bending iron

Hi. I've been using a hot air gun and pipe method for bending sides, however the gun gave out so I'm thinking of making something better. was wondering if anyone had used a cartridge heater like this http://www.vulcanelectric.com/busin...ID=Heaters_4&gclid=CLPuwIinkpwCFZkA4wodNVCcdQ with any success. My thoughts are to bore out a piece of 50mm dia. Aluminium round bar, insert the heater, wire a voltage controller and take it from there. Any tips?

ecosteel said:

Hi. I've been using a hot air gun and pipe method for bending sides, however the gun gave out so I'm thinking of making something better. was wondering if anyone had used a cartridge heater like this http://www.vulcanelectric.com/busin...ID=Heaters_4&gclid=CLPuwIinkpwCFZkA4wodNVCcdQ with any success. My thoughts are to bore out a piece of 50mm dia. Aluminium round bar, insert the heater, wire a voltage controller and take it from there. Any tips?

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There's nothing wrong with that idea..it should work great..thats all that they are.. perhap's you could use a post with two diameters the lower at 50mm and the upper at 25mm about 6 inch high.

Timbuck said:

There's nothing wrong with that idea..it should work great..thats all that they are.. perhap's you could use a post with two diameters the lower at 50mm and the upper at 25mm about 6 inch high.

Click to expand...

What a good idea. I've asked a local engineering company to do the boring for me, (mainly because the thought of drilling a 5" deep hole 1/2" diameter into Aluminium on my drill press doesn't appeal much) he can turn the smaller diameter while it's still in the chuck. You know I've always wondered how these things were made, I haven't used one. I reckon it should cost a quarter the price of the commercial ones. thanks

I took my proprietry one apart the other day and was surprised to find that it was hollow...