Bending Grippers

[Tunafish]

I built a gripper by bending some easy 1m 8mm (40 in 5/16 stock approx.) This was just an easy scroll. Looks nice though. How would bending hardr metals (with the help of a bending tool i.e. around normally a thick bar.) work for making your own grippers? You could pressure fit the handles onto the stock and perhaps weld it just to be sure.

Obviously they would not be that marvellous, but do you guys think they would hold up , and if so what thickness of metal could be used for various grippers.

The ornament I made feels like a HG200 but beyond the range due to the thin stock. You could even just put bending wraps on them? Anyone tried this I got the idea from the John Brookfield DVD the art of steel bending - he said you could even bend yourself a gripper.

thanks

Chris

[timiacobucci]

I've had some coils short enough that I could crush them like a gripper. The exact diameter of the steel and the temper and the number of coils have a huge effect on the progression of the strength as you try and close it. I remember mine, I think it was 5/16" crs, same number of coils as most grippers, tight coil though, was really easy to the halfway point and ramped up so bad I could not touch the ends without crushing it with my other hand. It went from like a #1 to a #3 in no time.

Lots of variables is all I'm saying. It would take some experimentation to get a very usable one. Probably more time and money involved than just buying the right gripper I would think.

[Tunafish]

I used HRS 8mm - like you say it did seem to get a lot harder at the end -more of a novelty than anything else I suppose. I think I could my HGs a run for their money - not lol.