A simple
Hook Bender

© Frank Ford, 2006; Photos by FF

In fact, this project is so simple, I didn't take any photos of the "building" process.

Starting with a piece of 1/2" thick aluminum, I drilled it in the center and tapped it 3/8-16. Then I freehanded a spiral out to the edge and ran a bunch of similarly tapped holes along the line:

Looking through my scrap boxes, I came up with a variety of round stock pieces from which I cut discs, and center drilled to 3/8"

That's it. I use a 3/8 socket head screw for the round piece in the center, and a cutoff 3/8" screw for the outboard post.


I use any number of hooks around the house, work and home shop:

And then there's my wife, who makes and sells various kinds of hanging ceramic items, like this birdhouse:
 

So every  year, I find myself making at least a hundred little hooks of different sizes and shapes.

Using the bender couldn't be easier. I just clamp the plate in my vise, screw a mandrel on, and place the post as close to it as I can, stick the wire stock into the gap, and wrap it around:

If I'm making a bunch of identical hooks, I'll start with precut lengths, and mark the degree of my arbitrary bend so each bend will be the same:

Then I'll take the hook out, flip it over and do a secondary bend if I want to center the loop:

The hook automatically catches at just the right point as I bend the shank back:

Naturally, I'll mark that bend, too:

Here's a recent batch of brass ones, some "S" hooks, some with centered bends:

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