Bending a frame for frame rails

[buggynutt]

I posted this up to help some other people with building a frame. I think its some good info so I will post it here for others so its easier to find.

Ok so my I cant make a vid right now because I brook my camcorder so. I will do what I can, lol.

Ok when bending a frame you need to start with a full 6' stick of 1/2" sqaure tube. Just makes it easier to bend with a full stick.

First thing to do is find out what you want, I draw it up on 1/4" graph paper and make it to the scale you want.

I then Take my stick and do some marking on it with a silver sharpy so I can get a good idea where to start. Dont start your bends right at the end of the tubing because it makes it very hard to get it bent.

I use anything I can that is strong enough to bend the tube. Most people just stick it in the vice heat it up and bend it.. Dont do this if you want smooth bends. It will take a little mmore to bend it but it will be a smoother if you dont heat it, heat tends to make it bend in just the hot spot. SO if you want to use a vice dont clamp it down and dont heat it.

Ok so you are ready. Take the tubing place it in your bending spot, what ever you decide, I have use the holes in my table saw, the cross tubes on my shop smith, and the reciever hitch on my van..lol Test some different things to see what will work for you.

Bending, I start bending slow and as you bend you need to move the tubing. Bend a little, slide the tubing 1/4-1/2" bend a little more, move it again and bend again. YOu want to work through the bend and make it as even as possible. If you need a bend to go the other way, flit it over and do the same thing, also you can take some bend out if needed.

Line it up on your drawing and see where you need to bend to get it right.

If you need a sharp bend, then clamp it down in the vice and pull it slowly, you may need to over bend and flip it to take some of it out, this help it stay straighter side to side. You will get some side to side warping as you bend. Just try to work it back to as staight as you can.


Ok I hope you got this from what I have told you so far. Once you start it will make more sence.

Next, Figure out if you need any holes drilled. It is alot easier to drill before you cut it in half and you have the holes lined up in both sides.

Cut it to the lenght you need/want. I use my cutoff saw, but use what you have.

Now the tricky part....I have had to use several things to split the rails. I like using my table saw with a thin cut off wheel and cut it really slow. Lots of people use different thing to get this done. Ideas would be, bandsaw, hacksaw, dremal, grinder with the thin cut off wheel, and saws all.. many more things you could use, again use what you have.

Hope this helps and I hope more people chime in and thow in there 2cents

Thanks

Please add to this if you have found other tricks to building a frame.

Also feel free to ask questions, and I will do my best to answer them.

[bob1961]

i used my torch to heat up the 1/2" square tube to bend it....but not much to red hot to kink it bad....other then that the way you posted is dead nuts on how to make your own frame ....i used a 1/16" thin 3" cut off wheel from home depot with a screw bit that's from same company as the wheels in my drill press to cut tube down middle....like ya said there are lots of ways to get-r-done ......bob

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[BigSki]

I've used some old VW engine crankshaft pulleys clamped down to the drill press table to get a smooth radius. Good write up!

[mjderstine]

i just yanked and banked! put in a vice and bent until i got something i liked. no heat needed, but you do need tons of elbow grease to get them bent.

[tazman]

Great information! Has anyone tried to make a full tube framed scaler before? I've been thinking about trying that out.

[buggynutt]

Originally Posted by tazman

Great information! Has anyone tried to make a full tube framed scaler before? I've been thinking about trying that out.

Now that you mention it...lol Im going to be building one this summer. Im going to try a double tube frame with full tube chassis. Im kinda thinking looks to end up more like the R1 but nothing set in stone. Keep checking back here or over in the mad/twin force area.

[richierm]

how u get straight side to side? when i bend a tube it's never so flat i can lay it down on a surface

[DemetriM]

that's took some dedication right there. Patience pays off in the end