Here’s a simple bending jig I’ve come across by David W. Wilson:

David W. Wilson’s Bending Jig

Bending Jig Parts

Dimensions

A thick steel plate and large bolts will handle heavier bending. However, a plywood base may be used for lighter bends. The steel plate base is easily assembled if the holes are threaded. But bolts and nuts will also work if held top and bottom through drilled holes in the plate. Various sized sockets from a socket wrench set adjust the radius of the bend. A metal strap may be used to hold the socket in place, and to help keep the bolts from twisting. Smooth bolts and sockets are preferable to threaded rods for the threads will damage the work piece. This type of jig can be held in a vise, or bolted to a work table. A large flat surface around it can help keep the bends flat.

The distance for the work piece between the bolts and/or socket should be snug to keep it from slipping. Several holes drilled into the base at various distances facilitate making numerous radius bends.

“S” type bends are easily bent with this jig. A long rod will help give leverage for several S’s. They may be bent by: 1. Inserting the end of the rod and bending the top part of the “S” 2. Work this bend back through the jig reversed, then bend the bottom of the “S”. Cut hook from section of rod, repeat. Scrolls are also easily bent by gradually working the work piece around a bolt or socket. For repeated work, it’s best to match it to a master shape.

Bending jig pdf download.

If we can somehow incorporate this into Jasper’s work routine without freezing his lips shut we might not have to employ anybody else for a bit.

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Welding Metal With Cigarettes
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Whilst this guy doesn’t have any exact plans in relation to building said tube bender form scratch, he does have plenty of pictures, information and is more than happy for you to ask any questions via email.

As he points out:

There are No Plans for this bender, none now, and none later.
I want you to think freely and create.

So off you go to try and cobble one together.

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UPDATE: More about tube bending including various calculators here.

I honestly have no idea really, but I know things are up and down more than a bride’s nightie at the moment.

It seems that every six months or so I bound head-first into a quagmire of hosting/server troubles.

You may have noticed some serious downtime this week and, other than me hovering over the thing like a rabid mother hen, I can’t keep on top of the incessant system crashes due to too many peaks of burstable ram. (Am I sounding convincing?)

To put it mildly: we’re a bit low on memory.

Now if I was a proper systems admin I’d be having a blast tweaking and twonking, but considering I’m not I’m having panic attacks stopping and starting my vps in the vain hope something might click back into place.

You’ve also got to remember that this is a fully managed vps and those who are doing the managing are being extremely patient and holding my hand the same way your Gran did whilst crossing a busy road as a toddler.

That’s why I’ve decided to personally fork out for a dedicated server after a bit of advice/consultation/persuasion from the guy who provided me with the vps. I’ll trust him - he’s been really rather good so far.

Whilst I kinda find the whole server side of things interesting, it also scares the living daylights out of me.

So, apologies for the intermittent transmissions just recently - it’s another bout of growing pains I suppose.

It’ll be sometime next week before we’re anything like again as there’s a 48-72 hour setup time.

Don’t you love all this trial and error cobblers?

Look what you can do in an hour with a bit of mercury paste.

According to the following article:

Unless you are a representative of a national meteorological bureau licensed to carry a barometer (and odds are you’re not), bringing mercury onboard an airplane is strictly forbidden. Why? If it got loose, it could rust the plane to pieces before it had a chance to land. You see, airplanes are made of aluminum, and aluminum is highly unstable.

I had no idea that you could make such a mess of aluminium in such a short space of time.

I also never thought that a weatherman with a death wish could pose a greater threat to aviation safety than your average shoe bomber.