The main side frames of the arch bar truck are made of 1/4″ x 3/4″ cold rolled steel. All I have to do is put some 10 and 25 degree bends in them.
So I went to Harbor Freight and bought a 12 ton press. I needed it anyway for broaching keyways and pressing the wheels onto the axles.
This is the tool I made to press down on the bar stock. I just happened to have a funky concave cutter, I picked up at an auction some time ago. This was the first time I’ve used it.
I made the receiver out of scraps. The two cylinders are 3/4″ 1144 stress proof steel cut from the ends of my axles. The vertical rectangles are square to the cylinders and will keep the bar straight when I press the angles.
The two photos above, show the arch bar setup in the press. I had made cardboard templates cut to the angles I needed, but I found it was easier to just go slow and check the parts often with a protractor.
If I pressed too much, it is easy to reduce the angle in a vise.
It was quite easy to bend the bars and only took a few minutes. I spent all afternoon making the tool and fixture.
Timbg Live Steam 