The bead roller of awesomeness!
- Thread starter bobs409
- Start date
oh, this is $914.00 Eastwood.....
So, how much would shipping be to Washington State...
No need, I'm sure there is a Harbor Freight near you.
Ok Bob,,,, where did you get the paint color choice???????
Eastwood may have had an influence. I looked at so many though. Blue is my favorite color, I suspect that had a lot to do with it.
Finally found the skateboard wheel(s) I was looking for. That was no easy task! Since I know absolutely nothing about skateboards, that made it harder.
Turns out there are many different sizes. There are also different hardness's. My research told me I wanted the softest ones rated around 75A. I also wanted a wheel that was at least 2 inches wide. Prices are all over the place too! Being a frugal person, naturally I wanted a good deal. Had to buy a set of (4) but got them for $14.99 shipped. Figure I can sell one or two off and recoup a bit if I choose too. The ones I got are clear, hardness of 78A and 59mm's so just over 2-1/4" wide. They almost fit right on the bead roller shaft, just a small middle section that needs to be removed so I put one on my lathe and bored that center out to 22mm's. Shown below with a "tipping" die I cobbled together from a washer and a 7/8" collar I got at Lowes. It works great! I tested it by putting a 90 degree bend in light sheet steel in about 2 passes!
Other things I'm working on is making a few custom die's. I bought some solid round cold rolled steel in 2-3/8" and 2" diameters. The larger size will make the male dies and the smaller one the females. This picture shows how far along I am with those. Have to decide what profile I want to do...
The 3 jaw chuck that comes with these can be tricky to get accurate so I bought a set of tapered collets which make mounting a part very quick and accurate! I made an arbor shaft shown below to mount the die blanks I make onto. This will keep everything perfectly centered and running true part after part. (using the chuck wasn't working out as you have to flip the part over from time to time and I couldn't get it aligned the same each time) That won't be a problem with this. It's cut down to 22mm's for the die to slide on and the back shaft is 11/16 to fit one of my collets. It runs nice and true.
There is much more work and time into making these than I realized but considering the cost of new ones that can run over a hundred a set, it's worth it. And I can make any profile I can come up with.
Only difference is these won't be heat treated like the store bought ones but should last just fine for how much use they'll see.
Turns out there are many different sizes. There are also different hardness's. My research told me I wanted the softest ones rated around 75A. I also wanted a wheel that was at least 2 inches wide. Prices are all over the place too! Being a frugal person, naturally I wanted a good deal.
Had to buy a set of (4) but got them for $14.99 shipped. Figure I can sell one or two off and recoup a bit if I choose too. The ones I got are clear, hardness of 78A and 59mm's so just over 2-1/4" wide. They almost fit right on the bead roller shaft, just a small middle section that needs to be removed so I put one on my lathe and bored that center out to 22mm's. Shown below with a "tipping" die I cobbled together from a washer and a 7/8" collar I got at Lowes. It works great! I tested it by putting a 90 degree bend in light sheet steel in about 2 passes!Other things I'm working on is making a few custom die's. I bought some solid round cold rolled steel in 2-3/8" and 2" diameters. The larger size will make the male dies and the smaller one the females. This picture shows how far along I am with those. Have to decide what profile I want to do...
The 3 jaw chuck that comes with these can be tricky to get accurate so I bought a set of tapered collets which make mounting a part very quick and accurate! I made an arbor shaft shown below to mount the die blanks I make onto. This will keep everything perfectly centered and running true part after part. (using the chuck wasn't working out as you have to flip the part over from time to time and I couldn't get it aligned the same each time) That won't be a problem with this. It's cut down to 22mm's for the die to slide on and the back shaft is 11/16 to fit one of my collets. It runs nice and true.
There is much more work and time into making these than I realized but considering the cost of new ones that can run over a hundred a set, it's worth it. And I can make any profile I can come up with.
Only difference is these won't be heat treated like the store bought ones but should last just fine for how much use they'll see.
Finally found the skateboard wheel(s) I was looking for. That was no easy task! Since I know absolutely nothing about skateboards, that made it harder.
Turns out there are many different sizes. There are also different hardness's. My research told me I wanted the softest ones rated around 75A. I also wanted a wheel that was at least 2 inches wide. Prices are all over the place too! Being a frugal person, naturally I wanted a good deal.
View attachment 46699
Other things I'm working on is making a few custom die's. I bought some solid round cold rolled steel in 2-3/8" and 2" diameters. The larger size will make the male dies and the smaller one the females. This picture shows how far along I am with those. Have to decide what profile I want to do...
View attachment 46700
The 3 jaw chuck that comes with these can be tricky to get accurate so I bought a set of tapered collets which make mounting a part very quick and accurate! I made an arbor shaft shown below to mount the die blanks I make onto. This will keep everything perfectly centered and running true part after part. (using the chuck wasn't working out as you have to flip the part over from time to time and I couldn't get it aligned the same each time) That won't be a problem with this. It's cut down to 22mm's for the die to slide on and the back shaft is 11/16 to fit one of my collets. It runs nice and true.
View attachment 46701
There is much more work and time into making these than I realized but considering the cost of new ones that can run over a hundred a set, it's worth it. And I can make any profile I can come up with.
Only difference is these won't be heat treated like the store bought ones but should last just fine for how much use they'll see.
Would cryogenic hardening work.......?????
That's some really nice work You're doing bob! The collet is pretty slick. Did that come with your new lathe?
In all my 2 weeks of machining, I don't really know.
Thanks Jim. I bought a set of collets from ebay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/131864567918?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
They are really nice but they are listed as using a 3/8-16 draw bar when in fact, it's 5/16-16. I did let the seller know but looks like he has not corrected it.
Working on making a ball turner tool right now. I want to use that to help shape the dies I have in mind shown below. Have lots of other "add on's" I want to make for the lathe too.
Haven't used the bead roller for a while but it's one of those tools that when you need it, you need it. Cranked out a floor patch panel for the 4 door Chevelle yesterday in no time.
To buy floor patches, I would have ended up with much more than needed in one direction but still would have had to make a piece for the firewall section or buy that too. (they always rust where to 2 panels meet!)
Might try some of the trunk floor but not sure yet. That is much more complicated. Then again, this isn't a resto, just a 4 door that I'm keeping alive so real close would probably do. (repro's are probably way off anyhow, mine might be more accurate!)
To buy floor patches, I would have ended up with much more than needed in one direction but still would have had to make a piece for the firewall section or buy that too. (they always rust where to 2 panels meet!)
Might try some of the trunk floor but not sure yet. That is much more complicated. Then again, this isn't a resto, just a 4 door that I'm keeping alive so real close would probably do. (repro's are probably way off anyhow, mine might be more accurate!)
The patches came out very nice Bob!
Thanks Jim. Left the best part out, that's about $4.00 worth of 18 gauge sheet metal.
Bob leave that piece out so you can drag your feet in case the brake's go out!!!!!!!!
Just kidding,,,,,, If that panel don't fit like it's supposed to you can't call anybody and complain!!!!! Look's good though......Now you need a English wheel for curved panel's.
Guess this is the best place to put this one. Finished up a set of dies I made for the bead roller. This design will be used for some areas of the trunk pans I will be making for the 71 Chevelle. They work great!
I'm working on another set like this but with a wider groove & a little deeper as some areas of the trunk need that profile. Really fun making your own tools!
I'm working on another set like this but with a wider groove & a little deeper as some areas of the trunk need that profile. Really fun making your own tools!
Nice work Bob! What did you use to make the dies? Round stock or did you order die blanks?
That's just cold rolled steel round stock. The smaller one starts out from 2 inch and the larger from 2-3/8". They are machined down as needed for the profile but also to keep the rollers in a good alignment. (so the dies sit flat against each other when clamped down fully on the sheetmetal)
Just seen this for the 1st time. Wow, Bob. very nice work.