barbe705 Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 I looked around and couldn't really find whatt I was looking for. So here it is: I want to start working with some larger pieces of steal but have no idea what sizes I should be buying. I have to drive about an hour to get the stuff so I'd like to get several pieces. I think I've read that it has to be hot rolled because when you have long pieces the springiness becomes dangerous. So, what are the typical lengths and thicknesses people do? Also, if you could give me a ballpark idea how it relates to short bending in terms of difficulty that would be great. I realize that will be a very subjective estimate. Thanks Brent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarath Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 I prefer 5/8" thick bars. 31" to 35" long. Not sure what the ideal size and length to start with would be. Maybe 1/2" ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 Brent Read this fine article http://www.gripboard.com/index.php?showtopic=13676 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barbe705 Posted February 5, 2007 Author Share Posted February 5, 2007 Thanks! I know that I saw that article before but, I couldn't find it this time. I have to go buy some steel now. Brent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickr104 Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 Hammerhead is the good one to learn from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim71 Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 Ahhhh long bar bending. That's what lead me to this board in the first place and was my original start. There are 2 kinds of long bar benders, those who have 1/2 inch HRS and those who need 1/2 inch hot rolled. It's the staple of the long bar world. Word of advice, go to a steel supplier. About 1/4 the price and you get true hot rolled steel instead of that half-cold rolled stuff at the hardware store. Normally it comes in 20 foot lengths and they'll cut it for a charge Now, what size and length you get depends entirely how strong you are and how you want to bend it. Are you just wanting to show you can bend a steel bar into a "U"? Are you wanting to make a coil or scroll? Are you wanting to bend over your head or around your knee etc? 3/8 will be bendable by most. 7/16 probably will too but 1/2" by 3 foot will start to lose some weaker people. 3 and 4 foot lengths are very common and some even try to bend down to various lengths. My record for 1/2 inch steel is 16 inches bend into a "U". I'll keep 30 inch pieces of 1/2 inch steel to bend what I call "world's strongest man style" where you bend over your head or behind your neck and keep one hand at each end. I used to carry 3 foot sections of 9/16 to show off and make a fish for people. Sometimes I'd carry 5/8 inch if I was feeling good which is a pretty tough bend for a beginner at the 3 foot length. I've bent 9/16 at a little under 20 inches and 5/8 my record is 28 inches so you can do many different things and all are an excellent workout. 11/16 is hard to find but 5/8 square is pretty close to it but a tough bend. 3/4 inch is the big boy. Very few bend that at the 4 foot length but it can be done. I've bent it at 44 inches and let me tell you I was hurting afterwards. Erik Vining (Hammerhead) is an excellent bender. He's very artistic in his bending and bends very long bars into almost sculptures. I'm not artistic at all so I'll leave that to him. His stuff is neat though. People really like to see the big bars bent too. Especially if it's one an average Joe can't bend. Reply with what your main interest is. Are you wanting to do a feat of strength and make a "U" or are you wanting to make scrolls and sculptures. It's fun but definately more expensive than the nails. Very addictive too though. I'll never forget the first time a 5/8 bar started to bend on me the feeling the steel takes on was like a natural high. Feel free to PM me too if I can help you. Good luck! Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barbe705 Posted February 6, 2007 Author Share Posted February 6, 2007 Right now I'm not sure where I want to focus. I'm interested in trying different things. I think keeping a variety of projects going keeps me interested and injury free. I will be trying to do some "u"'s and some fish. I think I might wait until it gets warmer out to try some of the really long scrolling. Brent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HAMMERHEAD Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 I covered plenty in the article but I'll add a bit of advice. Avoid bending steel around you knee. -HH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim71 Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 Erik, I've heard a few people say that about the knee and I bend many different ways including around the knee. Is there any particular reason why in your opinion? I've heard some say definately don't do it but I know there's plenty on this board who even bend spikes that way - which I don't by the way. Just curious as to what the mindset is. Have fun Brent! There are many different ways to enjoy it. Who knows you may even invent a new style. Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HAMMERHEAD Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 Without going into oldtime philosophy on feats of strength... Rowing the bar on the knee or kneecap isn't safe for your knee. You are applying force directly to a joint. When you start to get to more difficult levels of steel you will hurt you knee even if you use a towel. I think there may be a picture of me rowing a bar in the article I wrote a while back, this is before I knew any better and I was still figuring things out. -HH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim71 Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 Brent, Before I forget, check out my gallery and you'll see some of my long bar bends. Like I said though I've not got the artistic streak Erik has. Erik, very good point about the knee... I guess for a newcomer one should clarify that you don't place a bar directly on your kneecap. Eric Milfeld used the technical terms in one of his posts about the area beneath the knee cap and the top of a persons shin. Can't remember exactly but I guess the correct thing to say would be to bend around the top of your shin hopefully with a towel. He does or did spikes that way which I can't seem to do real well but evidently he's much better than me at spikes around the shin area. Brent, do be careful too if you bend over the head as I've pulled my neck pretty good one time. I looked like I had wiplash for a week. Do some neck stretches before. I forgot to say that your exactly right about the cold-rolled. Especially the good cold-rolled from a steel supplier. Man if it cuts loose it can knock you out. John Brookfield wrote an article and he recomended against it. Also, the springiness can cause more pulled muscles. Bill Kazmaier's whole career was changed when at the 1981 World's strongest man competition, they used 11/16 cold-rolled instead of hot-rolled. Tore his pec and he immediately lost over 100 lbs off his bench and never recovered completely. The year before he became the first time bend the same size only in hot-rolled in a neat competition. Also Brent, Steve Mcgranahan (Big Steve) has 2 DVDs that are very reasonably priced and in the first one he does some long bar bending in it and he does some scrolling in his teeth. He's a heck of a guy too and all areund great strongman. John Brookfield also has a DVD "the Art of Steel Bending" although I've never seen it his reputation is legendary. If you're just wanting to start with some "U" s and fishes then get 1/2 hot-rolled in a 20 foot section. Then you can get two 4 foot pieces and four 3 foot pieces and start from there. It's fun but if you bend inside, hot rolled leaves a mess when you bend it. It has what's called a scale from the cooling process and it flakes off when you bend it. So don't bend on somebody's nice white rug. Above all be safe and have fun! And please, post some pictures if you can. I'd really like to see some of them when you start. Not alot of long-bar benders on here. Feel free to drop me a PM if I can help. Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarath Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 (edited) Great post Tim! I made a little photostrip of how I do it. Check it at: http://img248.imageshack.us/my.php?image=longbarjk5.jpg Need I say it's not me? Long bar bending is what got me to this board also. Love it! Mats Edited February 7, 2007 by Mats Erik Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim71 Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 Wow! I like that photostrip. That guy is a powerhouse! That's a pretty thick bar to be no longer than what it is. Kills my neck to think about how much pressure is being applied to the vertibrae. Looks to be at least 5/8 inch steel or maybe even 11/16? Or could be metric too I guess. Thanks for sharing those. I may have to try the arms draped over the ends approach like that. I like to get good at all styles preferably. Steel-bending is an excellent workout in the various forms. I'll have to bookmark those. Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barbe705 Posted February 8, 2007 Author Share Posted February 8, 2007 Thanks to everyone. This kind of community is fantastic. I should be making it to the steel supplier next week. When I get some pictures I'll put the in my gallery and amke a post. Brent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarath Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 Wow! I like that photostrip. That guy is a powerhouse! That's a pretty thick bar to be no longer than what it is. Kills my neck to think about how much pressure is being applied to the vertibrae. Looks to be at least 5/8 inch steel or maybe even 11/16? Or could be metric too I guess. Thanks for sharing those. I may have to try the arms draped over the ends approach like that. I like to get good at all styles preferably. Steel-bending is an excellent workout in the various forms. I'll have to bookmark those. Tim Glad you liked it! I have it on video. The bar is 5/8 x 31" ...SQUARE! Torkel Ravndal is the guy on the pic. I have more photos of him in my gallery. At 6'6" and 320 lbs bodyweight he was truly a powerhouse! Mats Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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