Please let me in!

[steel 35]

I came across a problem recently in a project; finishing my 35 ford pickup last piece to send off for paint I needed a patch panel with the bead on a radius and had no Idea how to do it and had no tools for it, after a few weeks of pondering this problem I searched and played with a few things and made a bead roller using a lathe for power and a spindle and now I am back to cleaning my shop after a two year complete tear down of the old truck and every time I clean a spot I think of something that could fit there now. Just mounted my vice after building 10 years ago I couldn't drill holes in my counter tops because I had now where I wanted it for good. So like the only posts I have looked at here so far I used receiver tube and have several tools that fit and can remove them and swing it out of the way. I am digging for more info on a English wheel / Bead roller unit before building one, never used either before but think I can find room for it, if I clean just a little bit more. Mostly I build things for boats, and have done the stainless layout & Plumbing in a Brewery and the first brew sold; I guess thats pretty rare? I built them a automatic keg washer that washes four kegs with the push of a button And I am no good at doing dishes ask my wife
I have spent hours the last few days looking at some really good examples of art from some guys using bead rollers and they talked about this forum so here I am learning and looking some more.

[Overkill]

Chris,

You'll find info on the site as you search around, but I'm also wondering what part of the West Coast as there are a few meets available where you could get some hands on time.

Lots of people use modified HF bead rollers, and that's a good place to start. There are a number of other manufacturers, both hand driven and electrical. It all kind of depends on the budget and what you want to ultimately do with it.

As for english wheels, I bought my from www.wheelingmachines.com - Kerry Pinkerton who is a administrator here. He's very open with information if you want to build also.

The actual wheels/anvils are available from Joe Andrews at Hoosier Profiles - those are the one's Kerry uses. You can see Joe's products in his ebay store, or contact him directly. Note there is a classified section to this forum as well.

Lots of info here, just takes a bit of time to dig through it.

John

[steel 35]

Thanks I live about 5 hours North from you! and am building on the cheap for sure to see if its a thing I really get into. I am looking forward to seeing some more of machines and I am planning to build the english base more for support of a bead roller then anything I don't think my old bones can actually use the wheel but if I am taking up space I might as well make a plan, and yes the weeling machines are very nice. top or bottom tensioner is a big one I am stuck on very early in the plan.

[David Gardiner]

Hi Chris, welcome to the site, It is great to have lots of machines and making machines is fun but it is best to learn to form metal by hand before using a wheeling machine. I have two large cast iron machines in my workshop along with many othe machines but a big pecentage of the work is still done using hand tools, either because it is quicker or because it is not possible to do with a machine or because in most cases finishing by hand is best. The wheel is not very intuative to use and you will get on better with if you have an understanding of how the metal moves when you hit it. I still form most panels by hand and just use the wheel to smooth of large areas. (depending on the shape)

David

[HEATNBEAT]

Welcome to Allmetalshaping Chris, from another West Coaster

[steel 35]

Originally Posted by David Gardiner

Hi Chris, welcome to the site, It is great to have lots of machines and making machines is fun but it is best to learn to form metal by hand before using a wheeling machine. I have two large cast iron machines in my workshop along with many othe machines but a big pecentage of the work is still done using hand tools, either because it is quicker or because it is not possible to do with a machine or because in most cases finishing by hand is best. The wheel is not very intuative to use and you will get on better with if you have an understanding of how the metal moves when you hit it. I still form most panels by hand and just use the wheel to smooth of large areas. (depending on the shape)

patch[1].jpg

David

You have a good point. I have no Idea when it needs streached or shrank yet. So I am going to be adding to a scrap pile for a while. Here is the culpret of my new brain storm. was amazed how easy it was with a little prep work.

[David Gardiner]

The swage (bead to you) turned out well! please show the machine you made/modified to make it. It sounds interesting.

David

[Jere]

Chris:

You might consider getting the DVD by Kerry Pinkerton. It is a good place to start understanding the where's and why's of moving metal.

Welcome to the site and I'd love to see the bead roller adapted from your Lathe.

[steel 35]

Originally Posted by Jere

Chris:

You might consider getting the DVD by Kerry Pinkerton. It is a good place to start understanding the where's and why's of moving metal.

Welcome to the site and I'd love to see the bead roller adapted from your Lathe.

Thanks guys and here is a picture of what I did to get the job done, this only accomplished the bead after the initial contour was hand formed over a piece of wood cut to the radius needed, I didn't get a picture of it going through it happened to fast even at the very slowest speed I could go. 1 Pass and I didn't want to do it again, I was very happy with it. I will look into that video I owe him that much for offering the Adjuster shell, quill info just because! very kind to share his profession.

patch 01.jpg

[Jere]

That must have bin an exciting few seconds as that piece was going through. Nice looking piece of equipment. Time to build a Bead Roller