[TheForge] Re: Twister (Was:: housekeeping...)

[Michael]

Dave's twister is as good as anything I've seen; the spring loaded mounting
on one end is a very nice touch, allowing constant tension to be maintained
on parts that are losing length, without creating any tendency to reduce
their cross section dimensions.

When twisting hot-rolled 1/2" square bar and Japanese square tubing, back in
the late sixties; we ran at four RPM output fed from 1/2 horse motors (1725
RPM) to achieve maximum twists (right up to a threaded look before the bars
gave way, suddenly twisting apart). Two other aspects were a handle on the
gearbox so that the picket ends could be aligned in a flat plane after the
twist, and both mountings had to be closely aligned (we simply use the
square bar as a gauge and tack welded, tested, then strengthened the
weldments.
Mikey