Shop Tricks and Tools
Four simple shop-built tools help improve part alignment, material handling, bending operations, and welding accuracy for projects of all sizes.
Steel Bending Tool
The ability to bend flat bar or round stock can be useful when making parts for plant hangers, scroll work or anything that requires a smooth bend in a piece of material. This is a very simple bending tool that can be made out of items lying around your shop. The first thing you’ll need is a scrap hunk of pipe or tube that’s approximate to the diameter you want to bend. You’ll also need a base plate that can be clamped to a table because you’ll be applying a significant amount of force to bend your steel. The second part you’ll need is a tube that’s either the same size or smaller than the bend you want to create. Weld the round tube to the plate in position; this will act as the die for the material to be bent. The third component is a holding tab welded next to the welded tube with just enough room for the material to fit in. This will hold the material tight to the tube (die). Simply apply pressure to make the bend. This simple tool works well when set up correctly. If it doesn’t, make the necessary modifications to get the desired results.
Vise Wraps
We often need a large vise to hold something without scuffing it. This is especially the case when we’re working with a softer material like aluminum. We need to clamp the piece tightly, but we don’t want to leave vise jaw marks on it. Vise wraps are excellent for these situations, and have been used for many years in the fabrication industry. It’s a matter of simply wrapping the jaws of your vise in a softer material such as aluminum or copper. These covers enable you to apply more pressure on the vise without damaging the parts. Use a sheet of aluminum and measure the width of your vise jaws. Make the necessary cuts to enable wrapping the covers around the jaws and don’t be afraid to hammer them into place after cutting. Simply clamp the sized pieces in the vice and work the material around the jaws. Don’t worry; the pieces can be easily removed when needed. These covers will save a lot of finish time because you won’t have to sand the scuff marks out of your parts.
Tube/Pipe Holder
Learning to weld tube or pipe takes a lot of practice. And you’ll learn quickly that one important part of tube and pipe welding is the fit up of the material. Many times, the fit up is critical for the weld to happen. This tool will make aligning and holding those two round pieces perfectly flat and even for tacking. The first thing you need is a piece of angle iron. Laying the tube in the angle will make an excellent fit up. Next are feet of some sort to hold the angle in position on the table. You then need a couple bolts, a couple nuts and some random scrap pieces. Tack weld the feet on the bottom of the angle iron so the V of the angle is facing upward. Make two other pieces that can be welded to the sides of the angle to act as the clamping device. Weld the nuts onto the hold arms and simply screw the bolts into the nuts. This is a very simple tool, and I’ve seen many different versions of it. When practicing welding round materials, this tool can be very helpful.
The Third Hand
This simple but effective tool is designed to act as a third hand, which is especially helpful for students and new welders who are practicing technique. When welding at the table on small coupons, the torch or nozzle will often bump the material, which can cause frustration and ruin that perfect stack of dimes you’re working on. This tool is easy to make, and will act as a third hand to keep your practice plates in place. You’ll need about 2 feet of 3/16-inch to 1/4-inch round bar and a decent hunk of scrap to provide sufficient weight. Bend one end of the round bar with a 90-degree angle and sharpen it to a point. Next, bend a 6-inch-wide piece of the bar to act as feet, and weld the other bar to it. Finally, tack the weight to the bar somewhere in the middle. This can be made in several different ways, but the goal is to create a third hand to hold your material. These types of simple tools don’t take long to make, and they do a great job of keeping materials stationary while you weld.