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Going Old School again
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Going Old School again
batjac Fri Jan 20, 2023 12:14 am
I’ve been trying to find my Z-bend pliers for months now, but everywhere I’ve looked didn’t turn them up. This past Sunday I got volunteered to make seven Skyray kits for a club 1/2A day One-Design contest. So I really need to make up some Z-bends. So, I had to go old school again and make up a set of substitute pliers the old way.
I took a cheap pair of flat nosed pliers from Harbor Freight to make them. A wider pair would be better, but it’s what I had. Since I’m going Old Skool, I pulled out my 30 year old, single speed Dremel tool and cut a slot in one of the tips big enough for a wire to stick through.
Then I took a piece of piano wire and bent the end. Sorry for the fuzzy pics. Next I put the wire through the slot I cut and bent the wire down.
Voila! A Z-bend! Not as neat as with the Z-bend pliers, but more than serviceable.
The OG Mark
I took a cheap pair of flat nosed pliers from Harbor Freight to make them. A wider pair would be better, but it’s what I had. Since I’m going Old Skool, I pulled out my 30 year old, single speed Dremel tool and cut a slot in one of the tips big enough for a wire to stick through.
Then I took a piece of piano wire and bent the end. Sorry for the fuzzy pics. Next I put the wire through the slot I cut and bent the wire down.
Voila! A Z-bend! Not as neat as with the Z-bend pliers, but more than serviceable.
The OG Mark
batjac- Diamond Member
Posts : 2361
Join date : 2013-05-22
Age : 61
Location : Broken Arrow, OK, USA
Re: Going Old School again
Yabby Fri Jan 20, 2023 5:15 am
Awesome tool you made 
I didnt even know such a thing as Z bend pliers existed. I just used my point nose pliers to make effective but the very rough bends and very innacurate which causes problems getting the controls right. I must find a pair of these fancy pliers.
Yabby
I didnt even know such a thing as Z bend pliers existed. I just used my point nose pliers to make effective but the very rough bends and very innacurate which causes problems getting the controls right. I must find a pair of these fancy pliers. Yabby
Yabby- Platinum Member
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Posts : 711
Join date : 2021-06-08
Location : Yorke Peninsula South Australia
Re: Going Old School again
aspeed Fri Jan 20, 2023 10:15 pm
This is the regular type. Backordered some places, not sure if they are still made. https://ca.video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?fr=yfp-t&ei=UTF-8&p=z+bend+pliers#id=1&vid=0d25bdecee5eae1c95885e6435a68a90&action=click I have a pair that I have not used other than to test with.
aspeed- Platinum Member
- Posts : 795
Join date : 2013-01-18
Location : Leamington Ont. Can.
Re: Going Old School again
batjac Fri Jan 20, 2023 10:33 pm
Aspeed,
I didn't know Hobby King sold these, though I shouldn't be surprised. My pair is a Hobbico set I bought many years ago, and they get (got) used on pretty much every 1/2A plane I build. I was in the area today, so I stopped by the local HobbyTown to see if they had a pair. If they weren't too much I figured I'd buy another pair, since it's a tool I use all the time. HobbyTown had a pair, but wanted $19.99 for them. $21.69 after tax is just too much. I'll stick with my makeshift set until I finally locate my Hobbico pair.
The Bent Mark
I didn't know Hobby King sold these, though I shouldn't be surprised. My pair is a Hobbico set I bought many years ago, and they get (got) used on pretty much every 1/2A plane I build. I was in the area today, so I stopped by the local HobbyTown to see if they had a pair. If they weren't too much I figured I'd buy another pair, since it's a tool I use all the time. HobbyTown had a pair, but wanted $19.99 for them. $21.69 after tax is just too much. I'll stick with my makeshift set until I finally locate my Hobbico pair.
The Bent Mark
batjac- Diamond Member
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Posts : 2361
Join date : 2013-05-22
Age : 61
Location : Broken Arrow, OK, USA
Re: Going Old School again
Yabby Sat Jan 21, 2023 12:59 am
batjac wrote: I'll stick with my makeshift set until I finally locate my Hobbico pair.
The Bent Mark
Your other pair might be with the parts you had delivered recently
Yabby
Yabby- Platinum Member
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Posts : 711
Join date : 2021-06-08
Location : Yorke Peninsula South Australia
Re: Going Old School again
getback Sat Jan 21, 2023 6:48 am
I got one of those $20 pair a while back , have a few of these for lawn mower cables > https://www.ebay.com/itm/224629986409? does a pretty good job for mower cables but can't make no tighter than the jig itself .
getback- Top Poster
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Posts : 10345
Join date : 2013-01-18
Age : 67
Location : julian , NC
Re: Going Old School again
aspeed Sat Jan 21, 2023 8:28 am
I used to bend the angle where it needed to be for adjustment and then did the last bend as the 'keeper' at the needed width just using normal heavy duty pliers. It would be 90 degrees from what is considered correct, but then you twist it so it is straight. It works well unless the wire is over hardened which could break. I got my Hobbico Z bend pliers at a swap meet likely for about $5. Great source for modelling tools like hinge slotters, prop balancers and balsa strippers etc. if you don't mind spending 1/2 a day driving and being (un)sociable.
aspeed- Platinum Member
- Posts : 795
Join date : 2013-01-18
Location : Leamington Ont. Can.
Re: Going Old School again
NEW222 Mon Jan 23, 2023 8:53 pm
Mine are similar. I used a cheap pair of slip-joint pliers and cut the grooves as did you. Seems to work great for 1/16" wire.
NEW222- Top Poster
- Posts : 3896
Join date : 2011-08-13
Age : 45
Location : oakbank, mb
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