Needed a wire bender so I made one

[JRD77VET]

One of the motorcycle parts I make has a spring hook on it. I made a hokey wire bender but the one side of the wire wasn't straight. ( top pic, bottom wire has an arc to it ).

I thought about it for a bit and made the wire bender in the bottom pic. I had a piece of 5/8" thick by 1" wide cold rolled steel flat bar and drill and reamed some 1/4" holes. The longer pin is the pivot point for handle.

The handle is a piece of 5/8" cold rolled steel round bar about 6" long. That has a .251 ( oversize 1/4" hole ) for the pivot pin and a 1/4" pin for forming the 1/8" thick wire.

Took about a hour and works perfect.

Yes, I could have purchased an adjustable bender that was made in the USA for about $400. This speciality tool that I made from stock laying around will be just fine

[Stevedore]

So I'm guessing you lay the wire crosswise on the flat bar, put the handle on, & rotate it to wrap the wire around the pin in the flat bar? Pretty cool.

[JRD77VET]

Originally Posted by Stevedore

So I'm guessing you lay the wire crosswise on the flat bar, put the handle on, & rotate it to wrap the wire around the pin in the flat bar? Pretty cool.

I put the wire about 3/16" past the edge of the flat bar because as I make the bend around the pin, it "creeps" along.

I also designed it so the wire on the outside becomes parallel to the end of the bar when the handle comes around.

[Jeff '79]

That's well done Jeff.
My neighbor up the street, Jay, is a machinist for Moog Aircraft division here.
He's my go to guy for machined parts.
He thinks like you do.
Out of the box, and accomplishes the neatest things.
He out engineers, engineers, at Moog daily, and he's not an engineer.
You're into old steam engines, he's into old Dodge trucks and army vehicles. He restores them to perfection., Like these

[simpleman68]

Clever and ingenious! Damn Germans.... what can't they manufacture with great precision?

IBTCARSTHATSURVIVEBEYONDWARRANTY comments.
Scott