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: