I've done various projects for a local antique dealer making display stands and such.
He has an arch made out of tin tubing that he wraps Christmas lights around and sets it in front of his front door for the season. The tin tubing has pretty much rotted completely out and the arch is useless. He wants me to replicate it out of stainless rod stock.
It's a bit over door height so 80+ inches tall and 44 inches wide. 1/4 inch stainless round stock comes in 12 foot lengths so I cant' bend a complete arch out of one stick. Decided the best approach was to bend the upper portion of the arch out of a stick and then weld extensions on the ends to get the height I need.
- arch1.jpg (17.61 KiB) Viewed 1493 times
I made this jig to get the width and radius where I wanted it, marked the center of a stick and bent it around. I had hoped that bending it around the form and perhaps heating it a bit to set the bends would work, but it was only partially successful.
- arch2.jpg (16.75 KiB) Viewed 1493 times
It did get the apex of the arch in the center so the legs are equal length, but the radius wouldn't conform tightly enough to the jig. I wound up bending it freehand, using a handy telephone pole as a former. Came out good enough for the girls I go with. There are two arches that will be joined by 12 inch spacers like a ladder and held in place on a wooden base with a welcome mat.
- arch3.jpg (8.11 KiB) Viewed 1493 times
