Re: Advice on a drive mechanism for a homemade ring roller
- From: wfhabicher@xxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: 15 Sep 2006 08:04:59 -0700
Bryon,
If you have the room (shop size, yard size, etc.) here is a method that
is simple and straight forward (pardon the pun):
Simply uncoil a length of wire of interest, 30 to 50 feet say.
Anchor one end to a secure base such as a stout tree, fence post, truck
bumper, neighbours car bumper....you get the idea. As long as it is
quite immovable.
Attach the other end to anything you can use to stretch the wire past
its yield point where the wire will take a permanent set. Since you
pulled the wire in a straight line it will be straight.
Used this method to salvage 10ga wire from a big transformer and it
worked like a charm.
For pulling you could also use a come-along, block-and-tackle, or a
lever arrangement propped in a doorway.
Feel free to use your imagination! And let us know how you made out.
Wolfgang
Bryon B wrote:
Hi all,
I am in the midst of completing my ring roller. I put some pics in the
dropbox...
http://www.metalworking.com/dropbox/ring_roller_001.jpg
http://www.metalworking.com/dropbox/ring_roller_002.jpg
http://www.metalworking.com/dropbox/ring_roller_003.jpg
http://www.metalworking.com/dropbox/ring_roller_004.jpg
http://www.metalworking.com/dropbox/ring_roller_005.jpg
About it: It rolls/straightens 60lb coils of 3/32 lincolnweld L-56 mig
wire. (I had previously used 10ga bare copper for my sculpture, but with
the price of copper lately, i thought i would try mig wire) I just run
the wire through 2 4in polyurethane covered casters driven by some old
bicycle sprockets and chain and through my homebuilt roller (just
skateboard bearings bolted to some 1x3/8 CR bar)
My problem: I fought and fought with getting the feed mechanism (the
4in casters) both tight enough, and straight. It is nearly impossible to
get both rollers to be square with respect to each other as well as
tight enough to force the wire through. It actually works now, (i have
probably run a couple hundred of feet through it) but it is precariously
held together by vice-grips (after countless tries at adjusting it).
It doesn't really show in the pictures, but there are 2 pretty stout
springs pulling down on an 12" piece of angle iron bolted/vice-gripped
to the top caster to keep it tight. I also realized that industrial
casters are not ideal for precision aligning, there is probably about
1/16" play in each one across the axle, which if they are not square to
each other, it will drive the wire off the edge. Currently, they are NOT
square to each other, the top one is tilted ~5deg (which just kinda
happened, I didn't have it clamped very tight and after rolling it just
kinda "chose" that "natural" alignment.
My question: Is there a better way to force wire through my roller? or
should I just weld everyplace there is a pair of vice-grips?
I have a terrible history of doing things the hard way. and maybe
someone knows of a better way.
Thanks,
Bryon
.
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- From: Bryon B
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