Octogen Posted March 29, 2004 Share Posted March 29, 2004 Got some steel rod, nails and a few bolts today and tried to bend a few. The steel rod is 6mm (slightly smaller than 1/4") and at the moment is a bit too tough for me. I could only barely kink 7" and put about a 10 degree bend in 8" Tried 9" and that went down to a U but i'm going to try and source some 5mm stock tomorrow. Also tried some 150mm x 5.6mm nails but again way too tough for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffPeterson Posted March 29, 2004 Share Posted March 29, 2004 It will definatly get addicting. Good luck with the bending. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dispencer Posted March 29, 2004 Share Posted March 29, 2004 Hello Octogen, I too this weekend started bending. From another post you made I'm thinking you too are in Australia. It's funny reading your post as I purchased almost exactly the same "supplies" as you -- some 6mm stock and some 150mm x 5.6mm nails. Mine was obtained from a visit to the local Bunnings. Anyway ... I'm thinking that your technique might need some work (hey who's doesn't). I had a look at some of the video's in the gallery area to get some ideas. For me a 7" piece went down without much trouble, the nails were a bit harder. I tried some different lengths also, down to 6" which was harder than the nails and harder in the final crush too. So I thought I was doing pretty well and took some over to a friends house. No one else could put a kink in it until his wife contorted her self into some weird position and managed to kink a 7" length to almost 90 degrees This is where my point about technique comes in. Find your "strong" position. Something else that might help is to do some sledge hammer work (again got mine for about $25AU from Bunnings). I've been doing a bit in the past (and will be trying to step it up). I suspect this gave me a bit of a base for these first attempts. You could check out Benders web site for some more information on this as well as nail bending tips Anyway best of luck with your future attempts, I'm sure with just a little practice you'll get the 7" x 6mm and the nails as well !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Octogen Posted March 29, 2004 Author Share Posted March 29, 2004 Hey David, Yes i'm in Sydney. I went to Mitre 10 and got my stuff. I'm also going to go to a steel supply place for some 5mm stock. I've watched a few of the vids and i've been to benders website for some tips but i think in the end it comes down to the fact that my grip has never been fantastic and my upper body strength could be better too!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BJones Posted March 29, 2004 Share Posted March 29, 2004 Octogen, Enjoy the bending - go slow and have some fun! Brett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strong Man Posted March 29, 2004 Share Posted March 29, 2004 I as well started up bending, i use to bend awhile ago, but stopped when i broke my wrist, i went out and bought a 3 foot long 1/4" CRS, cut them into 7",6.5"and some 6"s i bent them all fully U'd all unbraced, i'm going to work my way down to 5" soon, i also tried a grade 5 that was laying aound the house i put a big kink into it, all i need to do now is chest crush it. anyways enough about me Octogen enjoy bending. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisof4 Posted March 29, 2004 Share Posted March 29, 2004 Welcome, Octogen!! Congratulations on getting started in bending. It is incredibly addictive, and I am sure you will get hooked. Don't worry about your current strength level. When I started (a whole three months ago), I was about as weak as they come. I could bend the 3/16" stock, but everything else was a challenge. Already I am up to the 7" x 1/4" HRS, and I am closing in on the IM yellow nail. Stick with it, and bend lots of whatever you can, and your strength will develop very quickly. Use the search feature to read up on contrast baths for quicker recovery, and also on how to create a schedule that allows enough time for rest and recovery. Also, consider starting a training log here on the gripboard. It is a great way to track your progress. As the other guys here read it, they can offer suggestions, and encouragement. Keep grippin! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcham Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 (edited) Hey Don I found a place in Brookvale called Edcon Steel that says they sell steel rods in imperial sizes. I'm hoping they've got 3/16, 1/4, and 5/16 round stock. I'm going to check them out this weekend, I'll tell you how it goes. Confusing part is what the various steel grades mean... especially when trying to compare with the HR and CR steel the U.S. guys use... anyone know how these steel grades compare with HR and CR? - mild steel: 300 plus, C350LO & C450LO - bright mild steel: CS1020, CS1030, S1214 & S12L14 Mark Edited March 30, 2004 by mcham Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Octogen Posted March 30, 2004 Author Share Posted March 30, 2004 I got some 5mm stock today from a place at Marrickville and it was heaps easier i've put the details in my workout log. Mark, let me know how you go with getting imperial stock. You should be able to get a spec sheet for each type of steel that will tell you a bit about it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff T Posted March 31, 2004 Share Posted March 31, 2004 Don, Is the stock you got from Mitre 10 coated in red paint? I bought a 2m length of that stuff a while back and I've found it pretty tough. I think I might've bent a 6.5" piece before I had to stop training. I've got heaps of those 5.6mmx150mm nails as well, after you get your technique right you'll probably be able to bend those without too much trouble. You can get some pretty easy, perhaps too easy, 6mm round stock from Bunnings in 2m lengths. Just ask one of the guys who works there where to find it. You could also try bending some bolts, at Bunnings they've got a decent selection, but they're about 50c a pop. In order of difficulty I'd say the stuff I've tried goes; 150mmx6mm from Bunnings, 3/16"x6" bolt w/ round head, 5.6mmx150mm nails (the 3 types I've tried have all been about the same), 1/4"x6" hex head bolt from Bunnings, 7" piece of red 6mm coated stock from Mitre 10. Hope this helps, Jeff ps. Mark how would you say the stuff you've tried compares to the IM nails, or to those big 60 penny nails you had at the grip comp? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Octogen Posted March 31, 2004 Author Share Posted March 31, 2004 Yeah Jeff the 6mm stock i've got from Mitre 10 is coated in red paint and it seems pretty tough. It also seems to be closer to 7mm I can bend 5" lengths of my 5mm stock pretty easily but 8" of the red stuff has me stumped and even 9" was really hard and had me cursing, bracing and sweating for ages to bend it. I'm glad someone else found it tough, i thought i was just being soft I've got a few 1/4" x 6" bolts from mitre 10 but haven't really tried them yet, figured i'd wait a couple of weeks at least. I've been trying to find timberties like the rest of the board uses but can't find any longer than 4 inches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikael Siversson Posted March 31, 2004 Share Posted March 31, 2004 (edited) It also seems to be closer to 7mm I doubt it, are you sure it is not 6.35mm. I have not seen any 7 mm stock in hardware stores in WA. Some have 6 and 8mm (usually a softer galvanised and a harder, presumably CRS). Bunnings do the imperials with a 1/4'' galvanised and a 1/4'' presumably CRS). The latter is slightly weaker steel than that used in IM's yellow and blue nails (the galvanised much weaker than IM's 1/4'' stock). I found another place that sell harder 1/4'' stock (slightly harder than comparable lengths blue and yellow bars). Edited March 31, 2004 by Mikael Siversson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Octogen Posted March 31, 2004 Author Share Posted March 31, 2004 Mikael, I'm not sure since I was only measuring it with a ruler but i'll take a piece to work tomorrow and check it with some verniers. 6.35mm would make sense since thats 1/4" Thanks for the info on the bunnings stock, i'll have to go there on the weekend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikael Siversson Posted March 31, 2004 Share Posted March 31, 2004 Yes, try the 1/4'' shiny galvanised that Bunnings have. When you can do it down to 5'' without too much problem it is time to try their 1/4'' CRS stock at 7 1/2''. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcham Posted April 1, 2004 Share Posted April 1, 2004 ps. Mark how would you say the stuff you've tried compares to the IM nails, or to those big 60 penny nails you had at the grip comp? Jeff - of the bars/nails I've been bending... order of difficulty would be: IM white, IM green, 150mm x 5.6mm, 125mm x 5.6mm, IM yellow, IM blue, IM blue 5", 60d (from Lowes)... at least that's what my efforts lead me to believe. The blues are getting easy to bend, even managed a 5" cut blue a few weeks ago... but the damn Lowes 60d is still eluding me ...maybe next time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricMilfeld Posted April 1, 2004 Share Posted April 1, 2004 The galvanized nails I found at Lowe's were some pretty tough ones, as far as 60D's go. Of the ten or so different varieties of 60D's I've bent, those Lowe's nails were more difficult than about 3/4 of all of them. So, it's no small jump from the Blue to a lot of the 60D's out there. But I've no doubt that nail's number will soon be up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Octogen Posted April 1, 2004 Author Share Posted April 1, 2004 I took a piece of the red coated stock to work today and measured it up accurately and it is 6.5mm with the paint on and 6.38mm with the paint scraped off. I had another go at the 150 x 5.6mm nails last night and managed to put about a 10 degree kink in one. That was after my other bending and grip work earlier in the day so i think if I am fresh I might be able to finish it off. The nails i've got are galvanised but also come in a bright version so i'll get some of those as well next time. Have any of you guys in Australia found something like the 6" timberties that you can get in bulk to bend for volume? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dispencer Posted April 1, 2004 Share Posted April 1, 2004 (edited) Hey Octogen, Good to hear you are getting a start on the bending. I'm interested to know about the red "6mm" stock (ie. is it really 1/4"), another easy source of stock is good to know. --- scratch that I just saw your post which came in while I was editing mine. Interesting to read what others have said about the 6mm stock from Bunnings, which is what I got. Darn, I thought it was a bit soft. I did manage to get down to about 5 3/8" of the 6mm stock on Monday. I found it quite a bit harder and it took a good few minutes to finish it. Still I rate the 5.6mm nails to be on about the same level length for length (or maybe slightly harder - could be soft nails too). That's just me though. I'm off to a local steel supplier this weekend to pick up some 1/4" mild steel (HRS). Cost is a bit less than hardware store (at $1.45/m) and I'll see if I can get a discount for longer lengths. I'll have to have another scout around the bunnings store as I didn't see any CRS, they only had 6mm and 8mm stuff. Might try some bolts also to compare. Once I build up a bit and get a base level I might order some IM yellows and blues to do a good comparison. Edited April 1, 2004 by dispencer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcham Posted April 2, 2004 Share Posted April 2, 2004 (edited) But I've no doubt that nail's number will soon be up! Indeedy... my last effort got one to about 110 degrees... if I can get it just a bit closer to 90 it's going down Feels very different to the IM nails... they seem to soften up when once the bend starts... this Lowes nail isn't doing that at all... hard all the way. The nails i've got are galvanised but also come in a bright version so i'll get some of those as well next time. I didn't notice any real difference between the bright and the galvanised nails. I've been through 2 boxes of each Edited April 2, 2004 by mcham Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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