Bending Aluminum tubing, notching, and welding

[yomax4]

I've never seen a saddle rack up close but would it work to have an aluminum or thin steel sheet slip rolled in to a bend to kind of match the horses back? You might be able to build the supporting frame without so many bends.

This is a good idea. You could even use aluminum strips (of a proper thickness ) instead of tube. Build the skeleton and finish it with the sheet or strips.

 

[chriswheeler]

First of all, getting nice clean bends in square alum tubing isn't easy. Years ago I made a camper shell for my truck using 1" sq. alum tubing for a frame. I had unlimited access to well equipped metal working fab equipment doing this job. Started out making a bending die that had a minimum 16" radius to bend the almost 90 degree corners. This die used with a Diacro bender did the job well bending the corner radius. The key was to attach a 1/8" welding wire on the outside edge of the die to cave in slightly the inside edge of the tubing as it was bent. Fab welds were all tig AC with high frequency, job turned out nice and lasted as long as the truck. I had to be there, had time to kill. You at home might want to consider just stepping out and buying her a nice one for all of the trouble and setup it's going to take just to make the bends. Notice that I didn't say it can't be done, it can of course. What I'm saying is the setup time making the jig and the fab time will making buying her a nice one seam cheap. I'm sure that with one of the Harbor Freight presses and time making the bending jig, it could be done at home. Do you have a tig welder ?? Minimum radius on 1 1/2" square tube will be different than my job, wire used to cave in the inside of the tube will be different as well. If you want to make this saddle rack just because you can, I'd consider going down to 1" sq. thin wall tube, big enough to support any saddle I have, and will require less tonnage to bend.
Chris

 

[TractorGuy]

What about PVC conduit.

 

[Dadnatron]

This is basically what I wanted to build, but make it 'lighter' and shorter. It is for an 'English' saddle, so the stirrups will be pulled up and not require the height of this one. I was going to simply bend a few of the tubes into a similar shape for the 'long' boards, and weld them to another tube bent into the 'front and back' radii. It might not work, but since I think it would be relatively easy in steel, I thought I could do it in aluminum and she would have a rack which she could easily move in and out of the back of her Tahoe.

 

[TractorGuy]

How about this.

 

[Dadnatron]

I've seen that, or one like it. It would 'work' but not what I was going for. All in all, the shorter version that I've see would probably work better than what I have in mind, in that it would fold and mine would not. I was going to put a pull out plastic drawer/tub under it for storage.

I think perhaps my 'idea' is outside of my 'Internet Understanding'...

 

[woodlandfarms]

To me, this is the golden opportunity to obtain new gear at "no" cost. Tube Benders (NOT PIPE BENDERS or so I have been yelled at), a good tig rig, some notching and support gear all will be necessary and now readily available as what you need to make is for the wife.

 

[Big Barn]

To me, this is the golden opportunity to obtain new gear at "no" cost. Tube Benders (NOT PIPE BENDERS or so I have been yelled at), a good tig rig, some notching and support gear all will be necessary and now readily available as what you need to make is for the wife.

You've mentioned this intriguing concept several times in the past, Carl. If you don't mind my asking... "how's it working out for you??"

 

[woodlandfarms]

Honestly. About 30% success rate. I buffer it with a hidden purchase combined with putting it on a back shelf for two weeks so when it is pointed out by her two weeks later I say “what? That old thing? “. I go without new tools 50% of the time