Author Topic: Benders - any others in here? (tips and tricks) (Read 1110 times)

punkdSICO · « **on:** May 15, 2011, 07:45 PM »

Wooh!! Finally managed to get some levers Im happy with:

The below pic shows the angle I have added. Originally, the lever would have been straight down but I have pushed it back about 15 degrees.

This pic shows how not to do it..!! I did the first lever using two spanners with no protection:

This is my second attemd, with only minimal damage. Again, I could have done better than this with a little hindsight.

Ohers have mentioned using a blow torch, but I dont have one. Also, not sure how much paint damage this would do..

Now I just need to decide if I want to put my old school Dia Compes back on the bike, after a little bending. Eitherway, ill replace the trashed lever with a new one (my local store has them on offer for sub-£10)

My tips for safe bending:

remove the lever from the brake housing
put something metal inbetween the levers two arms that the bolt goes through. I did not do this for the first lever and the vice colapsed the arms slightly. I then had the task of getting them back straight again..
Use a vice and protect any metal on metal contact
Have the lever poking out of the vice with the bend point on the edge of the vice
Putting a bit of wood between the lever and your hammer, hit the wood frickin hard. Then it it even frickin harder!!
Start off by practicing with a lever you dont mind spoiling. With practice, you can bend with little/no paint damage.

ta,

Paul

Dark Diggler · « **Reply #1 on:** May 15, 2011, 08:13 PM »

Currently Hunterdubber is the biggest Bender on here

waza04 · « **Reply #2 on:** May 15, 2011, 08:27 PM »

nice bit of bending...........

would have just dropped some tech4's on!

punkdSICO · « **Reply #3 on:** May 15, 2011, 08:50 PM »

Quote from: waza04 on May 15, 2011, 08:27 PM

nice bit of bending........... would have just dropped some tech4's on!

Yeah, someone else mentioned Tech4s but, they only bend in the one direction and dont follow the bars back. I know that is hard to explain but, althought the Dirty Harries are bent-t'feck, until I whacked them with a hammer, they were sticking out into space and nowhere near where I wanted them to be..

ta,

Paul

firebird4130 · « **Reply #4 on:** May 15, 2011, 08:57 PM »

I usually wrap a cloth round the lever or a bit of electrical tape stick a seatpost over it and bend away

punkdSICO · « **Reply #5 on:** May 15, 2011, 09:13 PM »

Quote from: fraz4130 on May 15, 2011, 08:57 PM

I usually wrap a cloth round the lever or a bit of electrical tape stick a seatpost over it and bend away

..Like the idea of that. And sounds a lot easier to avoid paint damabe..

I presume you have the other end in a vice??

Good tip..

Paul

Betty · « **Reply #6 on:** May 15, 2011, 10:23 PM »

Benders - any others in here?

You're asking that on ere.... did make me chuckle...

firebird4130 · « **Reply #7 on:** May 16, 2011, 01:34 AM »

Quote from: punkdSICO on May 15, 2011, 09:13 PM

Quote from: fraz4130 on May 15, 2011, 08:57 PM
I usually wrap a cloth round the lever or a bit of electrical tape stick a seatpost over it and bend away
..Like the idea of that. And sounds a lot easier to avoid paint damabe..

I presume you have the other end in a vice??

Good tip..

Paul

no vice required, just have your lever fitted to the bars as normal, and bend with seatpost