Making your own trim pieces

In order to bend the trim pieces, you will first need to fabricate a simple bending jig which can be made in a variety of sizes. This is how we made ours:

REQUIRED TOOLS BENDING JIG FABRICATION

• Lincoln Electric compact MIG welder
• Welding helmet with appropriate lens shade and safety glasses. See Safety Section for additional equipment and guidelines.
• Lincoln SuperArc® L-56™ .025" solid wire
• Gas regulator and hose
• Shielding gas with a 75% argon, 25% carbon dioxide mixture

• 2 pieces - steel tubing no less than 1" long with an outside diameter of 1-1/4"
• 1 piece - any size angle iron large enough to accommodate the steel tubing

Place the angle iron in a vice. Weld the steel tubing onto the angle iron. Place welds on the inside of the pipe as seen in photo xx. Be sure to leave a gap between the two pieces of tubing that is slightly wider than the steel rod you will be bending (in this case, leaving a gap slightly larger than 5/16").

• Vice
• Reciprocating or chop saw
• Grinder
• C-clamp
• Square

You are now ready to bend the steel rods (4 pieces - 36" lengths of 5/16" steel rod). Each length of rod will become two pieces of trim, but it is important not to cut the lengths before you bend them. You can use the extra length for leverage. If working with shorter lengths, a section of pipe can help extend the leverage. Mark the center of each rod for cutting later.

Place the tip of one of the rods between the pieces of steel tubing on your bending jig. Begin bending a tiny bit, then move the rod an inch or so and repeat. This is a careful process that requires many small bends to create a smooth arc. Continue working the rod until you are satisfied with the results. It is important to keep the rod in a steady horizontal plane as you are bending it to avoid spiraling.

Once you have the desired curve, place the rod on a piece of paper and trace it. This will serve as your template so you can replicate the same curve for the other seven pieces, or you can use the template supplied here.

Bend the other side of the rod to match the curve on the template. Repeat this step until both sides of each of the four rods has been bent to the same curve.

Cut each rod at the center mark with the reciprocating or chop saw to make eight pieces.

For a cleaner appearance, grind the side of the rod that will be attached to the bottom side of the table so it fits flush against the flat metal of the table's frame. To accomplish this, place a square on your worktable with one end lined up with the edge of the table. Take one of the rods and lay it flush with the square. This is the part of the rod that will be welded to the table leg. Let the top end of the rod hang over the edge of the table enough so that you can grind it flat. Attach the rod with the c-clamp. With the grinder, flatten the end of the rod, keeping it parallel with the edge of the table. This is the part of the rod that will be welded to the bottom side of the table.

 

Printable Version of Plans (PDF)