Curved railing bending jig - photo

[Altair]

Curved railing bending jig.




Previously:

Bending stair railing - GIF

[JoeH]

Very interesting structure. Is there any more information? Purpose of the hoses? Looks like you could set up for a variety of railings.

[mwmkravchenko]

Reminds me of a spiral staircase I did in 1993. Fun times. Since then I have done lot's of curved work. Like most things it is planning and preparation. And a heck of a lot of clamps!

[mwmkravchenko]

Very interesting structure. Is there any more information? Purpose of the hoses? Looks like you could set up for a variety of railings.

Probably air powered clamps. If you do this regularly it is a very effective way to get a lot of pressure on the subject.

[neilbourjaily]

Curved railing bending jig.




Previously:

Bending stair railing - GIF

On the center post are a series of adjustable radii made of steel box tubing. These radii are clamped inside a slightly larger (with lower gauge), yet obviously shorter, box tube with a bolt(s) of a sort. The clamps themselves are adjustable in vector and height on the pole. This assembly allows infinite control over the ascending curve of the rail. On the ground are drop cloths covering the next layer of the to be glue-laminated railing. Yep, them squeezers around the glu-lam are air actuated clamps.

[JoeH]

Thanks very much for the explanation. I understood the box tubing and center pole functions. I'm unfamiliar with air actuated clamps. Were these fabricated or purchased?

[Unkle Fuzzy]

The clamps appear to be air bag operated. A piece of latex tube pinched shut at the ends with metal strips bolted through, and sandwiched between two pieces of rectangular tubing.

[mwmkravchenko]

The clamps appear to be air bag operated. A piece of latex tube pinched shut at the ends with metal strips bolted through, and sandwiched between two pieces of rectangular tubing.

Looks like fire hose to me. Makes for a great air actuated clamp.

[JoeH]

Yes, after I looked again it does look like fire hose. I'm thinking of how I could adapt this technique to metal handrails. It beats the wooden form work I once used for a spiral stair. I wouldn't need the air clamps.

[mwmkravchenko]

Yes, after I looked again it does look like fire hose. I'm thinking of how I could adapt this technique to metal handrails. It beats the wooden form work I once used for a spiral stair. I wouldn't need the air clamps.

You could use all thread to clamp up the metal parts in blocks. The rest of the structure is pretty useful for either wood or metal as it is a universal setup. I have never done production spirals just one offs every so often.

I think the most important thing for you would be access so that you could weld where you want. bending up the railing into the correct shape is not that hard in this setup.