Page 1 of 1
Wire Strightening
Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2014 5:15 pm
by beeg
I have some heavy gage wire, about 9 ga. It's used as tensioning wire on the bottom of chain link fencing. I'm using to make 42 U shaped stakes to try and keep landscape bricks from sliding down a hill. I'm cutting the wire into 18" lengths, then bending 2 legs to make a 3" top section to place the brick against. Roughly shaped like this
__
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
The wire comes rolled up in about a 2.5ft circle. I tried to roll it between 2 boards, but it just slides across the boards. Got ANY ways as to how to straighten it somewhat?
Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2014 5:56 pm
by joedw00
I would try to tie it on the back of two vehicles (maybe two trucks) or something solid and very "gently" pull it. How long is it?
Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2014 5:56 pm
by charlese
How about a metal vice to hold one leg and bending around a large oak dowel?
Or, bending around the round part of an anvil. Two vice grips would be needed and maybe a hammer.
P.S. Oh! sorry you're trying to straighten rather than bend. Use your vice and bend against the existing bend.
Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2014 6:07 pm
by skou
What kind of wire?
Is it springy, or will it bend and keep the bend?
Can you anneal it to take out the springiness?
steve
Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2014 6:16 pm
by beeg
skou wrote:What kind of wire?
Is it springy, or will it bend and keep the bend?
steve
It's used as tensioning wire on the bottom of chain link fencing. Think about 9 gage galvanized steel wire. It will bend with no springiness.
Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2014 8:48 pm
by teacherman
#9 wire is tough stuff. It would be tedious, but if you attach a nut to an old barrel, you could bend it back by hand bit by bit, threading the wire through the nut and using the barrel as a form, going slightly past straight to overcome the set of the coils. If it were copper, a vise and a drill would straighten it up quickly!
Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2014 8:56 pm
by JPG
Leave the wire coiled. Place the coil on a flat surface.(keeps it from rotating next). Pull out a foot and bend it around a curved edge that is sufficient to reverse the bend.(bring it straight rather). Repeat until 3' is straightened. Cut off and do another until 42 pieces are straight.
You may have to heat for the next two bends.
