Tom Black Posted February 1, 2002 Share Posted February 1, 2002 I just posted a new Black Log on the GripPage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tou Posted February 1, 2002 Share Posted February 1, 2002 Now, no one wonders why they call you Frightener of steel. Excellent workout report Tom, as usual. I once worked in a hardware store and one of my regular customers always bought very cheap tools . One day, he told me that these low prices tools were as tough as the lifetime warranty ones. I grabbed a pair of those cheap pliers and squeeze it strong. The handles almost touched. I then made a 1" bend in a 3/8 key, a tough one. You should have see the face of the guy. He never bought those cheap tools anymore. Could I bend a wrench, never in 100 years. Good job Tom. ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest woody36 Posted February 1, 2002 Share Posted February 1, 2002 Tom, I rolled another frying pan yesterday,thicker than the other two i did.I was wondering what type of pan in your opinion would be the hardest to roll (material wise) given the same diameters? I ask because i have my eye on a stainless steel one that looks like it could be a challenge (maybe too much of one ) Any idea? Best regards Ray. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roark Posted February 1, 2002 Share Posted February 1, 2002 Tom von Blackmann, Well done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Black Posted February 1, 2002 Author Share Posted February 1, 2002 Ha, you guys are cracking me up! Tom von Blackmann! Joe, I guess you’ve been waiting 2 months to say that, since I did that workout in December. Tou, I realize now I should have mentioned the brand name of the wrench, which in light of your comments is significant. It was a box wrench made by Allen (7/16"), the same company who invented the Allen wrench. It was “top shelf” stuff, but I was attracted to it because of the dimensions looked good for bending. Speaking of Frightening steel, last week I was bored after my regular workout and decided to try one of those 12”x3/8” spikes (120-penny nail?). I bent the thing a full 3”, which is my best ever. Upon analysis of the angle of the bend, it is to the “sticking point” so if I can get beyond there I should be able to finish it into a U shape. I compared it to many other bends that I’ve not finished (like a piece of 7”x5/16” cold rolled that must not be quite as hard as the Ironmind red) and it had the exact same angle of bend. Woody, I don’t have a clue on the frying pans. That sounds like a real expensive hobby, even more than bending high quality wrenches. I hope no one new stumbles on this board today, I think they will think we are insane- frying pans, 12" spikes and wrench bending! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supersqueeze Posted February 1, 2002 Share Posted February 1, 2002 Tom - I have been wondering about the idea of a "sticking point" of a bend. Do you think the sticking point exists within you or the steel? Personally, I feel that it is a position or area in the range on motion that I am weaker at (ie. it exists within me/the bender). What do you think? mike m. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Black Posted February 2, 2002 Author Share Posted February 2, 2002 Good question. I have a friend who is a materials scientist and I posed this question to him once. It was after the observation that some of my tough uncompleted bends were basically at the same angle. His answer basically was that it really was a characteristic of the steel. He said that steel bends non-linearly, that is, as it is bent more it is harder to bend (this is because one side of the steel is compressing, the other stretching). You might not feel this when you bend steel because it actually does get hotter, which compensates for the non-linearity, in my opinion. When scientists bend steel to test it they do not bend it nearly as fast as I do and thus the force needed increases until a certain point. He said that this point probably corresponded to my “sticking point.” Of course, that said, I also think there is a certain loss of leverage precisely at the point that I’m talking about, so you could say it is me as well, but not a mental thing, just a physical reality of the leverage at that point. Geez, that’s a really technical answer. Back in Engineering school you would have to go and get a beer after talking like that! :p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimwylie1 Posted February 2, 2002 Share Posted February 2, 2002 Tom Did you manage to bend the two 60D nails taped together that David sent you? I saw David bend two together on Tuesday night. The amount of effort required made for quite a terrifying spectacle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Black Posted February 2, 2002 Author Share Posted February 2, 2002 No, I have not tried. Actually, I've been keeping it quiet that David sent them too me! Since I only have the one set I’m going to try them when I am sure I am at my peak. I’ve been taking off of bending since December, so I’m probably am not at my peak now. I did do a test bend (just a half inch and then bent it back) of one of the single nails of the same type as the double and it bent very easy. But two is a totally different animal. I’m going to send David some straight grade 5 bolts so that he could compare the strength of the two to the strength of the bolt. The 12” spike I did over my leg (I should have mentioned that, but it’s the only way I know to bend something that long) doesn’t seem to effect the minor injuries that slowed down my bending last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roark Posted February 2, 2002 Share Posted February 2, 2002 Tom & Woody: Tom, this morning I loaded my Inch replica handle with 75 pounds on one end and tried to lever it up as you are doing. I have a failure and you have my respect. Woody, congrats on the frying pan roll-ups (sounds like a snack treat, doesn't it?). I can only imagine having that level of finger strength. Even the non-stick surface type don't help me get past the sticking point... Question for both of you: After bending a piece of rod into a 'U' shape, how much more difficult is it to try to get the rod back to straight? 25% harder or what? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest woody36 Posted February 2, 2002 Share Posted February 2, 2002 Tom, Could you please find a link to the type of wrench you bent,so i could find something similar. Inspired by your wrench attempt,i just bent a spanner 10mm wide x4mm depth. I had warped this spanner on a previous occasion,but had the same problem you had with the springy steel. ps: This was a cheap spanner! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest woody36 Posted February 2, 2002 Share Posted February 2, 2002 Joe, I think rolling frying pans as little to do with finger strength,it's more of a stunt than a feat (i don't have strong hands) Regarding straightening steel,i should do it,but don't. When i bend something it's normally a personal best for that particular piece of steel,so i end up keeping them as trophies,and as i never use a warm up for my bending i never have spare steel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Black Posted February 2, 2002 Author Share Posted February 2, 2002 Joe, Try 50 pounds on the Inch replica first, loaded as a “club.” That might help you get the feel for the lift. If you can do that and it is very difficult you may also get a better feel for what 70 pounds is like over the head (I did this strict up and over my head, as will be described in the next Log). In regard to straightening steel, once it is bent into a U they never quite go back to straight. Usually, they end up in a ½” kink. I rarely do this, but if you immediately try to bend it back to break it the nail naturally goes back to the “sticking point” with slightly less effort than the original bend. Depending on the steel, it gets easier and easier and then it breaks. The difference between each bend, on cold rolled steel for example, is only about 10%. Thus it drops 10% each time (That’s if you don’t stop, which is hard because strong steel can wear you out). On the cheap carriage bolts, however, the steel strength drop precipitously, maybe 30% per bend, and I’ve broken them on the second time I pulled them apart. Woody, McMaster Carr is the ultimate in tools on the web. They list box wrenches, but with no brand name. Based on the price they are top quality. I think at this stage I should be looking for the cheaper tools, since I would like to completely bend a wrench and not cost $9.56 a pop like on the McMaster Carr site for the size I bent. The tag read: “3/8”x7/16” Box End Wrench.” Searching “Allen wrench” is almost a noise word search on the web, I can’t find their web site. By the way, McMaster Carr also sells very high quality sledgehammers. I am told that they are similar to what Slim uses, but I don’t have one to compare. A knowledgeable friend of mine said that Slim’s hammers looked like “Nevada Hammers,” but there again, I cannot find reference to this type of hammer anywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest woody36 Posted February 2, 2002 Share Posted February 2, 2002 Tom, Thankyou for the link, what you refer too has a box wrench,i would call a ring spanner. And i have no idea what a Nevada hammer is! Thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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