I have studied the rail bender drawing published in Rail Road Supply Company's manual titled Engineering Handbook for Recreational Railroaders. I came to the conclusion that there should be a less complex way to build a bender.
After some thought I came up with the idea that by doing away with the "propelling roller" and making the "adjusting roller" less complex I could built one for some lesser cost.
The following pictures are the result. The materials cost just under $100. The unit works quite well, we have now bent about 400 Ft. of aluminum rail. It is labor sever but not labor intensive. ( you work harder but the time factor is the same).
You will also note several holes drilled next to the middle roller, which is eccentric mounted. These are mistakes. I will build another one and the middle roller will be centered between the to other rollers. I believe this will make the radius adjustment not quite so sensitive. At present it takes very little change in the center roller to make a very large change in the radius.
Material? 6X24X5/8 steel plate, 2X2X1/4X24 square tubing, 3 7/16 bolts about 2.5 inches long with nuts, 9 flat washers, 1 1/2 bolt 3 in long, 1 #59 numbered drill bit, and 3 MRC 301SZZ bearings.
The time to build this unit and test it? I started driving to different supplies at 11 am and had a friend bring me some 10 ft pieces of rail about 4 pm and was finished by 6 pm and had 10 pieces of rail bent to a 35 Ft. radius.
Tools needed? box end wrenches, adjustable wrench, 1 drill press, assorted drill bits, large vise, and a buzz box welder.
If any one expresses any interest in this unit I will be glad to give detailed instructions.
Phil Paxton
Left click on thumbnail to enlarge.