Forging equipment: DIY cold forging machine

Recommendation points

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• Basic fixtures and machines
• Device “Gnutik”
• Device “Twister”
• “Snail” device
• Fixture “Globe”
• “Wave” device
• “Flashlight” device
• Device for cold forging element “Clamp”
• Accessories for performing “crow’s feet”
• Making a “snail” with a drive

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Cold forging is impossible without special forging equipment. Let’s take a look at the types of devices and the shapes that can be obtained with their help. We have prepared drawings and thematic videos for you. We will also consider the sequence of making a do-it-yourself cold forging machine.

If you are just going to organize a cold forging workshop and want to avoid high costs, then making machines and fixtures yourself will help you create your small business without excessive costs..

Basic fixtures and machines

Cold forging machines are mainly designed for arc or angle bending and twisting. They can be manual or electrically operated.

The main types of machines and accessories for cold forging:

• Gnutik
• Twister
• Snail
• globe
• Wave
• Lantern

Device “Gnutik”

Purchased or made independently “Gnutik” is a universal device that allows you to get an arc or angle from a rod. It is a base with a slide, on which a stop with an angle (90 ° or another, if necessary) is fixed and two cylindrical fixed stops. By moving the slider and corner stop, the rod is bent at an angle. To obtain an arc, a third cylinder is provided that rotates on the side opposite to the corner stop.

The device can be carried out on a horizontal or vertical platform.

Axonometry of the “Gnutik” device – vertical arrangement

To scale the dimensions, we give a drawing of the lower bar of this “Gnutik”.

Lower plank

This device is universal. With the help of nozzles, you can not only bend it, but also cut and punch holes. But this will already be the next step..

Getting an arc on “Gnutik”

Getting a corner on Gnutik

This is how the homemade “Gnutik” looks like:

Device “Twister”

“Twister” – a tool for twisting bars, mostly square, along the longitudinal axis. This simple device can be manual and electric. Principle of operation: both ends of the rod are fixed, then one fastener begins to turn, twisting the metal to the required shape.

Appearance of a purchased hand-held “Twister”

Look at a photo of a self-made “Twister” with an electric drive, assembled using used electrical equipment:

For the manufacture of “Lanterns” and “Cones” there is a special machine, but first you can use the “Twister”, as shown in the video (English, but everything is very clear).

Video: how to make a blank for “Flashlight” on “Twister”

“Snail” device

The Snail tool is designed to generate curls (or spirals) and currencies (S-shaped parts). There are various designs.

One of the design options: 1 – snail share; 2 – the basis of the machine; 3 – pressure roller; 4 – lever to control the pressure roller; 5 – fastening the base; 6 – pin for fixing the plowshares; 7 – groove for the pinch roller; 8 – axis of the control lever; 9 – spring for pressing the roller; 10 – clamp for the workpiece; 11 – snail leading share; 12 – main axis; 13 – levers

The result should be such a device:

Another lightweight design to bend rolled stock up to 12 mm:

1 – segment of the cochlea; 2 – eccentric; 3 – handle; 4 – base; 5 – guide skids; 6 – axis; 7 – slider; 8 – axle nut; 9 – roller mounting axis; 10 – roller; 11 – drive axle; 12 – eccentric guide; 13 – the central segment of the cochlea; 14 – eccentric lamb; 15 – main leg; 16 – connecting pin of the cochlea segments; 17 – adjusting screw; 18 – connecting ear of the cochlea segments

Often the “Snail” device is made on a support, especially if thick rolled products need to be bent.

Several useful videos on self-made machines “Snails”.

Making a snail

We will talk more about such constructions below..

Fixture “Globe”

Such a device looks like a school protractor and is designed to make arcs with a large bending radius from a strip, square, circle or hexagon. First, one end of the workpiece is fixed with a bend, then it is bent along the entire length according to the template. The principle of operation is somewhat similar to the operation of a seamer for conservation.

Device appearance

In the video work at the “Globus”

Using purely muscular strength, a large-diameter arc can be made on a template screwed or welded to a workbench. It is good to bend a strip on it, a thin-walled pipe, etc..

Template

“Wave” device

You can get wavy products from a workpiece of a round, square, hexagonal section or tube using the “Wave” device. The deformation of the workpiece occurs between vertical rolls by scrolling.

Wave fixture and received products

The device in action

“Flashlight” device

This machine is used to produce blanks for the elements “Lanterns” or “Cones”, which can consist of 4, 6, 8 or more rods. In principle, the machine is similar to the Twister, but here the workpieces are bent around the guide shaft, which forms a more correct and accurate configuration of the product.

“Flashlight” device

Operation of the device for the manufacture of “Flashlight”

Device for cold forging element “Clamp”

The element of cold forging “Clamp” is intended for fixing other structural elements together.

The device for bending “Clamp” can be made according to the attached drawings.

Accessories for performing “crow’s feet”

“Goose foot” – flattening with the application of beautiful notches at the ends of the workpieces to make the design more elegant or to reduce the thickness for various joints.

The ends of the elements are decorated with a “goose foot”

This operation can be performed using a machine tool with a die or attachment and a heavy forging hammer on the anvil. We provide both options in video materials..

Houndstooth machine

Devices for forging “crow’s feet”

Detailed die making process

Below is a rolling machine to do the same operation.

Goose foot rolling machine (the distance between the rollers is adjustable). Materials for the rolling mill: gears and shafts – spare parts from a used combine

Operating principle

Making a “snail” with a drive

The electrically driven snail facilitates the production of curls and currencies. This is especially valuable when the work is not “for the soul”, but for the manufacture of a large number of similar products on the stream when working on order.

Below are the stages of assembling a machine for bending a rod with a maximum section of 10×10 mm. The 0.5 kW / 1000 rpm motor is working at the limit of its capabilities. Performs 6 shaft revolutions per minute. The segments of the volute are turned from a round blank St.45 without heat treatment, 25 mm high and 20 mm thick. The snail is mounted on the shaft on bearings from the rear wheel of the motorcycle – 7204. The supporting roller is fixed rigidly in the groove. Pulleys are installed between the motor and the gearbox.

Below are drawings of snail segments.

Snail element 1

Snail element 2

Snail element 3

The central element of the snail

For a more massive rod (from 12 mm), the engine power should be more than a kilowatt. The photos below show a machine with a 2.2 kW, 1000 rpm motor, giving an output on the shaft of about 10 rpm. This is already a machine for professional use. A used gearbox is used, the matrix is ​​cut from a workpiece with a thickness of 30 mm – the most time-consuming process.

For cold forging, you also need an anvil and a hammer. The forge is not needed, it is only required for hot forging.

Advice! Before starting work, draw a full-size sketch of the future structure. This will help you adjust the elements and not get confused during assembly..