I had a guy from work ask me to build him a grill for his fire pit...need some help

[jordan_5600]

Ok a guy asked if i could make him a 50" dia gril for his fire pit. I have no way of bending the metal into a circle. i was going to use like 1/8" or smaller by 1" wide for the base. then was going to put some type of a gril like on top.


BUT should i make my only tool to bend the metal and do you have prints or pics to show for making one

OR should i just go to HF and buy one of these...it looks like the Gear Driven Ring Roller for $64 would be my best bet cuz im looking to go cheap as i can.


12" x 20 Gauge Slip Roll. $199


Gear Driven Ring Roller $64


Tubing Roller $169 and make the base out of tubing?

[snoeproe]

I have made several custom fire rings recently.
I dont have a roll so I make hexagon shaped fire rings.
I cut out each of the 6 pieces on my cnc table, then stick weld them together.
I use 12 gauge steel.

[DSW]

A 50" circle can be easily bent by hand with a bending fork. You can either build one to hold in the vise, or one with a handle to use by hand. Simply lay out a full size circle on the floor and then keep tweeking the bends with the fork until it matches the circle. If need be you can do this in segments and then weld the pieces together.

A fork will easily do 1/4" x 1" material. 1/8" I could probably do by hand. Simply bend it around to match and tack the ends together and then tweek as needed to get all the kinks out.

I'v also hand bent arcs around existing items, though they usually were smaller diameters. Truck rims, barrels, pipe... all can be used as a form to bend thin stock. If need be I'll sometimes tack the stock to the form and then wrap it around and hold it in place while I tack the two pieces together. Then grind off the original tack and cut thru 1/2 the material with a grinder, retack that section together and then cut the rest of the way thru and fully weld. I've done basement window well grates this way in a pinch.

[jordan_5600]

well he already has a circle pit in the ground. but yea looks easy enough to build...i will try that to save some money!!! thanks

[Steelin' Ducks]

You could even use his pit as a jig.

[tapwelder]

1/8"x1" material ---- cut the proper length then weld the ends together. Lay a section of the ring between wood blocks and fine tune your ring by tapping the section with a hammer, rotate as necessary. You will probably be close to a circle when you weld the ends, if you get the butt joint correct.

[Mango Matto]

You can make a jig by taking a piece of plywood and cut it in the shape of a circle. Then wrap your flat stock around it. When you weld it all together it will hold the circular shape.

[Coupebuilder]

+1 on the plywood jig. For one offs, we use plywood forms. If its heavier material, punch a 1/2 hole on the center of the jig and use that for a pivot for a square tube handle and pusher block or bearing to force the material along the curve.

[walker]

1/8 x 1" you can easily bend by hand and form a very nice circle. DSW s bending fork is also a great helper.

[★ NoBigDeal Fab ★]

Take my advice and stay far away from the harbor freight tubing roller (the one you posted on the stand) I got one and attempted to bend a 2in .045 wall aluminum tube, and it did 10 ft of tube, then broke. It was all we could do with 2 of us to turn the wheel. We spent about 3 hours on the first piece, and got just enough of a bend on the second to scrap it. I would just fine the circumfrence and cut and bend by hand and weld.

On another thought why not make or buy the grill first. Then build the ring arround it. You could bend a little and tack it bend a little and tack it. And eventually you would get it done.

[Boostinjdm]

Originally Posted by Mango Matto

You can make a jig by taking a piece of plywood and cut it in the shape of a circle. Then wrap your flat stock around it. When you weld it all together it will hold the circular shape.

Do this then leave it on the plywood while you tack the grill. Keep in mind that a surface that big will want to sag when it gets hot.

[Bryan27]

...and keep in mind that a sheet of plywood is 48"

If there's a fab shop near you, how about finding out if they will make the bend for you and save yourself the headache. If they have a ring roller it won't take them but a few minutes and shouldn't cost much, some shops would do it for free advertising and good karma.

[HokeClay]

I could probably do by hand. Simply bend it around to match and tack the ends together and then tweek as needed to get all the kinks out.

[jordan_5600]

so there is a fab shop near me that will do it for $40 with the metal. so i think ill just go that way. like bryan27 said...save the headache if the other guy is paying any ways.Ill post pics when i get it and when i do my welding on it to finish it up!

[Gump]

Originally Posted by NoBigDeal Fab

Take my advice and stay far away from the harbor freight tubing roller (the one you posted on the stand)

Yep, that roller is junk. I went to HF on Sunday to buy one but after looking at it I decided I'd just make my own.

[★ NoBigDeal Fab ★]

Yeah make your own. Look at swagoffroad.com for dies. He has them that were redesigned to make the harbor fright roller better. His dies would be a good place to start on your own build.

[jordan_5600]

yea most HF stuff looks good in the pics and then when u see it and touch it you see how much of a POS it really is!

[Gump]

I think every thing in there is a POS. Every thing i had interest in had something F'd up with it. And thats stuff they had on the show room floor!
I did buy some Pittsburg clamps, a step drill, plastic angle finder and a caster for my MIG cart; with the expectation that it's all disposable.

[Broccoli1]

Originally Posted by Boostinjdm

Do this then leave it on the plywood while you tack the grill. Keep in mind that a surface that big will want to sag when it gets hot.

Make the X out of some of the 1/8"x1" Flat stock and then use the round stock across the top- should help with the sagging issue/

[jordan_5600]

well i showed the guy the prints and told him $150 and he said no thanks...he said he would buy some grill tops at mejier and have me weld them together...damn cheap ***. that will sag and fall right into the fire. sounds like a waste of my time.

[Broccoli1]

Welding = $100.00
Make it worth your time

[lamename]

Any time I have to make a circle I find something that is close enough like a rim, barrel, bar, etc. tack it on one end heat the bajesus aot of it as i work it around overlapping then cut through both pieces together. Twist into position and weld. Works like a charm.