# Fender Roller Build Attempt #001



## hcdsign (May 11, 2013)

Hello, I was looking to buy a fender roller, but could not find one to be available or cost effective.  Soooo, I proceeded to design and build my own creation.  This started with a call to Jim Frazier aka JAF/CO.  Let me tell you Jim is a GREAT guy!!  He did not have any rollers on hand to sell, so we started discussing the die wheels, radiuses, and what went into building a fender roller.  Well me being an engineer by trade, I went thru and over engineered everything & made it x10 heavier than it needs to be.  My thought is if your going to stick the time into the design, money in materials, you might as well go for broke.

The tubes are 1.25dia 3/16 wall DOM, with Oil-lite bronze bushings, while the shafts are .750 accuracy stock.  The uprights are .62x2.50 CRS, and then screwed to the tubes with 6 modified drop stand bolts that I make w/ a friend.  The die wheels (when I receive them) will also be made of CRS.  There will be 3 matched sets of 2" and 6" rollers for flat rolling, radiused for fenders, and peaked for peaked fenders, and getting into corners/ribs.  The uprights were also designed/built so that the to arm could be moved down into a lower position to use 2 of the 2" rollers if custom dies needed to be made. (6" stock is quite pricey)  Finally the wheel is from a 1961 Cub Cadet garden tractor, and the stand is from a bench grinder I junked.

The frame was made so that it was multi-way compatible.  The tube can be flipped top to bottom, and or left to right.  The same is true for the shafts, they can go top to bottom, and or left to right.  the die wheels can also mount on either side.  This also made for the uprights to be exchangeable as well, so that the tensioner can be mounted on either on depending on the die wheel placement.

I originally planned to mount this on a grinder stand.  But now that I have it in hand, I may make it portable and put rubber feet on it due to the total mass of the roller.

This project is far from done, it needs the die wheels, tensioner knob, a bushing for the hand wheel, spring return, and a paint job.  I am just happy to have received the parts I did today, to assemble this far.  

Please see the attached pictures and let me know what you think of the project thus far.  I have also included a picture of the initial roller that I started my design off of.

Thank you, Howie.


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## JAF/CO (May 12, 2013)

looks good it will work with out paint 
get and old fender and put some dents in it so you can take them out


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## looneymatthew (May 12, 2013)

*nice job*

looks solid . how does it work? take some pics with the fender in it.  and show the before and after. again looks like you made a great piece of tooling . well done.





JAF/CO said:


> looks good it will work with out paint
> get and old fender and put some dents in it so you can take them out


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## bike (May 12, 2013)

*I have heard of FAT FENDERS but...*



hcdsign said:


> Hello, I was looking to buy a fender roller, but could not find one to be available or cost effective.  Soooo, I proceeded to design and build my own creation.  This started with a call to Jim Frazier aka JAF/CO.  Let me tell you Jim is a GREAT guy!!  He did not have any rollers on hand to sell, so we started discussing the die wheels, radiuses, and what went into building a fender roller.  Well me being an engineer by trade, I went thru and over engineered everything & made it x10 heavier than it needs to be.  My thought is if your going to stick the time into the design, money in materials, you might as well go for broke.
> 
> The tubes are 1.25dia 3/16 wall DOM, with Oil-lite bronze bushings, while the shafts are .750 accuracy stock.  The uprights are .62x2.50 CRS, and then screwed to the tubes with 6 modified drop stand bolts that I make w/ a friend.  The die wheels (when I receive them) will also be made of CRS.  There will be 3 matched sets of 2" and 6" rollers for flat rolling, radiused for fenders, and peaked for peaked fenders, and getting into corners/ribs.  The uprights were also designed/built so that the to arm could be moved down into a lower position to use 2 of the 2" rollers if custom dies needed to be made. (6" stock is quite pricey)  Finally the wheel is from a 1961 Cub Cadet garden tractor, and the stand is from a bench grinder I junked.
> 
> ...




WOW how do you roll 1' fenders? how do you lift one foot thick fenders?


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## decotriumph (May 12, 2013)

*Distance*

I'm curious as to why the rollers are so far from the steering wheel. That seems like a pretty long reach.


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## hcdsign (May 12, 2013)

*Thanks for the input!*

Jim its been going on a year now since we talked, and the start of this project.  Thanks for your input & help on this project

Looneymathew & Bike, I am still missing the 6" die wheels so I put the 2 small ones on for now (yes I know they don't match).  I also don't have the tensioner knob or return spring installed, I will update some more pics next week, when I get the rest of my parts.

Decotriumph, yes this did grow longer than I planned.  The tubes started out 12" rough sawed, and the accuracy started as 18" rough sawed.  Once I have all the parts assembled and prove to myself that it actually works, I may break it down & take 3"-4" out of the center.

Again, thanks for the input everybody!!
Howie.

PS for now the top tube for now is held in place in the upright away handwheel with some screws.  When the tensioner and spring are in, these screws will be removed allowing range of motion.


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## hcdsign (May 27, 2013)

*Update*

Thanks to my machine shop guy working the holiday weekend, I was able to get my large roller & spacer for the hand wheel.  I assembled the wheel and spacer, and used a pc of thread rod  as a temporary tensioner.  I rolled 3 crap fenders to get a feel of things, and found that this is kind of an art.  While rolling the dent out isn't a big deal, not marring the paint or chrome is another.  As with anything skill comes with time & trial.  I hope to have the rest of my die roller sets this coming week.

As far as the width goes, I thought it was going to be a bit on the wide side, however it turns out that the fit is not bad.  With the hand wheel in one hand the fender is about a shoulders width away, and feels quite natural.--

I have attached pictures of 2 sample fenders I rolled. (didn't include the 1st because it was a mess!)  As well as a picture of the roller in motion.

Please let me know what you think good, bad, or ugly 

Thank you, Howie.


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## schwinnbikebobb (May 27, 2013)

I rolled 3 crap fenders to get a feel of things, and found that this is kind of an art.  

I agree with this. When I got mine I thought I would just run the fender through and it would be done!  Don't really work that way! You have to work the dents out slowly back and forth. I put electrical tape on my wheels to cut down on the marring.


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## Tim the Skid (May 27, 2013)

looks like it works pretty good from the pictures. I'd like to have a set up like that.


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## Stinky_Sullivan (May 27, 2013)

How long before you start offering your services? I doubt you made this just to roll your own fenders.


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## hcdsign (May 28, 2013)

Thank you for the replies!!

Schwinnbikebobb - Thats a great idea using electrical tape.  I was wondering what i was going to do when i started with some crusty fenders.  At first I thought to use wide rubberbands, but probably too plyable.

Tim the Skid - I may make more in the future, pending further testing of this unit, and interest generated on this post.

Stinky Sullivan - I actually did make this for myself.  I tend to buy the prewar cast offs that are typically in rough shape, due to a shoe string bike budget.  I may offer services to the local bike shop that helps me with my projects.  But that wont be for a while, at least until i hone my skills.  I would hate to eat an expensive pair of deep aluminum fenders because i rolled them full of lines, or screwed up the finish.  Who knows, maybe in the future I may offer rolling services, but for now I feel that I am just too green at this to do work for other people.

Thanks again, Howie


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## Stinky_Sullivan (May 28, 2013)

How much did it cost you to make it?


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## Rear Facing Drop Out (May 28, 2013)

*drive wheel*

I have the drive wheel as the "ID" roller. So if it slips its underneith. I also like the narrower design to allow my eyes to be right over the fender. Also some oil doesnt hurt either. Optional sized wheels and wheels to get close to the beads would be a plus too. good job though!


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## hcdsign (May 28, 2013)

Stinky_Sullivan said:


> How much did it cost you to make it?




My cost will end up being around be around $450.  Again that's my cost, having a friend do the machine work.  Please also realize that this thing is built much heavier than any other fender roller I have ever seen.  Being built to last 20 life times, and universally compatible with it self, added the extra cost.  

Hopefully it proves to be a good little tool once I master the technique!!

Thanks, Howie.


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## hcdsign (May 28, 2013)

Rear Facing Drop Out said:


> I have the drive wheel as the "ID" roller. So if it slips its underneith. I also like the narrower design to allow my eyes to be right over the fender. Also some oil doesnt hurt either. Optional sized wheels and wheels to get close to the beads would be a plus too. good job though!




Thanks for the input, I can see how being more narrow would be better.  With mine being so wide I am glad I opted for the hand wheel rather than a crank handle. And who knows if don't like the way this one feels after a while, I can always cut a few inches out of the center. 

Thanks again, Howie.


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