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how easy to bend small stainless rod
balidey - 26/10/09 at 10:55 AM

I have some pegboard to go up in my garage but need some hooks. But rather than buy them and then have to modify them to suit my needs I thought I would buy some small round bar and bend up my own, so I can get the exact shape, length adn quantity that I need.

Now I see that some pre-made hooks are 2.33mm dia stainless. I have found some lengths of 2.8mm stainless on ebay that seems cheap enough, but I'm just wondering how easy I will be able to bend this stuff.

Anyone have thoughts on this? Should I avoid S/S? Should I look for smaller rod?

I want to avoid using heat, just really want to clamp it in the vice and hit it with a big hammer

Comments and recomendations welcome....

flibble - 26/10/09 at 11:00 AM

Easy peasy, not even a big hammer required at that thickness

blakep82 - 26/10/09 at 11:13 AM

for all the effort it will take, just buy some pre made ones

02GF74 - 26/10/09 at 11:20 AM

quote:
Originally posted by blakep82
for all the effort it will take, just buy some pre made ones


no ... that is not the locost attitude (I made my own tent pegs from 6 mm aluminium rod).

you can make a former - bit like the screen surround in the BOOK but much smaller to ensure the hooks are all the same.

balidey - 26/10/09 at 11:24 AM

Former is a good idea.

And I can get the round bar stock cheaper than a handful of hooks, and chances are I would need (or want) to modify the stock hooks anyway.

blakep82 - 26/10/09 at 11:25 AM

quote:
Originally posted by 02GF74
no ... that is not the locost attitude (I made my own tent pegs from 6 mm aluminium rod).


perhaps, but has anyone ever actually made a car for £250?

liam.mccaffrey - 26/10/09 at 11:31 AM

easy, I can bend a 1/4"x7" stainless into a u shape with my bare hands.

Daddylonglegs - 26/10/09 at 11:50 AM

quote:
Originally posted by liam.mccaffrey
easy, I can bend a 1/4"x7" stainless into a u shape with my bare hands.


And next week, he'll tear up a telephone directory

liam.mccaffrey - 26/10/09 at 11:53 AM

I can't actually

quote:
Originally posted by Daddylonglegs
quote:
Originally posted by liam.mccaffrey
easy, I can bend a 1/4"x7" stainless into a u shape with my bare hands.


And next week, he'll tear up a telephone directory

Daddylonglegs - 26/10/09 at 12:47 PM

Damn it! I knew it

I have trouble ripping up my reminders



[Edited on 26/10/09 by Daddylonglegs]

David Jenkins - 26/10/09 at 12:53 PM

I bent 5mm stainless with a blowtorth and a couple of pegs in a lump of steel.



Heat the metal to red/orange. put between the pins (which are separated by a fraction larger than the rod) and pull whichever way you want to go.

This is just a miniature variant of a VERY old blacksmith's technique.

[Edited on 26/10/09 by David Jenkins]

Fred W B - 26/10/09 at 05:25 PM

Try welding suppliers for lengths of stainless wire in various thicknesses - TIG welding wire.

Cheers

Fred W B