Can anybody give me advice on making this tool?!?

[johnny1290]

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y244/johnny1290/CAMBERTOOL.jpg

To make the opening for the bolt, it looks like the opening should be 1.32 inches wide? And I suppose the depth doesn't matter so much, as the V does? Is that a 45 degree angle? Ok and it looks like each needs to be half of 1.32 long.

Now! How do I cut those two angles?!? I can weld the 1/4" steel together, the nut, no prob, and making two cuts into that piece 1.32 wide I can do. I just don't know what the heck to use on those angled cuts. The best I can think of is a dremel or air grinder with a little bitty cutting disc? The ones I always break ?!? hehe I guess I gotta do what I gotta do.

I could use an oxy/act torch, I'm not very experienced with it though, I'm not sure I can get it clean/straight enough to work. ?

Anybody have any ideas?

Thanks you guys!

[Merkava_4]

Now! How do I cut those two angles?!?

I'm thinking I'd drill three holes at those three intersecting corners and then a series of holes for the sides of those two angles. Then, I'd cut the material out in between the drilled holes with a grinding disc. Then, I'd make the final shape with a flat file that's either the width of those two angled sides or slightly less.

[Stuey]

What do you need the "V" for? Take a look at regular wrenches - the inside part is typically rounded off. It's the flats of the wrench that need to be completely parallel and smooth.

[kvom]

How about getting a wrench for that size and cutting off the handle, then welding it to the rest?

[rlb1953]

If the "v" is to fit a standard hex-head bolt, I believe the angle is 60 degrees.

Is the 1/4" thickness critical? I agree with kvom, why not make the whole thing out of a wrench? Heat the bends with an acetylene torch (or forge if you have one) before bending them in a vice, and cut off the remainder.

If the 1/4" is critical, I'd start with a 1/4" plate, and try punching the hole net shape. Take a 1-5/16 bolt and grind the end of the head flat (so the hex has sharp corners all the way around the top) The hardest part will be finding some sort of make-shift anvil with a hole big enough to punch though. Heat the plate cherry red where you are going to punch the hole, line up your home-made punch and WHACK!! One hex-shaped hole cut to size! Then just cut out the rest of the tool from the plate and bend.

Be warned... Blacksmithing is just another form of tool addiction.

[rsanter]

looks like a piece of thickwall square tubing would work

to make the wrench slot...
you can use a mill
hack saw and file
plasma cutter

bob

[dxdexter]

I agree with the other posters. I would buy the proper size wrench and bend it into the "C" shape and then weld the nut to the handle. If the open end portion has top be altered, then do so with a file/grinder/carbide burr/etc.

[Moose-LandTran]

Out of curiousity, what is this for? i saw the picture is called "cambertool" but the open end is stated at 1.320" which is roughly 33mm. (i work in metric) which is rather a lot.

i have a few wrenches that shape. (old Snap-on speciality ones)

[johnny1290]

thanks you guys-! I was making this more difficult than necessary I hope! Its a camber/caster adjusting tool for my 51 fords kingpin front end. In the manual there is only one shot of it that doesn't show the part that attachess to the adjustor. Its an octagonal shape I believe.

This is a sketch from who knows who or if its correct. Stupidly I just threw away the old adjustors I could have studied. I'll try to round them up from the bin.

Yes, its large alright. The 1" crows foot was way too small. I'll look around on ebay for a large wrench I can modify, but it has to be very thin to fit in the a arm. Maybe I can grind something down?

First though one poster had a good point, I may not even need the v's.

It just occurred to me I can probably chopsaw that opening, then use a 3" cutoff wheel to make the v's. If it cuts off too much, that's why I have a welder. I'll report back!

[swgray]

I think the 1.32" would be more commonly known as 1 5/16" (1.3125").An engineers wrench can be had for reasonable prices ($30 and under)and could be heated and bent to do what you want.Is the overall length 20" or 2.0"?

[johnny1290]

oh man thanks for telling me that! I didn't know what wrench to look for, you saved me some head scratching for sure! Im sure the length is 2".

I may be able to adjust without this tool, it would mean jacking up the car and removing the tire before every adjustment, then putting it back on, letting it down and re-settling the suspension. No thanks!

[gorilla]

I would make the 1 5/16 hole with a hole saw and then cut the flats with a hack saw or a milling machine and then weld up the rest. The hole saw should be cheaper than a open end wrench and could be used for other projects. i have made many wrenches this way and they have worked well