A winter lockdown project, I have been rebuilding a 28ft vintage fast motor launch for too many years.
She was built by Saunders in approx 1905. We have no history for her prior to the late 1930's & despite years of on off research have drawn a complete blank on her early history.
One of the interesting details of her construction was the prescence of 8 bent angle iron frames around her mid section & engine bay. Some research has suggested that these were fitted to a few racers around 1905 as the large engines of the day were a bit much for some of the earlier boats, She doesnt fit the standard racing class sizes of 30 & 40ft so would appear to be an earlier one off!
To keep originality & history i decided a while back that keeping the angle frames would be a priority.
And so for the last week i have been building a frame bender.
Body is a 30" long section of 8" RSJ with a piece of 3/4" plate welded on one end as a thrust plate.
The central die is a piece of 3 1/2" bar that is mounted on a central guideway made from standard sized bright mild steel bar. Return is driven an old Ox airgun spring.
Power is courtesy of a 12 ton jack borrowed from a clarke pipe bender.
Its a bit crude in places but i keep reminding myself its only got to make 8 frames!
Central Die was turned up today & i couldnt resist giving it a trial.
Works very well, I was a bit worried that the 1" stainless steel angle i have acquired might not bend but it seems to bend cold with no problems. As expected there is some twist in the angle but as i havent mounted the two side control dies yet its hardly surprising.
She was built by Saunders in approx 1905. We have no history for her prior to the late 1930's & despite years of on off research have drawn a complete blank on her early history.
One of the interesting details of her construction was the prescence of 8 bent angle iron frames around her mid section & engine bay. Some research has suggested that these were fitted to a few racers around 1905 as the large engines of the day were a bit much for some of the earlier boats, She doesnt fit the standard racing class sizes of 30 & 40ft so would appear to be an earlier one off!
To keep originality & history i decided a while back that keeping the angle frames would be a priority.
And so for the last week i have been building a frame bender.
Body is a 30" long section of 8" RSJ with a piece of 3/4" plate welded on one end as a thrust plate.
The central die is a piece of 3 1/2" bar that is mounted on a central guideway made from standard sized bright mild steel bar. Return is driven an old Ox airgun spring.
Power is courtesy of a 12 ton jack borrowed from a clarke pipe bender.
Its a bit crude in places but i keep reminding myself its only got to make 8 frames!
Central Die was turned up today & i couldnt resist giving it a trial.
Works very well, I was a bit worried that the 1" stainless steel angle i have acquired might not bend but it seems to bend cold with no problems. As expected there is some twist in the angle but as i havent mounted the two side control dies yet its hardly surprising.