anyone used this ring roller?

[bad_idea]

http://www.harborfreight.com/gear-driven-ring-roller-36790.html

i need to roll a 14" circle with 3/8 round stock. i know it is rated for 1/4" round stock, but who hasn't push a tool past its capabilities? this is for home use, so please don't reccommend an outrageous tool. but if anyone has a recommendation for a better tool at a 'home use' price lemme know. i'm not opposed to making one but don't have a lathe or mill. i don't see me using this thing very often, but the wife wants me to make an end table...

 

[rickairmedic]

I have one of those and honestly was not impressed with it . Dont get me wrong I have several HF tools and am happy with most of them as they do the jobs I got them to do . Thats just not one of them .


I will say if all you are wanting to do is bend some 3/8 " round into a 14" circle then just cut a piece of 3/4" plywood into a 12" circle then screw it down to a slightly larger piece of 3/4" plywood . Then take a small piece of 3/4" plywood and attatch it next to the circle ( leaving enough room inbetween for the 3/8" rod to pass between ) . There you go a homemade ring roller made out of parts you may already have laying around .


Now your going to tell me that you wanted a 14" circle and I told you to make a 12" circle The steel will want to spring back so making your form slightly smaller than what you want to end up with will allow it to spring back to 14".


Rick

 

[fordcragar]

I bought one of them about eight years ago, and misused it a little. It worked for what I needed, actually I bent some flat that exceeded the recommendations for the tool. Except for the one time, it has hasn't seen any work since. Where do you live, I might make you a deal on one.

 

[Larwyn]

I have had one for several years and used it often within it's limits it does a fine job. If mine broke today I would order another tonight! I have used it a lot on 1 x 1/8 flat bar and 1/4" rod. I have even rolled 1 x 3/16 flat bar and 1 1/2 by 1/8 flat but you cannot fit 3/8" round or flat between the rollers.

It is a handy little tool which I use often but it will not work with 3/8" round. Rick's suggestion should work fine for what you are trying to do. For heavier stock I have an assortment of old pulleys and other round objects that I bend the stock around, often with the aid of the oxy/acetylene "bender".

I have several bending tools from Harbor Freight and find them useful when used within their limits which is often a bit below their "rating". The compact binder is useful enough that it has earned a permanent place, bolted to the floor, in my garage. I have the ring roller mounted on a bit of 2" square stock so I can fit it to the receiver on my welding table when I need it. A couple of other HF bending tools are under the workbench and held in the vise when needed. None of these tools will stand up to excessive force and or over sized stock.

 

[lilredex]

I also have that one and it was a good deal at $20 on sale a while back. Have used it for a few projects, some I can't show, but this one I can...........



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Would I buy it again?? You bet! Also bought the scroller (bender) attachment on the same trip and also on sale. Lots of good stuff at HF.

 

[Larwyn]

Here's a sample of some of the things that the little ring roller from HF has helped me put together in past couple of years. I have used it on many other projects, these are just the pics I could find easily on my computer this morning.

Beer holder;


Made this armillary to support the pipe supplying the rainwater collection tank, why settle for simple cable and turnbuckles?;


Mobilized the weed burner;


It even came to the rescue when the dog ate one of the wheels off of my Weber Kettle (didn't want to replace the wheel with another "chew toy");


And the ring roller was indispensable when "weaving" this web;

 

[bad_idea]

well damn. now i'm going to have to bend the 3/8 around a jig and buy the roller for other projects. i do need a clamp for my argon bottle.

 

[BigMike782]

Mine worked much better after I made new drive rollers so the knurls wouldn't smash smooth.

 

[Majordisorder]

This is an old thread and you would think the roller would have improved. Mine broke within ten minutes trying to roll 1/4" rod. The main block is plastic and it simply cracked through. Is this part made of iron on similar models?