Subject: RE: Circles

From: Cynthia Hull <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 25 Jun 1996 19:17:19 -0500 (CDT)

At 05:49 PM 6/25/96 -0000, you wrote:
>There are several ways to make the circles, but it would be nice to know
how many and their use.  Please describe further.  Charlie.

I make mixed media sculpture and this will be on some pieces where the rings
will support raku (ceramic) forms.  I want a to be able to make a variety of
sizes.  I was planning to use my forge to heat the steel for bending and
guess I need a sort of jig.  I would rather not take the time to make a jig
and figured there must be some prefab gizmo for this purpose.  Maybe?  Maybenot?

Cynthia
TX

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From: [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 25 Jun 1996 19:35:17 -0700

As long as you will be bending them hot, cynthia, just bend a 10" peice 
of 3/8 or 1/2 inch round into a U and clamp the bottom tightly in a vice.
Have just over half an inch distance between the inside edges of the U, 
maybe 7/8" then you can carefully control the curve as it develops, by
comparing it with a chalk drawing on the floor or on a steel topped 
table, if you have one.  Control the twist which will likely happen, and
the yaw which will surely happen by straightening after each bend-and- 
check-session before the steel gets cold.  Clamp the just bent portion in
the vise so the curve is up...(clamp the plane of the circle that doesn't 
change, eg: the top and bottom of the ring) then correct the twist with
a wrench and the yaw by hammering lightly sideways, you can eyeball the
worst wrinkles out that way, then finish the truing when the circle is
complete on the floor or other flat surface.  lay the circle on a flat
surface and gently press all around the circumference.  It will wobble
between high spots.  You can also sight edgeways, light will show under
the circle at the high spots.  Most of the time a good bash will persuade
the high part to join it's lowlife relatives.  When you think it's right,
flip it over and do the same thing again.  Takes a while, but you can get
large rings true this way.
   bob

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From: "[email-masked] 415.855.5707" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 26 Jun 1996 06:30:28 -0800 (PST)

A commercial shop would use a "ring roller" to make them.  It is basically
three rolls - when viewed from the side it looks like this (sort of):

          ()
        \_________________ <--- bar/rod stock feed in here    
   ()            ()

The top roller is adjusted to "pinch" the stock to be formed against the two
lower rollers, the more pinch the less the diamater of the finished hoop/arc.

It would probably be cheaper to send this out unless you plan to make these on
a large-ish scale and a continuing basis.  The cheapest commercial version I've
seen is about $900 from a company called Lockdown Securities in Laramie,
Wyoming.  (It looks like a nice piece) and will bend (I think) 1/2" thick by 2"
wide flats into any size hoop you could want.

Usual disclaimer:  I am not in any way affiliated with lockdown securities or
roll-bent hoops or anything else.  :->

Joe

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From: "Dr. Mark E. Williams" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 1 Jul 1996 07:54:58 -0400

On Jun 25,  7:17pm, Cynthia Hull wrote:
> Subject: RE: Circles

You could just bend around a piece of pipe. Clamp one end on with a vise-grips
withthe teeth filed off. This is a good method for hot. Cold one could use a
bending fork held in a vise.

Mark

-- 
Dr. Mark E. Williams
Bldg N-159, Rm E-215
NASA/GSFC/WFF/EG&G
Wallops Island, VA 23337
804-824-1744
[email-masked]

Be ye doers of the word and not hearers only, lest ye deceive yourselves.
New Testament, the Bible