Cutting and bending rebar

[Scout]

What's the best way to cut and bend rebar. I'm doing large armatures and having a hard time with the bars. I have a conduit bender but it's not quit right.

[Andrew Werby]

There are lever-action rebar cutter/bender units you can get, as well as "hickeys" that are just benders. Here's a selection of them from Grainger's, which isn't a particularly cheap source of anything but has a lot of selection:

http://www.grainger.com/category/man...equestedPage=1

Andrew Werby
Juxtamorph.com

[raspero]

I use a lot of re-bar making stuff in my foundry. I cut it with a 4 1/2 inch grinder and a cut-off wheel.

Here is a good way to bend it.



Whatever that green tube is, I would use a piece of 3/4 inch iron pipe.

For more gradual curves a series of pins in the wood block. Casting them in a chunk of concrete would be better.

Richard

[PTsideshow]

Have you thought about using an electrical conduit bender Up here commonly called a "HICKEY". No I have only used one on the smallest sized rebar 3/8"dia. The benders common in assorted sizes I have 1/2" 3/4" and 1" You thread a section of pipe in for a handle and they have worked out all the math in a number of books which should give you a very close approximation of what you what. 45's,90's and off sets
Here are two of mine.


Here is a close up with some of the markings on the head.
This is a pipe vise which has 3 holes and bending jigs built in.

Only thing in using them the vise must be locked with a pipe to the ceiling or over heard beam and the floor to keep it in place, or bolted to the floor.


as each leg has a bolt hole.

It is much easier to use the conduit bender. They aren't expensive around $40.00 or less with out the handles for some over 1" they start to get pricey. Menards,Home Despot and High's sells them in most stores or their web sites

[Scout]

Oh, I can see some new tools in my future. I've been using a light conduit bender along with a hole in an old radiator. I need some short pieces bent too and I am not having good success. I am going to look around. Although I do like the bolts on the 6X6. ( I have also ruined the threads on the 4' pipe I use on my armatures for clay sculpting.) Damn!

[Scout]

I want one of those Rigid Benders.

[Andrew Werby]

For short pieces you can't get a good grip on for bending cold, heat them to red heat in a forge (preferably) or with the rosebud tip on an oxy-acetylene torch. That makes the steel a lot softer, and it bends easily. If you've got an anvil, that's what the little round hole is for.

Andrew Werby
Juxtamorph.com

[Ryder]

I call the round hole in my anvil the pritchel hole as opposed to the hardie hole which is the square hole. The pritchel hole was sometimes used for a holding device to hold down work on the anvil (at least according to my sources in old west USA).
The Pritchel hole is great for bending 1/4 inch hot rolled rod that I use quite a bit of.

[Scout]

Very interesting. Thanks!