We bought a cheap bead roller for the shop and even though I wasn't expecting a lot from it I was a bit disappointed. However, I tried some improvements. Did they help though....?
I don't know if anyone has said it yet. But if you flip your shafts top to bottom it puts your drive handle on the top and it's way easier to turn when you can push down on the spokes rather than pull up on them. That's how I have mine set up and it works way better.
I like the shaft reversal. Liked the spoked wheel (like adding a ring). A no weld solution if you don't always use full throat depth is to sandwich the frame with (2) 3/8" x 4" x 5" plates. Drill and tap for (2) 3/8 bolts slightly below the plate center to elevate the clamp's elevation when loose for throat depth adjustment. This movable clamp can be used as a fence or stop.
Hi Erin Those dies you are using in the video are designed for shearing/cutting the sheet!... You'll find it much easier to use the step dies as they don't mark the material as much......they also control the distortion a little better👍🏻
Nice work, you could swap the handle for a steering wheel type and you have to sneak up on the final shape and depth, it’s not made to go that deep and tight all at once. Cheers!
Hey Elin, thanks for posting that as I learnt so much. I just bought a similar machine and have seen others strengthened like you did but didn’t know why. I can brace it now before I use it and save myself some headaches. I am going to fit a spring to lift the roller clear and motorize it because I am usually working alone and want good control. Cheers mate, Stuart 🇦🇺
Good, logical, methodical fault diagnosis and upgrading to hugely improve the performance of this tool. Excellent point about the dangers of finger entrapment, that would be horrific.
I have an 8” bead roller from Princess Auto. At 8” flex on the plate is not an issue especially because the plate is thicker than the one they used to sell on the 16” model, the tension adjuster is not just a bolt but rather has a built in handle, the crank is like yours with 4 arms, and being only 8” it is a very short reach to the crank so much easier to use by yourself. Everyone buys the 16” bead roller but very few of us need that throat depth.
elin hi just watched the video on tye bead roller toyed with the thought of buying one think I will for my next project. just finished a beetle so will buy one like yours and do the same straight away Bob
Have a look at the bead roller on Project Binky, it's had a wiper motor added with a floor switch to make it electric. Might work will on your bead roller.
Have i tried the same? Yes. Actually i'm in the process of improving my bead roller, something like Jere Kirkpatrick witch include an electric motor. I bought my bead roller when i had to recreate the profiles in the rear deck pan over the rear axle.
As people have said already make more passes with a lighter pressure... I use a electric foot operated one and I still have to do this on a professional machine.
All Harbor Freight purchases should be considered as kits of parts. Have a rod rolled into a ring and make the spoked hub into a wheel. Also put a wheel on your pressure adjuster so you won't need a wrench.
Weld a piece of angle iron on that top bolt so you dont have to keep using a wrench. The best price on a large diameter steering wheel, to replace the hand crank, was for a farm tractor.
My solution reinforce the upper platle , an use a rachet and turn the handle to you're side closest to you so you don't have to stretch you're arm so much
that's a very simple fix you know! Piss the handle off and fit a hex nut at both ends of the top shaft and then you may use a suitable sized rachet. That will provide minimum effort with maximum efficiency, better than even motorised could ever deliver.
Yes, I was thinking of something like that. But I think I will have to extend the handles a bit first. Luckily KJ used bolts so I can just use the threads and bolt extensions :)
Elin, you are taking too much in one bite, You have to go little at a time till you get your final shape. I did the same when I got my first bead roller and I eventually learn. Little at a time goes a long way.
I made similar bracing for mine. I also changed the tension bolt out for a small handwheel (www.mcmaster.com/6403K42), so you don't need the wrench. I like what you did with the handle- I actually bought a small go-kart steering wheel to use for mine but never did get around to adapting it to fit.. next project I need the bead roller for, I figure I'll take care of that..
Elin you are taking too much in one bite, You have to go little at a time till you get your final shape. I did the same when I got my first bead roller and I eventually learn. Little at a time goes a long way.
Elin you are taking too much in one bite, You have to go little at a time till you get your final shape. I did the same when I got my first bead roller and I eventually learn. Little at a time goes a long way.
