How to Bend Metal Working Pliers
If you are planning on using metal plier's to tie wire to connect rebar for your concrete project you may be considering the benefits of putting a bend in the handle of your metal working pliers. A bend in handle allows you to more accurately and quickly control the motion of the pliers by allowing you to operate the handle with your pinkie. This will reduce the potential for repetitive motion injuries. While several companies make pliers with the bend already in them you may not want to spend the money to buy yet another tool. You can make your own bend using a few tools that you may already have. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Oxy-Acetylene torch rig
- Striker
- Vise
- Dead blow mallet (wood or rubber)
- Welding gloves
- Bucket
- 1/2 gallon cold Water
- 2 cups salt
Instructions
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1
Clamp your tip of the handle of your metal pliers that you want to bend in the vise. You only want to grab about a 1/4 of the plier handle.
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2
Mix your salt and cold water in the bucket and set it aside.
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3
Set up your oxy-acetylene torch rig following the instructions that came with it and light the torch with your striker. Adjust the flame so it is bright blue.
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4
Apply the flame of the torch to the handle of the pliers clamped in the vise about 1/4 inch above the vise head. Move the flame back and forth over the metal of the handle so you are heating a 1/2 inch section of the handle. Do this until the metal begins to glow bright red. Turn off the torch and set it aside.
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5
Grab the pilers just below the head so you are holding the handles closed (make sure you are wearing welding gloves when touching the pliers as the metal will be hot).
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6
Strike the head of the pliers with your dead blow mallet to bend the metal handle you heated. Make sure the direction of the blow will bend the handle to the outside of the pliers (don't strike in the direction of the handle that is not to be bent). Do this until the pliers have bent slightly at the tip by the vise, you do not need more then a 5 degree bend.
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7
Remove the pliers from the vise and drop them into the salt water to cool and cure the steel.
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Tips & Warnings
If you don't have a vise you can hold the pliers (while wearing welding gloves) as you heat the handle and then strike the handle itself with the dead blow mallet while bracing the pliers against a wood surface (like a table).
Always wear proper protective clothing when working with torches and hot metal. Be extremely careful to wear the proper hand and eye protective equipment as red hot metal can cause severe burns and striking red hot metal can cause sparks that can also cause burns.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit welding fire image by Kaarel from Fotolia.com
