Picket Twister

[Jim-TX]

Here are the pics of my crude twister. I did this in a hurry and never really took the time to make it a little nicer. It works though.

Pic 1: The head showing 1/2" drive socket and handle twisting 1/2" bar. The bar can be pushed thru the socket and handle to allow the twist to begin anywhere on the bar.

Pic 2: A shot of the tail end. It reverses for 1/2" and 3/8" and slides to set the length of twist.

Pic 3: Overall shot of the twister and my messy bench.

Pic 4: 3/8" bar being twisted. I use the clamp to keep the tail holder from sliding down the 1" square.

For 3/8", I use the twister pretty much like pictured. On 1/2" I sometimes clamp the tool in the vise so that the handles are on top and in a horizontal position. It makes it easer to turn.

[Bert]

LMAO!!!!!!!! WELL IT'S ABOUT TIME!!!!!!
Looks VERY good, and thanks for letting us look at it!!! Did you feel the stress??? lol............If your bench is messy, I guess I won't show you mine!
Does it stay straight as you're twisting it????
thanks again!!!!!
bert

[Jim-TX]

LMAO!!!!!!!! WELL IT'S ABOUT TIME!!!!!!
bert

Grrrrr.... lol. Don't worry about. It's not even suppertime there yet.

The bar stays pretty straight. Sometimes I tweak it a little when done. It will tend to bend a tad where the twist starts but I just eyeball it and bend it a little in the vise. No big deal. I've got a Shop Outfitters attachment for my 20/20 bender and it seems to keep the bar straighter and I think it's due to the fact that once I start twisting I don't stop until it's done. The downside to the Shop Outfitters bender is that you can't twist a bar in more than one place. If you will notice, my twister allows you to just drop the piece in the tail holder. This lets you twist part of the bar one way, then move it and twist another part differently if you want to. One of these days I'll upgrade the tail holder a little where it looks better.

[ctrhenry]

is it possible to twist 6 inche sin the middle of a34 inch picket with it?

[Bert]

Grrrrr.... lol. Don't worry about. It's not even suppertime there yet.

The bar stays pretty straight. Sometimes I tweak it a little when done. It will tend to bend a tad where the twist starts but I just eyeball it and bend it a little in the vise. No big deal. I've got a Shop Outfitters attachment for my 20/20 bender and it seems to keep the bar straighter and I think it's due to the fact that once I start twisting I don't stop until it's done. The downside to the Shop Outfitters bender is that you can't twist a bar in more than one place. If you will notice, my twister allows you to just drop the piece in the tail holder. This lets you twist part of the bar one way, then move it and twist another part differently if you want to. One of these days I'll upgrade the tail holder a little where it looks better.

Thanks Jim

[storts]

I made one using a old pipe threading machine. It is set on a bench I made with a adjustable tail stock,so I can make different lenght pickets. It will twist 1/2 to 3/4 solid square stock like butter. It takes less than 30 seconds to twist a 40" picket. Turn it on and count rotations.

Same exact thing,,A guy was throwing ot a OLD ,Think its a westinghouse. Never even groans,Put your soapstone mark,dependin how tight the customers want them,But you know that!!So i have a new plug on the end invested!! Thanks,Jack

[Jim-TX]

is it possible to twist 6 inche sin the middle of a34 inch picket with it?

Yes. Just slide 14" thru the handle and set the tail holder 14" from the other end. Twist right or left as many times as you need. You can even do multiple twists on the same picket as long as you can slide one end thru the handle and have room between the twists for the tail holder. It takes about 2".

[Bert]

Too cool guys!!!!!! I'll send out a pic of one of the crosses I made tomorrow night. Used oxy/acet the old school way. Can't use it to make bigger things, 'cause I'd burn up too much gas, and would be WAY cost ineffective!