Just a simple thing but not sure what to do?

[AdrianH]

So I got my band-saw working again, got to clear a couple of square foot of workshop space and decided to do something with the rings I had rolled some time ago. Now I am finding some of the bends a bit hard in the vice and bending by hand but can just about do it without busting a gut.



It would have looked better I think with all the same size bar, but what the hell.

I do have a third ring I could insert at the bottom of the legs, same size as the small one there. Need to fit bars as such in the small ring to form a base.
The plan is to weld it up when finished, I have some 3/8" round head rivets arriving in a few days to replace the cap heads I have there at the moment, but they will mostly be for show as the legs will be welded to the rings on the underside.

The original idea was it would hold a large plant pot in the top and rest on the bars still to be fitted in the lower ring. and have 3 more rings near the base, one on each leg, to hold smaller plant pots. So one main raised potted something with three others lower down around it.

But looking at it tonight, I thought Fire Pit /BBQ and get my own back on the neighbours.

Adrian

 

[gordon stephenson]

Hi Adrian, You could always weld on the inner side as planned, But plug weld the holes leaving the welds proud, look just like rivets, I have used this quite a lot with log burners etc, and this post box

 

[AdrianH]

I did wonder about doing that bit, but doubted I would get it neat enough

The rivets I have will fit through the holes but I could not get long enough to peen them, I have countersunk the insides of the ring, but think in the end I will plug weld from the insides and then grind flat, it will have some pull on the rivets but not enough to keep it firm. Realised I did not have a set anyway, so as said they will be for show really, 3/8 " should have a reasonable round head on them.

Adrian

 

[gaz1]

But looking at it tonight, I thought Fire Pit /BBQ and get my own back on the neighbours.

Adrian

fire pit here is my thought but id make an internal with it as then you could just make another when that one burns out 5mm 1 1/2" bar will do just fine as i reckon it looks more like a roman firepit

 

[AdrianH]

Now they look interesting, I had in mind a waste bin/plant pot shape but with inch by 1.8 flat bar, a lot easier to bend, would it get that hot to burn the stuff away?

Or even a solid bowl shape, or close to for a BBQ base.

All just thoughts, you look at it and start thinking.................... It could still be a plant pot holder at times.

Adrian

 

[gaz1]

you can use round bars on the inside much better as wouldnt stop the flames as much then yo could use a plant tub at times wear and tear on the metal not by much

its the outsides that need flat bar just to hold the hot embers within the one thing id like below that is an ash collection container much better than the flat plate at the bottom of it

 

[Kent]

You need to apply a red heat to those bends! The rad is too large the way it is

Vice, bending forks and red heat! Cutting torch will be fine as you only want to heat the area of the bend

 

[AdrianH]

Stuck in a hotel in Hull at the moment, call out to a fault at BP.

Kent, unfortunately I have no heating gear, I sold on my Oxy Propane gear. All I have now is my welding gear. so localised heating is a bit of an issue.

I am sure if I put my mind to it I could do tighter bends.

Adrian

 

[Screwdriver]

Stuck in a hotel in Hull at the moment, call out to a fault at BP.

Kent, unfortunately I have no heating gear, I sold on my Oxy Propane gear. All I have now is my welding gear. so localised heating is a bit of an issue.

I am sure if I put my mind to it I could do tighter bends.

Adrian

I picked up a little propane torch in a job lot recently. It's the last picture in this post http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/a-job-lot.64234/#post-823018

I think its a Bullfinch brazing torch, whatever it is, it has an amazingly powerful flame, easily able to melt brass! If you could find one of those, just stick it on a calor gas bottle and off you go.

 

[AdrianH]

I gave a bullfinch torch away to Gordon, I also do not have propane in the garage. I made the decision to desist this stuff due to other chemicals I had around. I could use my TIG to apply very localised heat, but on 8mm bar it takes some doing and I tended just to heat a very small spot.

I am following the Induction heating thread as that may be an idea in the future for me.

Adrian

 

[Kent]

Unless you have a proper bar bender you risk fracturing bending 30x 8 tight without heat.
If you give it a go make some bending forks up to go in your vice rather than just tighten it up in the jaws n hit it with a big old hammer

 

[KemppiFrog]

How about running up a Machine Mart type bender? I did that, with slightly thicker bar. No prob with bending 30x10 on tight radiae (as in round 16mm bolts)

 

[AdrianH]

I have a machine mart bender to be honest, just thought it was all to big for it, I will have a look at the specs, the worry was splitting of the metal.

Anyway, it stayed as a plant pot holder, the wife took a dislike to the green I painted it and sprayed it gold. She wants a few more some time. So I can always try a variation next time around.

Adrian