Bending machine (mini slip roller)

[Ben]

Does anyone have this miniature slip roller from Micro Mark? I am wanting to buy it to bend the photo etch exhaust stack gaurds from a flat sheet, into the tube shape they need to be without kinking. Just wondering if anyone has this and has ran photo etch through it? http://www.micromark.com/bending-machine,7739.html

[Art Anderson]

On the surface of it, I can't imagine any reason why it wouldn't work to bend PE parts, as they are nothing more than sheet metal cut out to whatever design.

Art

[southpier]

very cool gadget. is it only for the parts you mentioned? there's other, more moderately costed, ways to do it.

http://www.scalemodelguide.com/construction/techniques/photo-etched-parts-models/

http://www.italianhorses.net/Tutorials/Photoetch/pe.htm

http://thesmallshop.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=3

[Tony Bryan]

Ben, not really suitable for exhaust stacks, for 2 reasons, 1.you can't get the exhaust stack off the rollers when they have been bent, and 2., they don't roll all the way to they edge, due to the rollers not being tight to each other, they only way it can is if the etch is still on the fret, and again you can't get it off the roller, I do have one of these rollers and they are great, but do miss the ends by about 3/8 of an inch, when I make my guards, I allow for the extra and trim it off when I have formed it

The best way to roll the etch shields is to use a dowel, or machine yourself a former from acrylic, slightly undersize to allow for the spring in the etch and roll it on your bench, the more you roll it the tighter it will form around your dowel, then you can just slip it off your former

[vypurr59]

Have not used this tool, but others I have used, do not make any 90 degree bends, It only rolls or curves the metal.

[southpier]

http://www.enginehouseservices.com/products/The-Bender-_-NORTHWEST-SHORT-LINE.html

http://webspace.webring.com/people/ib/budb3/arts/meth/bndrl.html

http://shop.osorail.com/product.sc?productId=285

[Ben]

Ben, not really suitable for exhaust stacks, for 2 reasons, 1.you can't get the exhaust stack off the rollers when they have been bent, and 2., they don't roll all the way to they edge, due to the rollers not being tight to each other, they only way it can is if the etch is still on the fret, and again you can't get it off the roller, I do have one of these rollers and they are great, but do miss the ends by about 3/8 of an inch, when I make my guards, I allow for the extra and trim it off when I have formed it

The best way to roll the etch shields is to use a dowel, or machine yourself a former from acrylic, slightly undersize to allow for the spring in the etch and roll it on your bench, the more you roll it the tighter it will form around your dowel, then you can just slip it off your former

Hi Tony, are you saying that the flat surface of the rollers is not the same width as the exhaust stack heat shields? I figured the shields to be 2"-2-1/4" tall so inserting them sideways they would be 2"-2-1/4" wide. I then took in to account the grooves machined into the rollers laving a flat surface of maybe 2-1/2" wide? I wonder if I could machine new, completely flat rollers for it? Maybe even increase the width a little? Does it look like you can disassemble it?

[southpier]

wonder if this gadget would work if modified?

http://www.dickblick.com/products/amaco-pasta-machine/

[Ben]

wonder if this gadget would work if modified?

http://www.dickblick.com/products/amaco-pasta-machine/

No, I don't think that would work as the heat shield ends up being only about 3/8" in diameter once properly rolled so the rollers need to be as small as possible. Even if I can't get them rolled to 3/8", I could get them close and caefully finish with a dowel. The beginning bend is the most crucial as that's where I have had them kink on me. Once they get the bend going it's a little easier to get it to the size needed. I think with a little work, that mini slip roller from micro Mark should work. It looks like the top can be removed with the four thumb screws so I could slide the heat gaurd off that way?