bending radius' in thick plate (just read it)

Hey, couldnt figure out how to title this so oh well. Anyways Im rockin n rolling on setting up a crossmember and I need a 1x2 driveshaft loop .. Now I know where I can get one, local, but its expensive (alstons). So being of the no budget variety on my own projects I figured I could make one, I have a plasma, oxy acetelyn, a mig and various basic shop tools like a vice ect. I thought about cutting out two ovals in 120 plate and boxing them in around the sides but Im a bit stumped on a good way to accurately bend the radiused portions along the ends. Back in high school we had a big plate table that you could weld pins to and bend strap around em for ornamental brackets and such but unfortunately I dont have anything suitable for the job. So I was wondering what would be a good way to do this? If worst come to worst Ill pony up the 80 bucks for a prefabbed oval but that really is a last resort, I can think of much better ways to spend that kind of money than on a damn metal oval. So if you have any ideas maybe throw em my way thanks

 

How thick of a plate are you bending? & How wide? What radius do you want?
Are you planning on making your driveshaft loop out of "4" pieces?

 

Use RHS. Cut a series of cuts through maybe 1/2" apart all the way through except one side. Bend to shape and weld up cuts. Grind it all smooth. Common practice 'round here.

Pete

 

I was considering using "4" pieces but actually more like 6. I thought about plasma cutting two ovals ~7x11 1" face then cut 2" straps for the sides and have a 2.5" inner radius and 3.5 out radius. Figured I could use two straps for the outside, weld them in on the straight sides and heat, bend and weld the ends to make two U's. It was the inside radius I was trying to figure out since theres no good way to weld, bend, weld, bend.

 

what is "RHS"

never mind a quick search answered my question. Other thing is when you do it do you just slit it on the outside radius, bend it then fill in the gaps or do you pie cut the inside and weld it together? Seems that the outside radius way would get a smoother bend at the expense of alot of filling gaps. If it takes all day to do it I may end up buying one as time is money regardless.

 

Weld, bend, weld, is real easy on something that thick. Clamp it in the vise and use a sledge for the bending. The heat from the weld is what makes it possible. Little tricky til you get the hang of the specific item, but highly doable.

How hung up are you on the loop part of "driveshaft loop"? Go buy some 1/8-3/16 strap, like an inch wide. Cut it into 8 pieces and weld. Think elongated octagon.

Otherwise find yourself a large piece of heavy steel tubing and lenghten/widen as necessary.

good luck

 

Find something with the radius you need, heat up your strap and bend it around that inner piece.
If you find a piece of pipe that is to small of a radius you can tack and bend a strap around it to get to the size that you need.
Example : A 2" od pipe with a 1/4" strap over it would give you a 2 1/2" buck to work with.
Smokey

 

Visit your local plumbing contractor. Ask for a short cutoff of a piece of schedule 80 of the diameter that matches your needed end radius. cut it in half, leaving two cresent pieces. Weld in two short pieces of 1/4" plate the width of the pipe cutoff between the open ends of the cutoffs and you have your loop.

Frank

 

EDIT: these guys type faster than me.

Well you could get two small pieces of pipe an cut them in half for the radius. A steel shop near me sell small drops by the pound, Most public distributor steel places will.

For What you want to do, you could make do with a small plate with an angle welded to the bottom of it and clamp it up in a vise.
That would give you a small weld table to weld stops on and bend what ever to want.

Another way you could do it is weld an angle to the oval itself, and clamp that in the vise.
Then tack one strap to the flat part of one oval and work it around the radius.
Fit them up corner to corner and tack the inside.
Tack-heat bend-tack-heat-bend-tack, repeat hammer as necessary.
Do that untill the ends overlap and cut to fit.
Should be able to go slow and take a 1/2 at a time & make it pretty nice.
Work one on the inside radius and one on the outside & then put them together.

Hope that helps

 

I do expect it to be seen and Id like it as smooth as possible, I think bending it over a large pipe might do it. I figure I could throw the pipe in a vice, tack weld one side of the strap to the pipe and heat it up and wrap it around. If it doesnt turn out how I like Ill just buy it.

 

hey guys thanks for the advice. I think I should be able to knock something out pretty quick with the suggestions you gave. Thanks again

 

Matt,Fab32 has it right. I used the same setup in my roadster frame. I used 1/4/" wall
6" dia. pipe,just cut off a 3"section,split in half,then welded in two 3"x4"x1/4"plate between the two semicircles. this gave me a 6"x10" oval. this piece went into the lowest rear cross member just ahead of the kickup, this is where the rear yoke and drive line pass through . Quick,easy,& clean.
...........Jack

 

You don't pie cut. You cut on the inside radius and the sides but not the outside. Just the thickness off the cutoff wheel is enough. When you bend it, the gap closes up and you weld it up. I did this to make 2 "U"s for my trans tunnel (8" diameter). Didn't take very long, maybe an hour to do 2.

 

As long as I can find the diameter pipe I need that may very well be the easiest way to go.

 

Just spend the $80. You coulda had the crossmember done by now.

 

Are you doing this because a partcular race organization requires a driveshaft loop?

Dig through the rulebook.

I believe NHRA allows a 1/4" x 2" U-strap in place of the rectangular tubing loop.

SCTA may be the same.

 

Or go to the local big truck store and buy a 1" thick u-bolt bent to your spec. for about $10 last time I did it. They are threaded so it will bolt in.

 

how close are you to your old high school, did the teacher like you, is he still thare?

if the answers are postive swing by with your strap and some donuts and bender up

 

Check out Art Morrison for their drive shaft loops made out of tubing. They'r $60-$70 range, always in stock. I know this is throughing money at the problem, but the loop is apr. 2 in. in diam. and looks good held by a 2 x4 crossmember.

 

I can get one from Chassisworks since theyre only about 5 miles away from me but it was the buying it for well over $50 part that turned me off. I figure I could make it for $10-$15 and have gas money for the rest of the week. Ive also give some thought to making a rectagle out of the RHS and curving the edges on the outside and just having it square on the inside, it seems to be the easiest and I accomplish my goal. HMMM maybe thats what Ill do..

 

Was browsing about DS loops and found this... if I read it right sounds like Spooler put the loop at the back of the DS ... it should go at the front to keep a broken front U joint from highjacking the car.

 

A friend with a press might be your best bet

 

You need to find this guy...

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Ha Ha Awesome!

 

Im still lost at RHS?I know what crs and hrs is but rhs?Need to learn something new today.Burl.

 

look at the drawing for awhile. go to a scrap metal yard and get a piece of tubing the size you want your loop to be.
then have them cut a 2" long piece off of it.
measure across where the loop will be attached to the frame.
then buy 2" x 2" square tube the length you need.
weld.
it will cost a lot less than 80 bucks and take less time to make.
study the picture.

 

Lakewood's universal driveshaft loop #18000 is less than $30.00 and it's NHRA legal.

 

Thorbecke Brothers (www.suicidedoors.com) has tubing bent 180 degrees - buy 2 (I think they're $19.99 each).

Here it is:

http://www.suicidedoors.com/steel-tubing-bent/180-degree-bend/180-degree-bent-tubing

Steve

 

how about this one.... 1x2 steel 11 guage...

 

Rectangular Hollow Section. RHS, rectangular steel tube. Square Hollow Section is SHS.
must be an aussie designation.