I started to work on pot rests that I promised to make for a friend, and decided to make an adjustable jig to make the work easier. I did not invent it - just copied something I saw. Essentially it is two pieces of angle steel, with a round pin welded to each. You clamp them in a vice, and adjust the distance between the two pins according to your need. Here it goes: Yonadav
Chef, you can buy 1/4" steel rods in 48" lengths for about $4 each at Home Depot. They work great for legs.
Nice work, yonadav! There's a wire bending jig made here, sells for under $15.00 last time I looked: That's for us lazy blokes here on the forum! Murph
Yonadav, nicely done. Elegant in it's simplicity and funtionality. Going to copy that one as well. Mike
Hi, the other important bending tip in making stove legs: Is to support all of the rod, up to the bend point in a close fitting steel tube. In this his way you limit the bend to the pivot point and keep the sections in between straight. It looks as if Yonadav does this as he appears to have tubes on his workbench. Best Regards, Kerophile.
Right, Kerophile, You spotted the tube I am using to hold the rod. The steel rod I am using in these photos is 5mm galvanized. This is the only 5mm type commonly available here in building supply stores. I use it for Primus 96 legs, and here I wanted to keep the galvanization intact, so I bent it cold, which is OK for 5mm. For other stoves I use 6mm black steel, which I bend when red hot. Yonadav
Great Job Yandave. I think I may use something like this to make my other potstands. This is some good info guys.
Be very cautious when heating galvanized rod. The zinc will oxidize and give off fumes that are extremely toxic. I would be inclined to remove the galvanizing to below the bend in the leg to make sure it never gets red hot and fumes are released. Check out this link: http://www.anvilfire.com/iForge/tutor.php?lesson=safety3/demo
Sparky, that's why in a lot of welding shops you'll see bottles of milk in a fridge, one of the best cures I know of. Been there, had zinc chills, NOT FUN! Murph
Murph, I have heard milk is an antedote but I have also heard it doesn't work. I don't really know so I am careful in what kind of metals I use in my forge. I am too danged old to die young but I don't want to set a record!
Thanks sparky. This is why I like reading here as you learn so many different things from others on this forum. Along with few dirty off color jokes.
Viscara said: You mean there's an absence of such jokes on here Viscara, right? Hope that's what you meant! Yeah, must be. John
