Yet another bead roller mod thread

[chevy2]

View media item 10344

 

[chevy2]

Well that worked, first non photobucket pic i've managed to upload!

 

[Dcal]

Altough a lot of folk rave on about motorising a bead roller in reality it would be an occaisional tool for most,
Not knocking those that do but I've bead rolled for many years and its mostly the odd panel so manual cranking is ok for me,

The worthwhile mod i made for one man use is to fit an old large diameter steering wheel,
An old vauxhall cresta one worked for me but to fit it with the dish of the wheel nearer to you,
You then never have to swing your arm over the top and not see what you're beading,
Works ok for me on big items like door panels.

Each to their own but motorising this was a bit of a project for me and I'm happy how it turned out and the increased functionality it gives me.

I didn't try too hard to learn how to roll beads one handed and the real advantage to me is I can now see what I'm doing and stand where I want, not where I need to so I can reach the handle.
I'm sure I could have improved if I stuck with it, but learning to bead roll one handed is just another skill, like riding a unicycle, that I can do without learning.

Having said that the biggest improvement I made was stiffening it up.
It would flop about if you took too big a step and now I can roll most beads in one go.
I would not have a chance of rolling a bead manual on something like a door without help, with the mods I've done I now would have no problem and my bead rolling skills haven't improved any in the interim.

Certainly it's a bit of a luxury but it didn't cost much and I enjoyed the journey almost as much as the end result.

Out of interest did you reinforce your bead-roller?

 

[chevy2]

Each to their own but motorising this was a bit of a project for me and I'm happy how it turned out and the increased functionality it gives me.

I didn't try too hard to learn how to roll beads one handed and the real advantage to me is I can now see what I'm doing and stand where I want, not where I need to so I can reach the handle.
I'm sure I could have improved if I stuck with it, but learning to bead roll one handed is just another skill, like riding a unicycle, that I can do without learning.

Having said that the biggest improvement I made was stiffening it up.
It would flop about if you took too big a step and now I can roll most beads in one go.
I would not have a chance of rolling a bead manual on something like a door without help, with the mods I've done I now would have no problem and my bead rolling skills haven't improved any in the interim.

Certainly it's a bit of a luxury but it didn't cost much and I enjoyed the journey almost as much as the end result.

Out of interest did you reinforce your bead-roller?

Each to their own but motorising this was a bit of a project for me and I'm happy how it turned out and the increased functionality it gives me.

I didn't try too hard to learn how to roll beads one handed and the real advantage to me is I can now see what I'm doing and stand where I want, not where I need to so I can reach the handle.
I'm sure I could have improved if I stuck with it, but learning to bead roll one handed is just another skill, like riding a unicycle, that I can do without learning.

Having said that the biggest improvement I made was stiffening it up.
It would flop about if you took too big a step and now I can roll most beads in one go.
I would not have a chance of rolling a bead manual on something like a door without help, with the mods I've done I now would have no problem and my bead rolling skills haven't improved any in the interim.

Certainly it's a bit of a luxury but it didn't cost much and I enjoyed the journey almost as much as the end result.

Out of interest did you reinforce your bead-roller?

Like you i tried a few beads but there was so much flex it needed stiffening,
The box section brace sorted, i can run deep beads in 18g steel in one pass now,
Also did the T handle adjuster for tension and also added a spring for the rolls to self seperate so you dont have to lift the top roll to remove the sheet.

 

[Dcal]

Tidy job and the welding is much more in keeping with the job required of it.
I used is as a practice piece for learning tig welding so far too much but why not.

Certainly shows that there more than one way to skin a cat.

 

[minimutly]

Started on mine tonight. Pics up tomorrow, it's all cut from scrap but should be ok, except for one oopsy.

 

[minimutly]

Making the strengthener first, then welding that to the roller. Making a plate and some scaffolding tube to use my tyre remover cross to bolt it to the floor. The mistake was that the slots cut out of the strenthener were to be repaired before welding the sections together, but in my haste I forgot....
Not sure if I need the gussets to get the edges on the horizontals meeting up with the edge of the vertical. One thing is certain, my 130A murex mig is not quite up to the job, but I don't know where I put the stick holder for my inverter, and don't want to fire up the buzzbox.

 

[minimutly]

View attachment 234066 View attachment 234067 View attachment 234068 View attachment 234069 Making the strengthener first, then welding that to the roller. Making a plate and some scaffolding tube to use my tyre remover cross to bolt it to the floor. The mistake was that the slots cut out of the strenthener were to be repaired before welding the sections together, but in my haste I forgot....
Not sure if I need the gussets to get the edges on the horizontals meeting up with the edge of the vertical. One thing is certain, my 130A murex mig is not quite up to the job, but I don't know where I put the stick holder for my inverter, and don't want to fire up the buzzbox.

Progress. It needs final setting for level, but I wasn't sure about the hight - it feels like it's about right (nipple height - I checked). The pole is a bit wobble but one of the mounting holes didn't align, which either means I cocked it up or the pattern of the bottom plate of the tyre changer is not square. It's now a very heavy bead roller...