S bends for candelabra

[HT1]

My wife wants me to make a candleabra, while I normally like any opportunity to combine work/hobby/ happy wife, this one annoys me.

the most common design for candelabra's requires several identical S-bends, I know several ways to get S-bends, but I can never seem to get two more then "pretty" close without a masive amount of trial and error

anyone got any suggestions? including design ideas to avoid S-bends all together

[Big_Eddy]

Depends on what material you are bending and how. If I am bending small material manually, I'll cut identical pieces, tape them together side by side and bend them at the same time - that way they end up the same. Works well enough for round stock and square stock, not so well for flat bar. Otherwise I mark each piece identically at key points where they line up with the benders, draw a line on my table at the final bend angle (before springback) of the first piece then try to replicate the same bend for each piece.

Big Eddy

[JoeS]

if you want to make a bunch of s-curves and make then repeatable, I'm assuming flat stock, correct?

if so, get some peices of plywood, probably 1/2" to 3/4" in would work well, and cut a circle to the desired shape. Then screw that piece to another larger piece that can be clamped, screwed, bolted, etc to a bench. Approx the thickness of the material you are bending away from the template, place a nice heavy nut and bolt arrangement so the material will get pinched between the template and the 'stop'. place the material between the template and stop, and bend it around the form to a desired angle. mark the angle with a marker or paint or something, and then you can just make a whole bunch of 'em.

if you want the little 'hook' at the inside of the scroll, you might have to use a heavier material than plywood, and put a notch in the the circlular template.

this is how the industry does these formings, with a slotted circular die that rotates once the material is placed in position.

[aametalmaster]

What kind of candleabra?? From tubing or flatbar? For candles or elec bulbs? Sometimes i bend my steel stacked up to save time and to get the parts the same. I have made a few candleabras too. Do you have a bender?...Bob

[Charlotte]

Repeatable S bends free hand is kind of an art. Many blacksmiths do it very easily but it takes years of practice.

Smiths like me that don't have years left to learn draw the curve we want on our welding table, tack a few pieces of angle to the table to follow the curve we have drawn. bend a piece of 18 ( or some such) gauge around the angle piece to make a slick curve. It using something a little stiff we tack a resistance point to hold the end and bend the curve cold or heat it with a torch if really tight at the points where the steel touches the form.

If using oxy acetylene, (I find it best for this), I use a welding tip and soft flame to heat just the area needed. Anything over 1/2" we heat in our forge.

The above works very well with 3/8"

[HT1]

well it seems I did not give enough info so here we go

for candles, I was considering 3/4 square OS
I have 3/8 round to spare, and I also have a length of 1/8X1 flatbar

I dont have or have accest to a bender, for the flat or squar, I do have a power bender for pipe, but I do not thingc we have dies near small enough.
I have used all the other methods mentioned, or variations there of, the plywood forms, I have domne using metal pieces, pipe and such, which is more or less what Charlotte said to do, the only method not mentioned, was free hand with a bending tool in the vice. which is fine for a singular piece, but a real pain to make pieces match enough to be pleasing to the eye.

looks like I will just have to make a design, and set up a jig on the target table. thanks for the imput

[Broccoli1]

anyone got any suggestions? including design ideas to avoid S-bends all together

Yeah, buy the scrolls:)

http://www.kingmetals.com/Default.aspx?page=category%20search%20results&CatList=0&Parent=1271&tree=1270*Forged+Panels+%26+Scrolls*0%40%401271*Fo rged+Steel+Scrolls*0@@

[aametalmaster]

I will gladly make some scrolls from 1/4" round, 1/4" sq or from 1/8" or 3/16" flatbar if anyone wants some. My machine is powered and i can do 1,000 a day...Bob

[Pangea]

I make repeatable "s" with an old wheel rim. my rim has a bar welded across the inside so that I can pry around the rim against the bar. Mark the metal all at the same starting point and the rim at the desired finishing point. Use several different old rims for different diameters. Wheel barrow rim for smaller bends, etc. The poorboy way.