller can then easily be clamped to a bench and moved if needed.

Please see the last pic, anyone think this is a good idea to weld them on like this so I can bolt the two arms of the frame together when I don't need the deep throat?

 

[Burdekin]

Feeling a bit knackered tonight but did a bit still. Decided to make the base out of 2 small lengths of 75 x 50 box and will weld feet onto that. Scrapped the clamp idea and will bolt the bead roller onto my forming table when my mate gets it laser cut for me.

The way I was going to fit the spring to hold the top roller up isn't going to work, anyone got any pics of a nice simple way to do it?

 

[captain-destructo]

is a bit late but could you turn it around??
so the moveable roller is on the bottom
that way it sits ontop of the bolt under its own weight

 

[Burdekin]

Cheers. That would have been a nice easy solution but probably a bit too much hassle to go back. Think I have a nice solution though so will give it a go.

 

[mike 109444]

For return spring youcould try a length of steel ruler (stiff one) cut down

 

[mike 109444]

ps have seen where some have fitted an old car steering wheel to improve the operation of the handle (sometimes seen on tube rollers)

 

[mike 109444]

Ref your wanting to clamp/fix the rail close to the rollers you could make up this and it would also slide along to where it works best before tighting. It would sit round the box you have added

 

[Burdekin]

Thanks for the advice Mike, really appreciated! Will have a look into your ideas when I'm over at the workshop.

 

[naughtyboy]

got roller that was my late dads, have made alsorts of panels inc boot floors for jag and disco.
its one of those tools that sits there gathering dust until you need it then its invaluable.

best mod i made was using a kids bike wheel instead of handle for turning it.
will get a pic when i get home sunday.

 

[Wendelspanswick]

Funnily enough I am in the the process of modding my bead roller. I have beefed it up with 50 * 12 flat welded at 90 deg to the frame, 2 pieces that are tied together near the gear mesh, similar to yours.
Mounting it was easy for me, just drilled 2 12mm holes and bolted it to the rear of my English Wheel.
I am in the process of fitting an electric motor at the moment, waiting for a 2.5 mod 55mm outside dia. 20 tooth spur gear to come from Bearingboys, it should match the existing gear.
I have salvaged a 24 v DC motor and reduction gearbox from a Stannah Stairlift. 15amps and 12 rpm.
I need to make a PWM speed control foot pedal using the mosfets from the stairlift control board. This will give me forward and reverse and a maximum speed of approx. 1 m per minute.
The motor is going to be on a sliding plate so that I can unmesh the gears for manual operation.
I am in the workshop later so I will take some pics.

 

[Exuptoy]

Ingenious Wendel. :thumbsup:

 

[Burdekin]

Funnily enough I am in the the process of modding my bead roller. I have beefed it up with 50 * 12 flat welded at 90 deg to the frame, 2 pieces that are tied together near the gear mesh, similar to yours.
Mounting it was easy for me, just drilled 2 12mm holes and bolted it to the rear of my English Wheel.
I am in the process of fitting an electric motor at the moment, waiting for a 2.5 mod 55mm outside dia. 20 tooth spur gear to come from Bearingboys, it should match the existing gear.
I have salvaged a 24 v DC motor and reduction gearbox from a Stannah Stairlift. 15amps and 12 rpm.
I need to make a PWM speed control foot pedal using the mosfets from the stairlift control board. This will give me forward and reverse and a maximum speed of approx. 1 m per minute.
The motor is going to be on a sliding plate so that I can unmesh the gears for manual operation.
I am in the workshop later so I will take some pics.

Sounds brilliant. Yeah please post pics, I'm not adverse to stealing other people's goods ideas though. ;-)

 

[Burdekin]

got roller that was my late dads, have made alsorts of panels inc boot floors for jag and disco.
its one of those tools that sits there gathering dust until you need it then its invaluable.

best mod i made was using a kids bike wheel instead of handle for turning it.
will get a pic when i get home sunday.

Thanks, I'll put a wheel on too, not sure what yet though.

 

[Wallace]

Exscuse the crap drawing, I plan to do something similar with my POS bead roller to this below.

Mike

 

[Burdekin]

Thanks for the pic, going to do it similar. I've bought a bearing collar and going to do it like this, pretty much the same idea.

 

[Wallace]

Thanks for the pic, going to do it similar. I've bought a bearing collar and going to do it like this, pretty much the same idea.

Have you checked the gears, rollers and shafts for concentricity? My bead roller is an awful copy of your Stakesy's roller and does not have bearings in the blocks, most of the rollers and one of the gears are eccentric! I bought it to modify as you are doing but wasn't counting on it being so quite badly made.

 

[Burdekin]

Have you checked the gears, rollers and shafts for concentricity? My bead roller is an awful copy of your Stakesy's roller and does not have bearings in the blocks, most of the rollers and one of the gears are eccentric! I bought it to modify as you are doing but wasn't counting on it being so quite badly made.

Just by eye, runs reasonably true. Will see what it's like when it runs it's first bead though.

Depending on whether the mrs wants to do anything tonight or not, I may be ready for a test run tonight or tomorrow if not at the workshop tonight.