# fender rolling



## the tinker (Jun 7, 2015)

Bought a new roller a couple years back to replace my old one that had seen better days.  decided to finally try it out.
Been experimenting with different ways of mounting it in a vise. also mounting the vise differently so the unit can be mounted over the vise and not sticking out into the work area. The roller mounts on the end of a welded angle iron arm that is clamped into a vise. There always is some  "wobble" when using it that is annoying. Trying to eliminate this as well.                 Anyway been messing around with it mounted in different positions. One thing that worked out well was making the bench lower. With the roller mounted lower there is more control and is easier on the shoulders.
The new rollers have one improvement over the older ones. The bottom wheel will not become loose during use.  They are pretty much only good for balloon fenders. This particular roller was originally made to roll out Whizzer fenders. I sold a roller last year that had an  extra small roller for light weight fenders and a flat roller for taking a kink out of anything that is flat . I wish I would have kept them. It will not do peaked fenders. It will do the sides only.  Also deep fenders like monark are tricky as the bottom lip of the fender drags against the shaft housing of the bottom wheel. Maybe the new units may be deeper, I havent tested it yet.  
I always run a couple of turns of electrical tape on both rollers. Keeps the knurling on the bottom wheel from nicking up the underside of the fender, and buffers the top roller from disturbing paint or chrome. Never roll a dirty fender. A little piece of grit will ruin your day. THey are lots of fun!


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## SJ_BIKER (Jun 9, 2015)

you are so right about that grit....i had to learn the hard way....pit central


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## bike (Jun 10, 2015)

I have taken off the silver part and mounted in a park bike stand with heavy base-works pretty good


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## the tinker (Jun 10, 2015)

Good idea bike, that was my next plan ,as my idea of mounting the vise with the large cutout in the bench was not worth the effort. No matter what way I placed the vise, or what way I swiveled the roller the bottom portion of the workbench, or the vise got in the way.  I know the man that made these rollers, a lot of work went into them. The 1st. one I had was made I think in the 1980s.For the time and effort to make a limited amount of them I think the price is very good.  If I recall I believe the total run of them was under 250.  I don't know if he planed to make more.  The older one I had was lent from the guy I got bought it from to another hobbyist who rolled some dirty fenders with it and had it clamped too tight between the rollers. He over shot the end of fender and clashed the bottom wheel into the top roller, really messing up the top roller......Lesson... don't lend out your fender roller.                  
                                                                                                                                    I traded a Schwinn rack to Wes Pinchot for an extra top roller he had. [ the only extra one he had]      That fixed up my old machine and I have had lots of fun using it                             
. The late Jim Hurd of the old Schwinn Museum gave Wes the moniker "fender doctor", after Wes rolled some fenders for the museum.  Wes is really good at it.


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## Lynn43506 (Nov 24, 2015)

the tinker said:


> Good idea bike, that was my next plan ,as my idea of mounting the vise with the large cutout in the bench was not worth the effort. No matter what way I placed the vise, or what way I swiveled the roller the bottom portion of the workbench, or the vise got in the way.  I know the man that made these rollers, a lot of work went into them. The 1st. one I had was made I think in the 1980s.For the time and effort to make a limited amount of them I think the price is very good.  If I recall I believe the total run of them was under 250.  I don't know if he planed to make more.  The older one I had was lent from the guy I got bought it from to another hobbyist who rolled some dirty fenders with it and had it clamped too tight between the rollers. He over shot the end of fender and clashed the bottom wheel into the top roller, really messing up the top roller......Lesson... don't lend out your fender roller.
> I traded a Schwinn rack to Wes Pinchot for an extra top roller he had. [ the only extra one he had]      That fixed up my old machine and I have had lots of fun using it
> . The late Jim Hurd of the old Schwinn Museum gave Wes the moniker "fender doctor", after Wes rolled some fenders for the museum.  Wes is really good at it.



Can you roll raingutter fenders?


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## Lynn43506 (Nov 24, 2015)

bike said:


> I have taken off the silver part and mounted in a park bike stand with heavy base-works pretty good



Can you roll raingutter fenders?


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## Lynn43506 (Nov 24, 2015)

SJ_BIKER said:


> you are so right about that grit....i had to leard the hard way....pit central



Can you roll raingutter fenders?


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## bricycle (Nov 24, 2015)

no. maybe the sides a bit.


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## the tinker (Nov 24, 2015)

Lynn43506 said:


> Can you roll raingutter fenders?




The sides.... maybe.  The problem is the edge of the fender is folded [crimped] under a bit to give the sides stability. On regular fenders I can stay away from the very edge because there is plenty room for the wide top roller.
On your fender the rollers will "flatten out " this edge. The dents will come out but the fender edge will not look good. This is a problem on the ends of a fender as well. By inserting a 3" cut-off of an old fender that has had this edge removed inside the front or sides of a fenders while rolling it this can be avoided....But not on your fenders. The bottom wheel on the rollers being sold on Ebay is 13/16ths " wide. I have rolled dents out of the top ridge of a fender similar to yours.  The top channel of your fender must to be able to accommodate the bottom roller with some play. When rolling any fender it must be perfectly clean and free from the usual grime that is on the underside of the fenders. Depending on where the dents are , the braces usually have to be removed. The other problem it your fenders are aluminum. Steel is very forgiving.






Photo #1 typical rain gutter fender.  Notice in photo #2 the lower wheel of the fender roller will not fit inside the indent of this fender[can't roll it.... ] last photo illustrates how much of the edge can be done and the problem of changing the fender's appearance by flattening the bead on the fender edge.


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## SirMike1983 (Nov 24, 2015)

I think that hammer and dolly block is still the method of choice for raingutter or non-rounded fenders.


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## Lynn43506 (Nov 24, 2015)

the tinker said:


> The sides.... maybe.  The problem is the edge of the fender is folded [crimped] under a bit to give the sides stability. On regular fenders I can stay away from the very edge because there is plenty room for the wide top roller.
> On your fender the rollers will "flatten out " this edge. The dents will come out but the fender edge will not look good. This is a problem on the ends of a fender as well. By inserting a 3" cut-off of an old fender that has had this edge removed inside the front or sides of a fenders while rolling it this can be avoided....But not on your fenders. The bottom wheel on the rollers being sold on Ebay is 13/16ths " wide. I have rolled dents out of the top ridge of a fender similar to yours.  The top channel of your fender must to be able to accommodate the bottom roller with some play. When rolling any fender it must be perfectly clean and free from the usual grime that is on the underside of the fenders. Depending on where the dents are , the braces usually have to be removed. The other problem it your fenders are aluminum. Steel is very forgiving.View attachment 252804View attachment 252805View attachment 252806
> Photo #1 typical rain gutter fender.  Notice in photo #2 the lower wheel of the fender roller will not fit inside the indent of this fender[can't roll it.... ] last photo illustrates how much of the edge can be done and the problem of changing the fender's appearance by flattening the bead on the fender edge.



My fenders are stainless steel


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## bike (Nov 25, 2015)

the tinker said:


> View attachment 252805View attachment 252806
> Photo #1 typical rain gutter fender.  Notice in photo #2 the lower wheel of the fender roller will not fit inside the indent of this fender[can't roll it.... ] last photo illustrates how much of the edge can be done and the problem of changing the fender's appearance by flattening the bead on the fender edge.




the curve of the top wheel does nothing but block other items -notice the marks denoting the contact area on the top roller- I had a friend who made some flat top wheels and they worked great.
still tricky to get those rain gutters


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