Welding a rotisserie

Eventually I’d like to build or have something like the rotisserie in the video link below. But my “for now” question is - where would one get the large pieces of steel curved to a custom radius within say 200 miles of DFW?

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The tubing roller in the metal shop should be able to make that diameter. Not sure what tubing size it goes up too.

Number A: I don’t know the answer to your question (no big shock there)
B: what size tubing d’you reckon you’d need?
C: That’s really, really cool.
D: Here’s an octagonal variant “octisserie” (plans on page 2) that would be easier to build, but less cool and more “space hungry”. Here is one being used on a bus.
Here’s a “dodecatisserie” being used on a bus.
E: I should think the old “engine stand” style would be more flexible and more easily constructed. Here is a bus on one, from the same thread as the dodecatisserie above.

Hopefully someone with more experience than I shall chime in with actual answers to your question, instead of more questions… :slight_smile:

You could easily use 2" round tubing with v-block rollers set in C-channel. It could be made to be dis-assembled pretty easy.

Some people have modified Horror Fraught 1/2 inch square dies to do 1 inch square. But that example appears closer to 2 inch square. Might be a bit much to bend in that frame.

Good point.
The “tubing roller” (thank you @TBJK for loading this into my vocabulary!) in the metal shop now has 1.5 and 2" round dies, so theoretically, you could do it in round with the existing tool.
Also, some other dies are supposedly compatible, and available in plethora if sizes.
SWAG, for example, sells a 2" square die ($164.00) that will supposedly work.
Bet it wouldn’t be THAT hard to make dies, either.
Now, making them work WELL… different story. :slight_smile:

SWAG also sells reinforcing/extending wings to move the lower rollers further away from each other. Their 2 inch dies may require the longer lever arm that modification provides.

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As the diameter and wall thickness go up you’ll probably need a hydraulic bender.

A friend of mine was looking at building one for his 1965 Mustang restoration. He was looking into something like this which there are plans floating around for. They can also be bought for ~$1K

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I’ve seen the octagonal / non curved ones but prefer the roller type due to space. This lack of space eliminates the horror freight and or typical ‘american car’ traditional one as well.
TBJK’s tube idea on a V shaped roller is a good idea too-that would be self centering in the rollers.

That frame can be built for a lot less than $1k. I’ve built wood racks with square tubing that were more complex than that design.

Yep a stick of 2" .120 ERW is 39$ at current prices. If I had to guess it could be made for 2-300$ in materials if even that.

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I’m thinking based on the scale of the VW that it is 2" tubing.

I prefer a rolling type for space considerations - unlike some - I do not have a giant garage at home.

That center span on the bottom could be double-pinned in place on both sides to make it completely collapsible.

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So based on this FAQ for their commercial offering, the “right size” is 7’ 3" diameter. Math not being my strongest skill, am I right this is (712)+3= 87/2=43.53.14*2=273.18/12=22.75 feet of tubing required for each hoop?
Where to buy stock that long?
Or do it in 2 pieces?
Or…?

2 halves so they can be taken down. If it was bought in DOM they sell it in various lengths between 17-21 ft.

You can use tube couplers for easy breakdown. Like these

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If using the extended wing version of the roller, you will loose at least a foot off each end as not having any bend, and possibly more for not having the correct bend. 2 inch, 16ga welded tube is locally available in 20 or 24 foot sections. But I still would roll in halves. Just too awkward, and having to have the waste ends pass each other guarantees some corkscrew.