How can I make this

[ukdodger]

Hi, I'm not a woodcarver but I need to make this and I thought you people would be the best people to ask. This is a one off made by a bicycle framebuilder. It's use is as you can see in the photos. It needs to be solid and the curve, which is a changing arc, must be precise. So can this be made with hand tools, if so which, or would I need specialist machinery such as a router or something and again what would I need. I will only be making one so keeping the cost down is importent. All I know about it is it's made from oak and measures 1" x 8". Thank you for reading this.

RD

[AlArchie]

I don't see why you couldn't make this with hand tools. After marking your curve on the wood, cut it out with a coping or bow saw. You should be able to cut the groove with a gouge if you are carefull. The holes can be cut by hand with a brace and bit or with power using either spade bore bits or forstner bits.

Al

[brent]

Yep, should be able to duplicate it, another option to a gouge would be a router bit in the same diameter and the piece to be bent or maybe a fraction larger.

[brent]

Also, remember that if you are bending wood, it bends in compression and should be wet (steamed).

[Donsexton]

Yes, I could make it with out power tools. I would use 2" stock not 1" and maple would be a better choice of wood to use.

[Dull Knife]

Originally Posted by ukdodger

Hi, I'm not a woodcarver but I need to make this and I thought you people would be the best people to ask. This is a one off made by a bicycle framebuilder. It's use is as you can see in the photos. It needs to be solid and the curve, which is a changing arc, must be precise. So can this be made with hand tools, if so which, or would I need specialist machinery such as a router or something and again what would I need. I will only be making one so keeping the cost down is importent. All I know about it is it's made from oak and measures 1" x 8". Thank you for reading this.

RD

I can't tell by the pictures what this thing is used for???? Can you enlighten us?

[Dull Knife]

Originally Posted by ukdodger

Hi, I'm not a woodcarver but I need to make this and I thought you people would be the best people to ask. This is a one off made by a bicycle framebuilder. It's use is as you can see in the photos. It needs to be solid and the curve, which is a changing arc, must be precise. So can this be made with hand tools, if so which, or would I need specialist machinery such as a router or something and again what would I need. I will only be making one so keeping the cost down is importent. All I know about it is it's made from oak and measures 1" x 8". Thank you for reading this.

RD

Okay.....after taking another look, I see that it's a tubing bender. So why not buy a commercial tubing bender...the kind that has a long steel pipe for a handle. Like an electrical conduit bender.

One of my other hobbies is making 'whirly gigs'....aka wind spinners.

The body is made of electrical conduit that I bend in a tubing bender mounted in my bench vise. It's so easy to get the curves you need that way. The heads for these commercial benders come in various tubing sizes.

I'd say this would be a more precise and longer lasting tool for the frame builder than some thing jury rigged from wood.

[jmischel]

Likely the reason he wants to construct it is because he wants that precise type of of curvature. It looks like a tool to bend bicycle forks: either for creating new forks, or possibly to "straighten" forks that are bent. And you don't want it made of metal because it would scratch the paint.

[Woody1961]

Originally Posted by jmischel

Likely the reason he wants to construct it is because he wants that precise type of of curvature. It looks like a tool to bend bicycle forks: either for creating new forks, or possibly to "straighten" forks that are bent. And you don't want it made of metal because it would scratch the paint.

Originally Posted by Donsexton

Yes, I could make it with out power tools. I would use 2" stock not 1" and maple would be a better choice of wood to use.

I agree with both of these fellas. Even using a 6/4 (1 1/2") stock would be good. If you go to your friendly neighborhood Lowes or Home Depot and pick up some 1" oak stock it is going to be surfaced on all 4 sides (I believe this is abbreviated S4S) and it is going to be 3/4" thick just like a 2x4 is only 1 1/2 x 3 1/2. If you get "rough" lumber you can get 4/4 (1" thick) 6/4 (1 1/2" thick) or 8/4 (2" thick). A lot of times if you have a place like Rockler or Woodcraft around you can find S2S (surfaced 2 sides) that will give you wood that is not quite the "rough" size, but it will give you a piece of wood that has 2 sides that are true and square.

Don said that maple would be a better choice, and I agree. Oak has a very open grain, and would tend to split more easily than maple (especially hard maple).

If you were going to go to Woodcraft or Rockler you could take a piece of the tubing with you and they could sell you the exact chisel that you would need to create the cove to put the tubing in as well as sell you the wood. There may even be someone skilled enough to assist you with instructions on how to make what you want to make. Just some thoughts.

[Dull Knife]

Originally Posted by jmischel

Likely the reason he wants to construct it is because he wants that precise type of of curvature. It looks like a tool to bend bicycle forks: either for creating new forks, or possibly to "straighten" forks that are bent. And you don't want it made of metal because it would scratch the paint.

One can do precision work with a tubing bender, if you take your time and as far as scratches go, just a tad bit of padding in the bender takes care of that. There's always other ways of doing things, if you just take time to think on it.