Author Topic: Wire Bender (Read 5335 times)

jfv · « **on:** May 11, 2015, 01:01:51 PM »

I'm looking to get a new wire bender as my old one is wearing out. What are you guys using?

Avaiojet · « **Reply #1 on:** May 11, 2015, 01:43:13 PM »

Quote from: jfv on May 11, 2015, 01:01:51 PM

I'm looking to get a new wire bender as my old one is wearing out. What are you guys using?

jfv,

I didn't know they could wear out?

I've had mine close to 30 years and it's just as great today as it was when I first got it. And I'be bent plenty of wire!

Here's what I use. I'm not even sure this Company still makes them, but here goes.

Breiten Products
Appleton, Wisconsin

If you mozy on over to the Mig-3 build at CFC Graphics, there's photos there on the gear drawings and the bending of them.

No big deal actually, but something to look at.

Good luck!

dennis lipsett · « **Reply #2 on:** May 11, 2015, 01:45:00 PM »

I have 2 benders by K&S. One for up to 1/8 wire and their large one for up to 5/16 wire. I also have a home made version that I used to bend 1/4 and up for quarter scale models.
I haven't seen the smaller K&S unit advertised for quite awhile and it may no longer be available but the other one is and will certainly do the smaller sizes as well as what it is stated for.
DuBro has one or 2 and there are one or 2 other brands but generally for small sizes of wire.

Dennis

Tim Wescott · « **Reply #3 on:** May 11, 2015, 02:09:07 PM »

I made one. By luck, all of the music wire I have is just enough oversized that it's a moderate press fit into a hole drilled with a same-size fractional drill (drills always make oversized holes: if you want an exact hole you drill undersized and then ream). So, whack out a bit of bar, make a flat, drill a couple of holes in the top, tappity-tap in some music wire and there you go.

Basically I copied the "Biso Bender" from Harry Higley's, only more crudely. The only real lack with this bender is that there's no bending arm; you just grab the wire and bend, which leaves you with a softer corner on that side than on the side that's in the bender.

jfv · « **Reply #4 on:** May 12, 2015, 02:49:40 PM »

Thanks for the info. Mine is a K & S mini and the hole in the bending arm has elongated causing the bending pin to jump off the wire. It's about 14 years old and I have bent a lot of 1/8 inch wire with it. Was hoping to find something a bit more robust.

bob whitney · « **Reply #5 on:** May 12, 2015, 02:54:16 PM »

without seeing it, how about drilling the hole bigger and putting a sleeve in it and drill it back out to the correct size

Bill Johnson · « **Reply #6 on:** May 12, 2015, 05:01:59 PM »

Quote from: bob whitney on May 12, 2015, 02:54:16 PM

without seeing it, how about drilling the hole bigger and putting a sleeve in it and drill it back out to the correct size

That's what I was thinking.

If you want something more robust, get the K & S Wire Bender & Coiler, which is the standard version rather then the mini. It will even do a coil spring.

jfv · « **Reply #7 on:** May 12, 2015, 06:02:40 PM »

I was thinking about putting a bushing in. That should work at least for a while. As far as the standard bender, what's the radius of the bend? I don't want it too large particularly for 1/8" wire.

Target · « **Reply #8 on:** June 24, 2017, 11:14:19 AM »

Hey, Jim- what did you end up getting as a replacement?
And how do you like it?

jfv · « **Reply #9 on:** June 24, 2017, 02:00:39 PM »

I just replaced the K&S Mini Wire Bender that wore out. It works great up to 1/8" music wire.

https://www.amazon.com/K-S-Engineering-K-S323-Bender/dp/B0006MZMH8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1498334324&sr=8-2&keywords=k%26s+wire+bender

Target · « **Reply #10 on:** June 24, 2017, 02:11:48 PM »

Thanks Jim-
You seem to be an excellent builder, so I value your first hand experience, and I am also looking for a bender.
I'll likely get that same one then, as I doubt that I will be bending wire larger than 1/8" either.
And thanks for the link.

R,
Chris

jfv · « **Reply #11 on:** June 26, 2017, 05:00:57 AM »

Just make sure you clamp it into a good solid vice. Let us know how you make out.

Target · « **Reply #12 on:** June 26, 2017, 01:00:19 PM »

It's on order. No vice at home, but plenty available at work and at buddies houses.

Thanks again.

Allan Perret · « **Reply #13 on:** June 29, 2017, 06:17:52 PM »

Quote from: Tim Wescott on May 11, 2015, 02:09:07 PM

The only real lack with this bender is that there's no bending arm;

Easy enough to make bending arm from piece of rectangular flat bar. Replace one of the pins in your block with a longer one so it can be pivot for the arm.
Just saw this post is several years old..

Howard Rush · « **Reply #14 on:** June 29, 2017, 07:37:46 PM »

I have lots of vices.

Target · « **Reply #15 on:** June 29, 2017, 08:21:33 PM »

I'm divorced, so the only vice is the modeling now.

Dennis Toth · « **Reply #16 on:** July 26, 2017, 06:05:04 PM »

My late friend Roy Trantham had a pair of vice-grip locking pliers that had a 45 deg angle ground into the jaws to form a 90 deg when pliers were put next to each other. The wire is griped in each plier and by pulling opening the pliers apart the wire is bent to the desired angle. Worked pretty well.

Best, DennisT

Author Topic: Wire Bender (Read 5335 times)

jfv

Wire Bender

Avaiojet

Re: Wire Bender

dennis lipsett

Re: Wire Bender

Tim Wescott

Re: Wire Bender

jfv

Re: Wire Bender

bob whitney

Re: Wire Bender

Bill Johnson

Re: Wire Bender

jfv

Re: Wire Bender

Target

Re: Wire Bender

jfv

Re: Wire Bender

Target

Re: Wire Bender

jfv

Re: Wire Bender

Target

Re: Wire Bender

Allan Perret

Re: Wire Bender

Howard Rush

Re: Wire Bender

Target

Re: Wire Bender

Dennis Toth

Re: Wire Bender