# DIY Bead Roll.... **URL:** \ **Category:** Builds\ **Created:** [October 21, 2010, 5:49am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/diy-bead-roll/161751 "2010-10-21T05:49:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![zero5672](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/zero5672/32/5255_2.png) [@zero5672](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/zero5672)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 5:49am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/diy-bead-roll/161751/1 "2010-10-21T05:49:57Z")
So I am NOT paying $500 for a Bead Form Roller. But I need to have one in my shop… Lathe, Mill, TIG in house…I think I can build one like the Bead Form’s. I also need to roll .75"D Tubing, so HF one isn’t going to do the trick, tube is to small… Any advice, opinions, concerns etc? I think this is going to be today’s project…in my pajamas…:pimp: ---
**Author:** ![juicedz4](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/juicedz4/32/5051_2.png) [@juicedz4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/juicedz4)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 6:05am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/diy-bead-roll/161751/2 "2010-10-21T06:05:06Z")
How often will you need to roll the 3/4". For something small I usually use a modified pair of vise grips that I made. ![http://clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/4519-2/100_0052.jpg](http://clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/4519-2/100_0052.jpg) For tubing a little larger, that still wont fit over the HF mandrels I used a stack of a few washers in place of the inside die. It works well. ![http://clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/10531-2/IMG_1455.JPG](http://clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/10531-2/IMG_1455.JPG) Just a thought. If you need this for more of a production deal, then Ill agree its pretty hack, but it does work. Dan ---
**Author:** ![LUKE\_L](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/luke_l/32/7462_2.png) [@LUKE\_L](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/LUKE_L)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 6:07am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/diy-bead-roll/161751/3 "2010-10-21T06:07:23Z")
Pics of the $500 one…? This one is $149: ![http://www.northerntool.com/images/product/images/1455060_lg.jpg](http://www.northerntool.com/images/product/images/1455060_lg.jpg) [http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product\_200350434\_200350434](http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200350434_200350434) I would get that. Then, make your own die for the .75" tube. ---
**Author:** ![juicedz4](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/juicedz4/32/5051_2.png) [@juicedz4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/juicedz4)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 6:14am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/diy-bead-roll/161751/4 "2010-10-21T06:14:44Z")
Ya, thats just like the HF one. I think I got mine on sale, the 12" one, for like $80. Beadform: [http://www.beadform.com/product.html](http://www.beadform.com/product.html) ![http://www.beadform.com/images/BFI_a.jpg](http://www.beadform.com/images/BFI_a.jpg) Dan ---
**Author:** ![LUKE\_L](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/luke_l/32/7462_2.png) [@LUKE\_L](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/LUKE_L)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 6:25am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/diy-bead-roll/161751/5 "2010-10-21T06:25:31Z")
[http://www.beadform.com/product.html](http://www.beadform.com/product.html) Those are some nice tools. I’m curious to see what the OP builds. ---
**Author:** ![juicedz4](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/juicedz4/32/5051_2.png) [@juicedz4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/juicedz4)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 6:33am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/diy-bead-roll/161751/6 "2010-10-21T06:33:15Z")
They are def nice. Someone on Honda Tech built a clone of one a few years ago. Im sure the links are dead by now, but who knows. EDIT: Its basically the same as the long HF one, just the gears are internal to that box. Pretty simple really. Dan ---
**Author:** ![Spam16v](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/spam16v/32/5287_2.png) [@Spam16v](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Spam16v)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 9:13am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/diy-bead-roll/161751/7 "2010-10-21T09:13:03Z")
just need to find a gear tooth count ratio to match diameter ratio’s and spin up some goods on the old mini-lathe. I’ve got a handful of smaller bearings if you want them C$. Mcmaster it up. Grab-a-granny for LIFE. ---
**Author:** ![zero5672](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/zero5672/32/5255_2.png) [@zero5672](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/zero5672)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 9:41am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/diy-bead-roll/161751/8 "2010-10-21T09:41:53Z")
![http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd255/zero5672/Mobile%20Uploads/utf-8BSU1HMDA3NTYtMjAxMDEwMjEtMTEyMi5qcGc-1.jpg](http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd255/zero5672/Mobile%20Uploads/utf-8BSU1HMDA3NTYtMjAxMDEwMjEtMTEyMi5qcGc-1.jpg) ![http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd255/zero5672/Mobile%20Uploads/utf-8BSU1HMDA3NTItMjAxMDEwMjEtMTAwOC5qcGc-1.jpg](http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd255/zero5672/Mobile%20Uploads/utf-8BSU1HMDA3NTItMjAxMDEwMjEtMTAwOC5qcGc-1.jpg) So far I’ve just been messing around with it, i don’t need the gears on the inside and this material was laying around my shop. If I was to build one “professionally” it would have some snazzy brass bushings and shit. If I have go that route down the road when this burns out on me then so be it. I just have fun building stuff like this. Fly by the seat of my pants engineering… You can see where I took out to much material and the gears didn’t mesh properly :oops:. TIG to the rescue!! P.S. Spam16v…:bukkake:…the older ones KNOWWWW how to take it lolzz Grab a granny FTW son ---------- Post added at 12:41 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:38 PM ---------- ![http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd255/zero5672/Mobile%20Uploads/utf-8BSU1HMDA3NDktMjAxMDEwMjEtMDk1Ny5qcGc.jpg](http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd255/zero5672/Mobile%20Uploads/utf-8BSU1HMDA3NDktMjAxMDEwMjEtMDk1Ny5qcGc.jpg) Just gotta use that lube and its all good! ---
**Author:** ![Clean\_Baldy](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/clean_baldy/32/7308_2.png) [@Clean\_Baldy](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Clean_Baldy)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 9:57am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/diy-bead-roll/161751/9 "2010-10-21T09:57:57Z")
LOL, nice. Not $1 spent, since you had it all sitting around? I’m curious to see it in a video when you’re done… just to see it in action 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Geoff](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/geoff/32/6104_2.png) [@Geoff](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Geoff)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 10:13am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/diy-bead-roll/161751/10 "2010-10-21T10:13:25Z")
:tup: awesome! ---
**Author:** ![zero5672](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/zero5672/32/5255_2.png) [@zero5672](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/zero5672)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 10:19am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/diy-bead-roll/161751/11 "2010-10-21T10:19:14Z")
Not a penny spent…just some time one the good ol’ lathe…the gears were laying around from a machine I modded, so they were just collecting dust, I always have all sorts aluminum stock kickin’ around. It should work alright…the tricky part is getting the shafts to move apart without loosing the meshing of the gears. It would be easier to do if the teeth on the gears I have were taller. But that’s what you get for free parts. This thing is pretty small, pictures are deceiving. ---
**Author:** ![juicedz4](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/juicedz4/32/5051_2.png) [@juicedz4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/juicedz4)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 10:21am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/diy-bead-roll/161751/12 "2010-10-21T10:21:19Z")
I like it… ---
**Author:** ![zero5672](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/zero5672/32/5255_2.png) [@zero5672](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/zero5672)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 10:32am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/diy-bead-roll/161751/13 "2010-10-21T10:32:27Z")
This is how big it actually is… ![http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd255/zero5672/Mobile%20Uploads/utf-8BSU1HMDA3NjAtMjAxMDEwMjEtMTMyNy5qcGc.jpg](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/speedlife/original/3X/6/1/6195cba2a2de7612091778541c1d9099184301bd.jpeg) ---------- Post added at 01:32 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:29 PM ---------- > [@LUKE\_L](#): > > Pics of the $500 one…? > > This one is $149: > > I would get that. Then, make your own die for the .75" tube. That chassis will never be able to get that small. The “axles” are larger then the tubes I need to roll and they psychically cant get close enough together. Trust me I’d buy a “pro” type tool if it wasn’t $469 or whatever they cost ---
**Author:** ![LUKE\_L](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/luke_l/32/7462_2.png) [@LUKE\_L](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/LUKE_L)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 11:24am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/diy-bead-roll/161751/14 "2010-10-21T11:24:45Z")
Gotcha. Nice work. I love fly by the seat of my pants engineering. :tup: