Clean 90 degree bend

[Rick42]

The floor bender looks interesting, but does radius bends.
The stand has a 6" flat spot, so loosing most of that to bends is not ideal.

This one looks better. It looks like it could handle 1/2" square bar.

https://www.harborfreight.com/compac...der-99826.html

Not sure if it would be strong enough.. or if I am strong enough!

[Rick42]

Are you talking about the blue scaled wrought iron for an outside handrail?

Yes, half inch bars, commonly used for fence pickets.

I used to bend 1/2" all day long around jigs by hand. It is pretty soft stuff.

I've also worked the 1/2 and 3/4 stock. The boss made a twister out of a threading machine for half in square bar. They looked great, but most would need hand adjustment.

As a one of task, I can manage/suffer, but a bunch of precision bends, needs a tool.

Thanks to everyone for the thoughtful feedback and amazing shares!

[William McCormick]

Yes, half inch bars, commonly used for fence pickets.



I've also worked the 1/2 and 3/4 stock. The boss made a twister out of a threading machine for half in square bar. They looked great, but most would need hand adjustment.

As a one of task, I can manage/suffer, but a bunch of precision bends, needs a tool.

Thanks to everyone for the thoughtful feedback and amazing shares!

I used a press to bend those rods up into those shapes. I had the mark for the center of the ram marked on the bars that was also cut to the finished length. Then I bend them up with a a round ram and an angle iron turned into a die. You just have to make one that you measured before you bent it and then just duplicate those marks on the next piece and bend away.

Sincerely,

William McCormick

[TJS]

My Hyd JD2 converted frankenbender can do this, albeit there will be a radius as others have claimed. I have machined a few dies for flat stock as well as square stock and whatever in-between.
T.J.

[Rick42]

I used a press to bend those rods up into those shapes.

That makes sense.

A little hand bender might be enough (above), or could be a great way to get blisters...
A small hydraulic brake would be convenient, but might be slow or worse inadequate.

In the (crude) sketch (above) I alluded to using angle iron for the die.

A 2 ton car jack or 20 ton house jack might be sufficient.

The big question is how much pressure is needed?

[walker]

A Hossfeld type bender would do what you are asking. An ironworker or press brake would work better but have lots of size and power requirements.