Create twists and bends in your metal bar using bending tools.
You can bend metal bars like rebar and staircase railings using different types of metal bending tools. These tools help create straight and decorative bends in metal, and certain tools even allow you to manipulate the metal without heating it. You also can use traditional metal forging practices. Generally, you can purchase these tools from your local home improvement or hardware store. Does this Spark an idea?
Combination Tool
A three-in-one tool allows you to bend, roll and rivet your metal bar, and riveting involves connecting two different sections of metal. For example, if you made two metal scrolls, you rivet the two sections together to make a larger scroll. You do not need to heat the metal before you use this tool. You can make different types of bends on both flat and round bars, including scrolls, straight bends and rolls.
Twister
A metal twister helps you create scroll-like bends throughout the body of the metal bar. The tool has two levers and a round opening at the front of the tool. You insert the bar into this opening and work it through the body of the tool by rotating the two levers. As you move the handles, it works the metal through two twisted metal attachments in the center of the tool. These attachments create the scrollwork on a metal bar, and you do not need to heat the metal to use this tool.
Hammer/Anvil
The traditional method of manipulating metal bars involves using an open fire, tongs, a hammer and anvil. An anvil is a solid piece of metal with a wide flat section and a thin section for wrapping metal. You can bend the metal bar by first heating it up within an open flame, and then removing it from the fire with tongs. Place the hot metal on the anvil, and use the hammer to beat it into shape. Use the edge of the anvil to create bends. Always take precautions when using this method and wear gloves, long-sleeved shirts and safety glasses.
Scroll
Scroll formers help you create different types of scrolls out of different types of metal objects, including sheet metal, bars and copper. Scroll formers come in different sizes and shapes, and you need to purchase the scroll former that fits the tightness and size of the scroll that you want to make. All of these tools have two levers that you turn to create the twists and bends in a metal bar.
Tags: different types, metal bars, bend metal, bending tools, bends metal
